Priscilla Gagné Placed Fifth in Tbilisi
Canadian judoka Priscilla Gagné finished fifth in the Under-52-kg division at the World Para-Judo Championships.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Other Sports
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Priscilla Gagné secured a fifth-place finish at the World Para-Judo Championships in Tbilisi after competing in six matches. She narrowly missed a spot on the podium following a bronze medal match loss to Maria Manzanero Ruiz.
Why it matters
The tournament serves as a premier international event for blind and visually impaired athletes to showcase their skill on a global stage. The results in Tbilisi help determine world rankings and provide crucial experience for high-level competitive athletes.
Competing in the Under-52-kg division, Priscilla Gagné played a total of six matches during the tournament. The division title was claimed by Alfiya Tlekkabyl.
The players
Priscilla Gagné
A 40-year-old athlete who competed in the Under-52-kg division at the world championships.
Maria Manzanero Ruiz
The judoka who secured a bronze medal after defeating Gagné in their final match of the tournament.
Eitel Houedakor
A competitor in the Under-81-kg division who won his first-round match against Bauyrzhan Artsanbekov.
Alfiya Tlekkabyl
The athlete who emerged as the world champion in the Under-52-kg weight division.
Alejandro Kunkel
The opponent who defeated Eitel Houedakor during the second round of his weight class competition.
The details
Gagné fell in the bronze medal match to Maria Manzanero Ruiz, who scored a Yuko in the final minute of the bout. Ruiz secured the score by effectively reacting to attacks and controlling the action on the ground.
Timeline
The World Para-Judo Championships took place on September 25, 2026, in Tbilisi.
Season Trajectory
This performance in Tbilisi marks a significant data point in the current competitive calendar for international para-judoka. These results influence future seeding and tournament participation as athletes build their records following the International Blind Sports Federation judo competition standards.
Gagné concludes her campaign with a fifth-place rank in the Under-52-kg division after logging six total matches. Meanwhile, Eitel Houedakor advances through one round of competition in the Under-81-kg bracket before exiting the tournament.
The takeaway
Para-judo requires significant tactical endurance, as evidenced by the high-stakes scoring in the final minutes of the bronze medal match. Athletes continue to refine their ground-game strategies to counter defensive maneuvers in high-pressure championship bouts.
Further reading
For more on international athletic rankings and upcoming events, visit Other Sports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Sport Information Resource Centre.
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