The European Veterans Cup in Warsaw is a unique event on the European judo map. This year’s edition will bring together around 250 athletes from 30 countries, showing how dynamically the veterans’ judo community is developing. It is a tournament that combines experience, sporting passion, and an exceptional atmosphere of mutual support.
Although more and more female athletes appear on European mats, there are still significantly fewer women than men. And yet women’s judo has enormous potential, experience, and a history worth continuing.
Competing in veterans’ categories is not only about fighting for medals. It is a return to the emotions that every judoka knows, as well as an opportunity to meet athletes from all over Europe, exchange experiences and build international friendships. The European Veterans Cup proves that judo has no age limit. Whether you are returning after a few years’ break or considering your first start in the veterans’ category, this is exactly the place for you.
Izabela Herdzik (-63kg / POL) shares her experience on the circuit.
Q: Last year, you won a silver medal at the European Veterans Championships and in 2024 you took bronze at the World Veterans Championships, what motivates you to keep coming back to compete on the tatami?
Izabela Herdzik: What motivates me the most is that, as a coach, I want to set an example for my students and their parents, to show that I am still in good shape and fully live this sport. On top of that, I still have a fighting spirit inside me that has never faded and continues to push me toward competition.
Q: Veteran women’s judo has been developing very dynamically year by year, how do you see the level of sport and the number of female competitors changing in this category?
IH: Every year we can see a clear increase in interest in women’s veterans’ judo on the international stage. The athletes are showing a higher and higher level, both in physical preparation and technical skills, and in the -63 kg category I compete in, the competition is really strong. However, we are still far behind men in terms of the number of participants.
Q: What advice would you give to women who trained in judo in the past but are unsure whether to return to the sport and try competing in the veterans’ category?
IH: There is no single formula for coming back because each of us has a different story, motherhood, health, or professional responsibilities that often take us away from sport. However, it is worth taking the first step, stepping out of your comfort zone and simply returning to training. Often that is enough to rediscover the desire to test yourself in competition.
Women’s judo needs your presence on the tatami. Every start is a step toward a stronger, more visible community of women in judo. It is also an inspiration for younger generations and proof that the passion for judo can last a lifetime.
Another important element of the competition is also ne-waza, or ground fighting. For many competitors, this is a major advantage, especially for those who are concerned about injuries after a longer break from competition. Ne-waza allows for safer competition and a gradual return to sporting emotions, minimizing the risk of injury.
Stanisław Pazgan, three-times vice champion world championships, two-times bronze medallist world championships, European champion and three-times vice champion at European championships veterans and authorised representative of the Board of Polish judo association for Veterans and Amateurs also shared his view.
Q: How has the veterans’ judo movement in Poland developed over the years and do you see growing interest among former athletes in returning to competition?
Stanisław Pazgan: Year by year, interest in competing in veterans’ events has been clearly increasing. For comparison, in 2023 there were 130 female and male athletes competing at the Polish Veterans Championships, while in 2025 as many as 275 judoka stepped onto the tatami in Wrocław. The high sporting level of the Polish Championships is also reflected in the fact that several of the younger veterans competing in these events also won medals at the Polish Senior Championships in 2025.
Q: What importance does participation in European Judo Union events have for Polish veterans, and what can we expect from the upcoming competitions?
SP: Participation in the European Judo Union Veterans Cups is of great importance to us. It gives us the opportunity to compete in events organised at the highest sporting level, while also allowing athletes to collect points for the EJU Veterans Ranking, which plays a key role in seedings for the European Championships.
The year 2025 was exceptionally successful for our national team. It was a season full of achievements, which allowed Poland to finish in 7th place in the EJU Veterans Ranking, based on results from the World Championships, European Championships, and European Cups held in 2025.
Q: What most often motivates veteran athletes to return to the tatami after many years, competition, passion for judo, or perhaps the atmosphere of meeting former rivals again?
SP: The most important motivation for returning to the tatami is, above all, a love for judo and the desire to test oneself in competition once again. Judo is not only a sport, it is a way of life and a philosophy that stays with a person forever. The atmosphere at competitions also plays a huge role, one that is full of kindness, joy, and mutual respect. Meeting former rivals and friends from the tatami is, for many athletes, just as important as the competition itself.
There can be a „judo second chapter” on the tatami where experience, passion, and fighting spirit continue to thrive in veteran judo, so hopefully see you on tatami!
The event will be streamed live online via JudoTV.
Author: Ewa Kempka
Author: EJU Media