Day two of the OTP Group Sofia World Cadet Judo Championships 2025 saw the action continue with the girls’ –48kg and –52kg categories alongside the boys’ –60kg and –66kg divisions. While Uzbekistan did not manage to add to their golden tally, they remain at the top of the medal table. For Europe, it was a day of near misses, with athletes reaching three of the four finals but only one striking gold. That honour went to Rakhim Khamkhoev (IJF), who produced a commanding run in the –66kg category to claim his first cadet world title.
World number two Khamkhoev looked untouchable for much of the day, winning three of his five contests in under a minute. Yet, his opening bout against Sultonbek Kuldoshboev (UZB) nearly ended in distress when he conceded a score midway through. The scare sparked Khamkhoev into action, and with his very next grip he blazed through with a clinical o-soto-gari for ippon. From there, Khamkhoev was uninterrupted. Temuulen Chintogtokh (MGL) lasted just 14 seconds before being launched by an uchi-mata, and in the quarter-final Zygimantas Karalevicius (LTU) met the same fate in 18 seconds. The semi-final against Rolan Kairgali (KAZ) was tighter but still ended in style when Kairgali landed from an o-uchi-gari inside the opening minute.
The final brought Khamkhoev’s biggest test as Mukhammedali Zhylkaidar (KAZ) pushed him for almost the full four minutes. Still, when the moment came, Khamkhoev’s trademark uchi-mata lit up the tatami once again, sealing gold and confirming him as cadet World Champion 2025, adding to his 2025 cadet European title.
Europe’s medal tally did not stop there. Muslim Kotiev (IJF) secured bronze in the –66kg, while world number one and reigning cadet European champion Zeyd Alasgarov (AZE) delivered bronze in the –60kg. The girls’ categories also produced podium joy: in the –48kg, Maelys Dapa (BEL) took silver, with Nourane Moussati (FRA) and Barbara Twarowska (POL) both earning bronze. Meanwhile in the –52kg, Sweden’s Sofia Cordova battled her way to the final before falling to her Japanese opponent and settling for silver, while Spain’s Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas secured bronze.
With Europe claiming medals across every category, the stage is set for another thrilling day in Sofia. The third day of action begins at 09:30 CET (+1). Don’t miss a moment, follow it all live on judotv.com.
Images: IJF/ Gabriela Sabau and Emanuele Di Feliciantonio
Author: Szandra Szogedi