“Paris is my city. It’s special,” wrote Patrícia Sampaio on Instagram – @sampaiolovesjudo – and the pictures say it all. Less than 200 days after her Olympic bronze, the Portuguese judoka is back on the podium, this time to claim gold at the Grand Slam, one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments, which took place in Paris from 2 to 4 February.
At the opening event of the 2025 World Tour, Sampaio secured her 12th international medal—but this one was special: her first-ever Grand Slam victory, adding to her collection of eight medals in the competition.