The Senior European Judo Championships Tbilisi 2026 is fast approaching. The countdown continues and so do our previews. Today, we turn our attention to the women’s -52kg and men’s -66kg categories, taking a closer look at what lies ahead. Let’s dive straight in.
-52kg category
Kosovo’s dominance in the -52kg category over the past decade is undeniable. Five European titles in 10 years, within the same weight, tell their own story, a legacy built by two Olympic champions, Majlinda Kelmendi and Distria Krasniqi. Now, it is Krasniqi who returns to the spotlight as the reigning champion, carrying that legacy forward.
Yet, this is far from a one-woman show. Joining Krasniqi in the field are two other Olympic medallists: Amandine Buchard (FRA), silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 and bronze medallist at Paris 2024, and Odette Giuffrida (ITA), silver medallist in Rio 2016 and bronze medallist in Tokyo 2020. Giuffrida also arrives as the only athlete among them to call herself world champion, having claimed the title in 2024.
Krasniqi is already a three-time European champion (2021, 2024, 2025), while Buchard has secured two continental titles (2021, 2023), and Giuffrida one (2020). These three names stand slightly above the rest but the draw promises complications. Should the current seeding hold, top seed Krasniqi is likely to cross paths with Giuffrida en route. Their rivalry is well established: 12 meetings, with Krasniqi leading 8–4. Tbilisi will also mark Giuffrida’s 13th senior European Championships appearance, underlining her experience at this level.
The dynamics between the trio are as compelling as ever. Buchard holds a statistical edge in their head-to-head contests (4–2 against Krasniqi, 5–1 against Giuffrida), positioning her as a formidable contender. The question is no longer about credentials, it is about timing. Who will deliver when it matters most in Tbilisi?
Seeded sixth, Buchard may avoid her two main rivals until the latter stages but her route is far from simple. Standing in her way is a strong Hungarian presence, led by Olympic fifth-place finisher and 2024 European bronze medallist Pupp Réka, alongside 2025 world bronze medallist Gyertyás Róza. Meanwhile, last year’s podium will be fully represented, with Naomi van Krevel (NED) and Ariane Toro Soler (ESP) also returning to the fray.
Europe’s depth in this category is widely recognised, often setting the benchmark globally. In Tbilisi, seven of the world’s top ten athletes will take to the tatami, a clear indication of the level on display.
European champions of the past ten years in the -52kg weight category
2016, Kazan (RUS): Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS)
2017, Warsaw (POL): Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS)
2018, Tel-Aviv (ISR): Natalia Kuziutina (RUS)
2019, Minsk (BLR): Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS)
2020, Prague (CZE): Odette Giuffrida (ITA)
2021, Lisbon (POR): Amandine Buchard (FRA)
2022, Sofia (BUL): Chelsie Giles (GBR)
2023, Montpellier (FRA): Amandine Buchard (FRA)
2024, Zagreb (CRO): Distria Krasniqi (KOS)
2025, Podgorica (MNE): Distria Krasniqi (KOS)
-66kg category
It is not every day you see a Finnish judoka leading the seeding in the -66kg category but Luukas Saha (FIN) has earned that position. Backed by a world bronze medal in 2024 and a European bronze in 2025, the top seed arrives in Tbilisi with both form and momentum.
The category also features two Olympic medallists: Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO), silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and Denis Vieru (MDA), bronze medallist at Paris 2024, adding further weight to an already competitive field.
Reigning European champion Daikii Bouba (FRA) returns to defend his title, joined by all Podgorica medallists, Murad Chopanov (RUS), Saha (FIN) and Walide Khyar (FRA). Fun fact, this is the current list of the top four seeds in Tbilisi. All in all, five of the world’s top ten will step onto the tatami, underlining the depth and quality of this division.
Experience, however, lies firmly with Margvelashvili. The 32-year-old made his European Championships debut in 2016, claiming gold in Kazan and added a second continental title in Zagreb in 2024. With a full set of European medals to his name, Tbilisi will mark his 11th senior appearance and evidently, his first on home soil.
The last time a home judoka claimed this title was in 2014, when Loïc Korval (FRA) triumphed in Montpellier. Now, a decade on, Margvelashvili has the opportunity to rewrite that narrative.
The draw promises early tension. Bouba is likely to find himself in the same half as top seed Saha, with the Finn holding a narrow 2–1 advantage in their head-to-head contests. Yet the unpredictability of the category is heightened by Margvelashvili’s unseeded status, meaning a potential clash could emerge at any stage.
Should Bouba and Margvelashvili collide, it would be a meeting of proven champions. Despite long careers, they have faced each other only three times on the Grand Slam circuit. Margvelashvili struck first in Paris in 2022, but Bouba responded with victories in Tokyo in 2023 and again in Paris in 2025, edging the rivalry.
So, how will it unfold? French control, Georgian celebration on home soil, or a breakthrough moment for Finland? Or perhaps something entirely unexpected?
European champions of the past ten years in the -66kg weight category
2016, Kazan (RUS): Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
2017, Warsaw(POL): Giorgii Zantaraia (UKR)
2018, Tel-Aviv (ISR): Adrian Gomboc (SLO)
2019, Minsk (BLR): Giorgii Zantaraia (UKR)
2020, Prague (CZE): Orkhan Safarov (AZE)
2021, Lisbon (POR): Manuel Lombardo (ITA)
2022, Sofia (BUL): Bogdan Iadov (UKR)
2023, Montpellier (FRA): Denis Vieru (MDA)
2024, Zagreb (CRO): Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
2025, Podgorica (MNE): Daiki Bouba (FRA)
Experience it all live on JudoTV, where each exchange, each counter, and every golden score moment can turn the course of the title race.
Author: EJU Media