Canada's Jessica Klimkait, Francois Gauthier-Drapeau each win judo gold at Zagreb Grand Prix

Canadian judokas Jessica Klimkait and Francois Gauthier-Drapeau won gold while going undefeated in their respective weight categories at the Zagreb Grand Prix in Croatia on Saturday.

Klimkait defeated Kaja Kajzer Zabkar of Slovenia to win the women's -63kg category, marking her return to the podium after elbow surgery this past summer.

The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist from Whitby, Ont., had eliminated Yuan Pei Chun of Taipei and Esmigul Kuyulova of Kazakhstan earlier Saturday.

“When you have surgery, it can raise a lot of doubts, but today, Jessica proved that she’s back among the world’s best. She showcased all her strengths and took her game to the next level. And she still has room to grow, which is encouraging,” Canadian coach Antoine Valois-Fortier told Judo Canada.

Gauthier-Drapeau, competing in the men's -81-kilogram class, captured his first career Grand Prix title with a win over Murodjon Yuldoshev of Uzbekistan in a tense final that saw both judokas receive two shido penalties each.

“Francois put in strong performances all day, and he displayed great tenacity. Not only did he win, but he did so in style. His experience really shone through today. He had a great day, and he truly deserves his win,” Canadian coach Antoine Valois-Fortier told Judo Canada.

“In some of his recent competitions, he’s been a bit dissatisfied with his performances. This win came at the perfect time, just a few weeks before the Masters Tournament. It bodes really well for him."

Gauthier-Drapeau, from Alma, Que., won two Grand Slam events in 2025, in Abu Dhabi and Paris.

Canadian judoka Francois Gauthier-Drapeau claims Grand Slam gold

His path to Saturday's final saw him beat Uruguay’s Alain Mikael Aprahamian, Puerto Rico’s Adrian Gandia