Peruvian judoka Driulys Rivas secured a historic bronze medal in the women's under-52kg category at the Lima 2026 Judo Grand Prix.
Rivas defeated Morocco's Soumiya in the medal match to capture third place on the opening day of the international tournament, which has gathered 350 judokas from 60 countries in the Peruvian capital.
The achievement marks a milestone for the host nation and reflects the ongoing development work led by the Peruvian Sports Judo Federation, headed by sensei María Martínez Murciego.
Podium victory and mental preparation
Following her victory in the under-52kg division, Rivas stated that the medal was the most significant of her career. She explained that competing at such a high international level required intense dedication, effort, and specialized mental preparation developed through the national judo federation.
She also expressed gratitude for the motivational guidance she received from federation president Martínez Murciego immediately before stepping onto the mat for her final bout. Rivas dedicated her podium finish to her mother Esther and her sisters.
Rivas noted that the victory served as personal redemption after she narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2025 Grand Prix held at the Coliseo Dibós arena in Lima.
Prominent figures from the international martial arts community attended the competition, including Olympic athlete Carlos Zegarra, who serves as president of the Pan American Judo Confederation and vice president of the International Judo Federation.
Peruvian team performances and ranking points
Peru reached the final medal rounds with three competitors on the opening day. Alongside Rivas, teammates Brillith Gamarra and Franco Baltazar also fought their way into medal contention.
Gamarra competed in the women's under-52kg category, while Baltazar represented Peru in the men's under-66kg division. Both judokas finished in fifth position after their final bouts, earning valuable points toward the international judo world rankings.
The Grand Prix circuit is part of the International Judo Federation World Judo Tour, a series of elite global tournaments where judokas earn ranking points used for international seeding and championship qualification.
International gold medal winners
Brazil dominated the opening day of competition in Lima, securing three gold medals across different weight divisions. Rafaela Rodrigues captured gold in the women's under-52kg category, Michell Augusto won the men's under-60kg title, and Jessica Lima took victory in the women's under-57kg division.
European athletes earned the remaining gold medals on the inaugural card. Assunta Scutto of Italy won the women's under-48kg division, while Denis Vieri of Moldova secured top honors in the men's under-66kg category. Spanish judoka Andrea Rodriguez also claimed a gold medal during the opening session.
