Clarisse Agbégnénou wins bronze at Lausanne Grand Slam in return after maternity leave

Podium finish in Lausanne

French judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou earned a bronze medal in the -63 kg category at the Lausanne Grand Slam in Switzerland on Saturday, 29 August 2026. The tournament marked the 33-year-old competitor's return to high-level judo following a 16-month competitive break. Agbégnénou gave birth to her second child, a son named Dakota, on 11 March 2026, five months prior to stepping back onto the tatami. Her son watched from the arena stands as she competed in the Swiss tournament. Her prior competitive appearance was in April 2025 at the European Judo Championships in Podgorica, Montenegro, where she won a silver medal before stepping away for her second maternity leave.

Path through the tournament bracket

Agbégnénou recorded victories in four of her five bouts across the day in Lausanne. She opened the tournament by defeating Anna Kriza of Hungary in the first round, followed by a victory over Keren Primo of Israel in the second round. In the quarter-finals, she eliminated Joanne Van Lieshout of the Netherlands, who entered the bout as both the reigning European champion and the 2024 world champion. Agbégnénou's sole defeat came in the semi-finals against Angelika Szymanska of Poland, the 2024 world championship runner-up, who scored a decisive yuko with ten seconds remaining in regular time. Agbégnénou rebounded in the bronze medal contest, overcoming Czech judoka Renata Zachova, the two-time European champion in 2024 and 2025, in a rematch of their April 2025 European final. In the gold medal match, Szymanska defeated French judoka Manon Deketer by ippon with 19 seconds left on the clock, giving Deketer the silver medal.

Tactical assessment and return conditions

Following her medal bout, Agbégnénou addressed questions regarding her decision to resume competition immediately at Grand Slam level rather than at a smaller event.

People were asking me why I was returning straight to a Grand Slam. If I claim to be a world champion, I am obligated to take on the best. And today I did not back down, I went for it.

The six-time world champion acknowledged frustration over the late score in her semi-final bout against Szymanska, but evaluated the tournament as a positive indicator of her competitive level. She identified tactical awareness, speed, and increased utilization of ground work as primary areas for improvement in upcoming training camps.

I think it was within my reach, but at the same time, I tell myself that you cannot have everything. If I get the Worlds, if I get a good selection for the Olympics, and gold at the Games, I will quickly forget my third place at the Lausanne Grand Slam.

Roadmap to Baku and the 2028 Olympics

Agbégnénou is next scheduled to compete at the World Judo Championships in October 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she will pursue her seventh individual world title. The French squad for the Baku championships includes Agbégnénou and heavyweight competitor Teddy Riner, while Amandine Buchard is omitted from the roster. Beyond the autumn world championships, Agbégnénou has stated that the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will represent the final chapter of her competitive judo career. Olympic quota qualifying began in the summer of 2026, offering Agbégnénou the opportunity to pursue another Olympic podium after winning gold at Tokyo 2021, silver at Rio 2016, and bronze at Paris 2024.