Western Australia’s Timeo Tournier represented Australia at the 2026 Lima Grand Prix in Peru on Friday, 14 August, making his debut on the IJF World Judo Tour.
The 20-year-old UWA Judo Club athlete competed in a strong Senior Men’s −66kg division featuring 33 judoka from around the world.
Tournier was one of five Australian athletes entered in the three-day Grand Prix and the only Western Australian in the team. Australia was also represented by Joshua Katz, Ryley Rametta, Jack Rigby and Axel Nightingale.
Official Lima Grand Prix event page.
Timeo Tournier contests −66kg
Tournier entered the competition as the sixth seed and was drawn against Paraguay’s Mateo Cabral in the round of 32.
Cabral brought the contest to an early conclusion, scoring ippon with a right-sided uchi-mata after 32 seconds.
Cabral progressed to face Moldova’s Denis Vieru in the round of 16. Vieru won that contest and continued through the draw to claim the silver medal, finishing behind fellow Moldovan Radu Izvoreanu.
Because Cabral was eliminated before reaching the quarterfinal, Tournier did not receive a repechage opportunity and finished unplaced.
A significant step onto the World Judo Tour
Competing at an IJF Grand Prix represented an important milestone for Tournier as he continued his transition into senior international judo.
The Lima event attracted 296 competitors from 50 countries across five continents, providing Tournier with an opportunity to test himself at one of the highest levels of international competition. The −66kg category was ultimately won by Moldova’s Radu Izvoreanu, ahead of compatriot and Olympic bronze medallist Denis Vieru. Official −66kg results.
Tournier entered the event ranked 49th in the world at −66kg, following a strong start to 2026 that included silver at the Oceania Senior Championships and bronze at the Mandurah Oceania Open.
Next competition: Lima Panamerican Open
Tournier will remain in Peru for the Lima Panamerican Open on Tuesday, 18 August.
The continental open will provide another opportunity to compete at senior international level and build on the experience gained during his World Tour debut.
Congratulations to Timeo on representing Australia at the Lima Grand Prix, and best wishes for the upcoming Panamerican Open.
