Triple champion Bellandi is not unique

Italy’s Alice Bellandi has firmly established herself as one of the defining figures in modern judo in the 78kg category. With her victory in Tbilisi, she now holds Olympic, world and European titles simultaneously, a rare achievement that underlines her dominance. By completing this set, Bellandi joins an exclusive group of judoka who have managed to claim all three major titles within a short time frame.

The most recent athlete to achieve this was Hidayat Heydarov, who secured Olympic gold in 2024, who had already won the European and world titles in the same amazing year.

Before him, the benchmark for such dominance was set by Teddy Riner. The French heavyweight had already claimed the world title in 2011 in Paris and Olympic gold in 2012, before completing the set with European gold in Budapest in 2013. Well he added another World title in 2013 too.

In 1996 Pawel Nastula of Poland won the European title, added the Olympic title in Atlanta and won the world title in 1997 in Paris continuing the Grand Slam of three titles. In fact he was already the 1995 World Champion, so completed the crown in Atlanta.

In 1991 French lightweight Cecile Nowak won the World title, a test championship for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona that she won as 1992 European Champion, held in Paris that year in May.

British Diane Bell won the 1987 World title in Essen and followed up in 1988 with the European title in Pamplona and added the Olympic title that year in Seoul in a timespan of less than a year.

Ingrid Berghmans was also a multiple champion and legend from Belgium. She won the 1988 Olympic Games, added the European title in 1989 in May and the world title followed not much later in October in Helsinki.

Dutchman Wim Ruska was a phenomenon in the early seventies. He won the 1971 European title, the 1971 world title and prolonged the European title in 1972 and two Olympic titles that year, what a series!

Bellandi’s achievement places her firmly in this elite company. What makes it even more remarkable is the authority with which she has collected these titles, combining tactical control with physical dominance. In an era of increasing depth and competition across the weight categories, holding all three crowns simultaneously is a clear sign of exceptional consistency and class at the very highest level.

Back to the overview