After a successful first day at the European Youth Olympic Festival 2025, claiming three gold medals, Azerbaijan were looking to break their earlier record of four golds, and two athletes put them in with a chance on day two; Nurana HAJIZADA (-48kg) and Zeyd ALASGAROV (-60kg). Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, and the team will be looking to their day three athletes to make history, instead, gold medals went to France, Ukraine, Spain and Serbia.
Hajizada went up against tough opponent, Celine IDDIR (FRA) first, and both picked up a shido early on in the contest. Both proved that they should be in the final, with flurries of techniques and swift work in ne waza, equal so much in fact that they went in to golden score. It was impressively fought final for the -48kg category but it was an adjusted uchi mata that brought the gold medal to Iddir! The first gold for Team France in judo, and sixth overall in the multi sport event.
Bronze medals in the -48kg category went to Gabriela HERTA (MDA) and KISS Viktoria (HUN), the latter endured golden score before finding the win by tomoe nage.
The current Cadet European Champion at -60kg, Alasagarov was Azerbaijan’s second hope for gold, but his back was put against the wall quickly by Khazar HEYDAROV (UKR) as he scored waza ari with a driving sode. After a gruelling semi final, Alasgarov had to dig deep yet again, and gave a solid effort, but his desperation became apparent in the final minute. Instead, a yuko score came from Heydarov’s o uchi gari, which eventually brought him the gold medal. The Ukrainian athlete had been chasing a major gold after placing second in the 2024 Cadet European Championships.
FEDORA Ferenc (HUN) came back strong from a semi final loss to take his bronze medal in only 36 seconds and on the adjoining tatami, Vakhtangi TCHIABERASHVILI (GEO) came back from the longest contest of the tournament so far, scoring waza ari with ura nage but his opponent, Timeo CORI (SUI) made small comeback with yuko score. It wasn’t enough however and the Georgian athlete finished the contest with kata guruma.
Spain came close to a gold medal on day one, and day two gave them a new opportunity through Monica MARTINEZ DE RITUERTO MORILLAS, who faced Hannah GLAUNER (GER) for the -52kg gold medal. As in her semi final, Martinez scored with a ko uchi gari assisted by a deep grip down the back, she added a waza ari with sode tsuri komi goshi, and with only a minute left on the clock, finished the contest with juji gatame! An incredible contest from the Spanish athlete and a first gold medal in judo, and tenth for Team Spain.
Aysun MAMMADOVA (AZE) avenged her team mates losses in the final by taking bronze, with a huge ura nage, which seemed like the technique of the choice, as Alexandra CHIRON (MDA) hauled her opponent for a waza ari in golden score.
Closing out day two of the judo event were the -66kg young men. Top seed, Boris JANKOVIC (SRB) looked comfortable in the opening minute against Tyn ZWIERS (NED), scoring waza ari with soto makikomi. Though he looked further for another score, it wasn’t to be, not that it dimmed his celebration of become the European Youth Olympic Champion! Team Serbia were in full in the tribune, as were members of the Olympic Committee.
Taking the bronze medals were Illia NAZARENKO (UKR) and Lithuania’s Zygimantas KARALEVICIUS who defeated Kristof GAL (HUN) for the second bronze medal in golden score.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen