Canada's Evelyn Beaton claimed the Women's -52kg Judo gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Friday, 31 July, defeating Sofia Asvesta of Cyprus in the final. The victory was particularly sweet for Beaton, who had lost to Asvesta in their previous two encounters but delivered when the stakes were highest.

Beaton's Redemption on the Tatami

Beaton's win over Asvesta reversed a recent head-to-head record that had not favoured the Canadian. Composure and timing proved decisive in the final, as Beaton navigated the threat posed by the Cypriot judoka to stand atop the podium. In the bronze medal bouts, Tatum Keen of England secured third place, while Cameroon's Marie Celine Baba Matia pulled off a notable upset, defeating Tinka Easton of Australia for the second bronze.

Frascadore Edges Balarjishvili in Men's -66kg Thriller

Canada's Julien Frascadore dominated large stretches of the Men's -66kg final before clinching gold with a golden-score Yuko after five minutes of intense action. His opponent, Georgios Balarjishvili of Cyprus, had won the same title at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, making Frascadore's victory a statement win. 'I think in Scotland there are a few pubs, so I'll try a few of those in the next few days,' Frascadore said after his gold-medal performance. Michael Fryer of England and Petros Christodoulides of Cyprus completed the podium in the bronze medal finals.

India's Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh Add to Judo Medal Haul

India's Asmita Dey won the Women's 48kg judo gold on Thursday, defeating Canada's Heidi Quach 2-1 in a tightly contested final. Dey stayed composed during the crucial moments, combining smart strategy with solid defence to edge past Quach in what stands as the biggest win of her Commonwealth Games career. On Saturday, Harsh Singh delivered a dominant showing in the Men's -60kg event, defeating Australia's Joshua Katz by a commanding 10-0 scoreline to claim gold.

Full Medal Standings — Friday's Judo Events

Women's -52kg: Gold — Evelyn Beaton (CAN); Silver — Sofia Asvesta (CYP); Bronze — Tatum Keen (ENG) and Marie Celine Baba Matia (CMR).

Men's -66kg: Gold — Julien Frascadore (CAN); Silver — Georgios Balarjishvili (CYP); Bronze — Michael Fryer (ENG) and Petros Christodoulides (CYP).

With India's judo contingent already having secured gold in both the -48kg and -60kg categories earlier in the week, the sport has emerged as one of the stronger disciplines for the Indian challenge at Glasgow 2026. The Games continue with further judo and multi-sport action in the days ahead.