The Warsaw European Open 2026 delivered two days of high-level competition, thrilling moments and passionate home support inside the CAiLS Hall in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. The Polish team impressed throughout the day and the final block was no exception. Here is how the action unfolded during a memorable Sunday afternoon inside the arena.
The bronze medal contests in the -81kg category opened the final block on the closing day of the event, immediately setting the tone for an exciting run of medal bouts. France claimed both bronze medals, with Luca Otmane and Bastien Pons delivering strong performances to secure the two third places and place the French team firmly on the podium.
Attention then turned to the gold medal contest. Double Continental Open bronze medallist and top seed of the category, Joshua de Lange (NED), stepped onto the tatami for the first final at such an event. Standing in his way was the junior European bronze medallist of 2025 and Poland’s first golden hope of the day, Szymon Szulik.
The Polish judoka wasted no time in igniting the crowd. Within the first minute, Szulik launched a sharp low seoi-nage to score yuko and take the early lead. Yet the Dutch fighter responded quickly. Just 30 seconds later, de Lange managed to level the scoreboard, earning a yuko of his own and bringing the contest back to equal terms.
At 1:42, however, Szulik produced another decisive moment. A well-timed piece of ashi-waza caught de Lange off balance and pushed the Polish athlete ahead once more, doubling his advantage with a second yuko. From that moment on, Szulik controlled the exchanges with composure, dictating the rhythm of the contest and keeping the Dutch judoka under constant pressure.
As the clock ticked down, tension built. With only 11 seconds remaining, Szulik picked up his second penalty, offering a final glimmer of hope for de Lange. It was the last roll of the dice. The Dutch judoka pushed forward in the closing moments but time slipped away before he could turn the contest around. When the buzzer sounded, Poland had its first gold medal of day two.
The -48kg category opened with two compelling bronze medal contests. One delivered an all-Spanish clash between Gemma Maria Gomez Antona and Aitana Diaz Hernandez, while the second brought together Italy’s Rebecca Valeriani and France’s Anais Perrot. After two determined battles, it was Perrot and Diaz Hernandez who each securing a place on the podium.
The final provided another all-French moment, featuring second-time Continental Open participant Fina Pamedie Katendi Nzuzi against nine-time Continental Open medallist Marine Gilly. Even on paper there was a clear contrast between the two athletes and the contest unfolded in much the same way.
The difference on the scoreboard ultimately came down to a single yuko, scored by Gilly within the opening minute. However, the story of the contest was not simply the score but the composure and experience behind it. Gilly’s maturity on the tatami allowed her to control the pace of the bout and manage each exchange carefully.
With under a minute remaining, Katendi Nzuzi had already accumulated two penalties, adding further pressure as time began to run out. The young French judoka pushed forward relentlessly in the closing stages, producing several strong attacks and coming close on more than one occasion in her effort to turn the contest around.
Despite those determined efforts, Gilly remained composed. Drawing on her extensive experience at this level, she controlled the final moments expertly, managing the clock and neutralising the attacks to secure the victory. In the end, it was a performance defined by patience and tactical awareness, earning Gilly her fourth Continental Open gold medal.
Johann Lenz (GER) and Aibol Nyssanali (KAZ) secured the bronze medals in the -90kg category, setting the stage for an intriguing gold medal contest. Stepping onto the tatami for the final was Novo Raicevic (MNE), who had already claimed gold just a week earlier at the Podgorica Senior European Cup. In his most recent interview with the European Judo Union, the Montenegrin judoka shared that life at home has been equally eventful, having welcomed five-week-old twins. Running on very little sleep, Raicevic joked about the challenge, yet the lack of rest appeared to have little impact on his performance in Warsaw, where he once again powered his way into the final.
The small states European champion and 2025 Conegliano Continental Open bronze medallist faced Aleksa Mitrovic (FRA) for the gold medal. For the French judoka, the occasion carried additional significance, as it marked his very first appearance on the Continental Open circuit.
The final began with Mitrovic taking the initiative, scoring yuko by a morote-seoi-nage attempt to move ahead early in the contest. By the halfway mark, both athletes had accumulated two penalties apiece, leaving them walking a very fine line. Surviving several minutes in such a situation without receiving the decisive third shido is never easy, though not impossible.
However, it was Mitrovic who ultimately ran out of margin for error. Despite holding the lead on the scoreboard, a false attack resulted in the decisive third penalty. At 32 seconds left to go, the momentum shifted completely. The gold medal slipped from the French judoka’s grasp and Raicevic found himself once again standing at the top of the podium, continuing a remarkable run of form despite the sleepless nights of new fatherhood.
