Cypriot judoka Zanet Michaelidou — one of the athletes Force 8 is proud to support — claimed bronze in the -78kg category at the XXIII Commonwealth Games, defeating England’s Shelley Ludford in the bronze-medal contest at Glasgow’s SEC Centre on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
The silver in her weight class went to Canada’s Coralie Godbout, while England’s Emma Reid — already a world bronze medalist — took gold.
A Familiar Face in the Mixed Zone
Moments after the medal was secured, Zanet was met in the mixed zone by Elisabetta Fratini, an IJF technical official and one of the most recognisable figures on the international judo circuit. Fratini has followed Zanet’s career since her earliest steps on the world tour — she’s known to many athletes on the circuit simply as “Eli,” and to some who grew up around the sport, as “mummy.” The embrace between the two said as much about the years behind the result as the medal itself.
Cyprus Judo’s Best-Ever Commonwealth Games
Zanet’s bronze came on a landmark day for Cypriot judo. Giorgos Krousaniotakis won bronze at -100kg, and Giannis Antoniou claimed gold at +100kg — Cyprus’ only judo gold of the Games, with the national anthem playing inside the SEC Centre.
Earlier in the competition, Georgios Balartzisvili (silver, -66kg) and Petros Christodoulidis (bronze, -66kg) had already met each other in the semi-final — guaranteeing Cyprus a medal in that weight class before the color was even decided — while Sofia Asvesta took silver at -52kg and Odysseas Georgakis added bronze at -81kg.
Cyprus Judo — Glasgow 2026 Medal Table
| Athlete | Weight Class | Medal |
|---|---|---|
| Giannis Antoniou | +100kg | Gold |
| Georgios Balartzisvili | -66kg | Silver |
| Sofia Asvesta | -52kg | Silver |
| Petros Christodoulidis | -66kg | Bronze |
| Odysseas Georgakis | -81kg | Bronze |
| Giorgos Krousaniotakis | -100kg | Bronze |
| Zanet Michailidou | -78kg | Bronze |
Seven medals in total — one gold, two silver, four bronze — the best judo result in Cyprus’ Commonwealth Games history, and more than half of Cyprus’ overall haul at the Games (12 medals, 14th place among 3,000+ athletes from 72 nations, from a squad of just 36).
We’re proud to have Zanet among the athletes we support, and even prouder to see her add to one of the standout days in Cypriot sporting history.
