Serbia’s Jovana Stjepanovic delivered an impressive performance on the opening day of the Paks Junior European Cup 2025, capturing gold in the -78kg category. This marks her second consecutive European Cup title this season, setting her status as one of the rising stars of Serbian judo.
“Right now, I feel happy. It’s a beautiful feeling when the national anthem plays in your honour“, she said. The win in Paks held particular significance for Stjepanovic, not just for the podium finish, but for the calibre of her opponents. “At the previous competition, I managed to defeat an opponent from Japan, and here, an opponent from other strong judo nations. These are my first victories over judoka from those countries, so that’s very special for me.”
Although her judo appeared calm and confident throughout the day, she admitted to dealing with nerves behind the scenes. “I was nervous but focused. I tried to stay calm and concentrate only on the fight in front of me, one step at a time, not on the result. That really helped me stay in the right mindset.”
The gold medal is more than just an award for the young Serbian judoka. “This medal means a lot to me. It’s another confirmation that we train hard and that our effort pays off. It’s not only about winning, it’s about seeing how far you have come.”
Next on her calendar is the Junior European Championships, where she will represent Serbia with growing confidence. “Yes, I will compete at the European Championships. This result gives me extra belief in myself, and I’m excited for what’s to come. I will keep training hard and give my best there.”
Images: Bor Veronika
Author: Szandra Szogedi