During the final block of the -52kg category, Barbara Twarowska (POL) set the tone for the host nation by securing one of the bronze medals before taking her place in the stands to watch her teammate contest the final. The second bronze went to Alicia Marques (FRA), ensuring two nations celebrated podium finishes before the gold medal bout even began.
The spotlight then turned to Aleksandra Kaleta (POL), who had the opportunity to deliver another golden moment for the home crowd. Having previously collected three bronze medals across different Continental Opens, this marked Kaleta’s first appearance in a final at this level. Entering the competition as the top seed, expectations were high that she would reach the decisive bout, where she faced triple Continental Open medallist Kenya Perna (ITA).
Kaleta did not disappoint. Towards the end of the opening minute, she struck first with a tani-otoshi to score yuko. What followed was a remarkable burst of action. Soon after, she countered Perna’s uchi-mata attempt to score waza-ari and in between exchanges she added another yuko to her tally. Three scores came within a breathtaking 40 seconds but Kaleta was far from finished.
Maintaining the momentum, the Polish judoka immediately transitioned into groundwork. With precision and confidence, she moved around into position, secured the arm and applied juji-gatame to force the submission. In a matter of moments the contest was over and Kaleta had sealed the victory. Poland celebrated its second gold medal of the day, with Kaleta delivering a dominant and memorable performance in front of the home supporters.
Olympic silver medallist from Rio 2016, Elmar Gasimov (AZE), made a notable appearance in Warsaw and left with a bronze medal in the -100kg category. Sharing the podium, to the delight of the home crowd, was Michal Jedrzejewski (POL), who also secured a place among the medallists.
The gold medal contest promised a fascinating encounter, featuring an all-Dutch final between two rising talents. The U23 European Champion of 2024, Lars Vissers, faced compatriot Joes Schell, the 2024 junior European and World Championships bronze medallist as well as a Continental Open bronze medallist.
What many expected to be a closely fought contest was decided almost instantly. Within the opening minute, Schell executed a perfectly timed counterattack, catching Vissers mid-action and driving the technique through with impressive control and sheer physical power. The result was an emphatic ippon that ended the bout in decisive fashion.
Malin Wilson Claret (ESP) secured one of the bronze medals in the -57kg category, while on the neighbouring mat her teammate Carla Ubasart Mascaro (ESP) claimed the other, ensuring a double podium finish for Spain in this division.
The gold medal contest brought together two highly experienced competitors. Two-time IJF World Tour medallist and six-time Continental Open medallist, Ophelie Vellozzi (FRA) faced Rio 2016 Olympian, multiple IJF World Tour medallist and four-time Continental Open winner, Arleta Podolak (POL).
The final remained finely balanced through the opening exchanges, with both athletes testing each other carefully and neither willing to give away an early advantage. The breakthrough came around the midway point of the contest. During a transition, Vellozzi seized her moment in ne-waza, trapping Podolak and locking in a precise sankaku-waza.
Once secured, the French judoka left little room for escape, controlling the position to finish the contest and claim victory. With that decisive groundwork technique, Vellozzi earned her fourth Continental Open gold medal, adding another significant result to an already impressive record.
The host nation enjoyed a strong finish to the day, particularly in the +100kg category. One of the bronze medal contests delivered an all-Polish clash between Jakub Sordyl and Patryk Broniec, much to the delight of the local crowd. In the end, it was Sordyl who secured the bronze medal. Joining him on the podium was Daniel Udsilauri (GER), who overcame Mathys Gomes da Silva (FRA) to claim the second bronze.
As the final category of the event approached its conclusion, the question in the arena was clear: would Poland have yet another finalist? The answer, once again, was yes. Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2025 bronze medallist and double European Open silver medallist Grzegorz Teresinski (POL) stepped forward as the host nation’s final golden hope of the competition.
Standing between Teresinski and a perfect closing moment for the home crowd was Continental Open bronze medallist Jamal Feyziyev (AZE). The bout began cautiously, with both heavyweights carefully measuring their attacks and looking for the right opening.
That opening arrived at 2:14, when the Polish judoka produced a decisive action to score waza-ari and take control of the contest. With the momentum firmly on his side, Teresinski continued to press forward and soon found another opportunity. Capitalising on a lower seoi-nage attempt, he scored a second waza-ari to bring the contest to an emphatic close.
The Polish team erupted as Teresinski sealed the gold medal for Poland, delivering the perfect ending for the host nation and bringing the Warsaw European Open to a memorable conclusion.
That’s a wrap from Warsaw with France finishing on top of the overall medal table (6-2-7), followed by Poland (4-4-3) and the Netherlands (1-2-2). The next stop on the European Open Tour will be in Benidorm, Spain, from 16–17 May.
Author: Szandra Szogedi