While much of Hungary turned its attention to Budapest this weekend, where French and English football supporters flooded the capital ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final, another major international sporting event was gathering momentum 120 kilometres to the west.
The impact of the football showpiece was already noticeable on the motorway to Győr on Friday afternoon, with traffic moving at little more than a crawl. Yet many of those making the journey were not heading for the Puskás Aréna but for Western Hungary’s largest city, where by 5pm the main hall of the Olympic Sports Park was packed to capacity with judoka.
Built for the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival, the Olympic Sports Park is one of Hungary’s premier sporting venues. Several training halls and competition arenas sit side by side within the complex, including a dedicated judo hall that serves as the home of the local club and regularly hosts national events. For the scale of the Judo Hopes Tournament, however, even that facility proved too small. As a result, this weekend’s competition has taken over the venue’s largest arena, where four competition tatami have been installed.
The demand more than justified the expansion. The Hungarian leg of the Judo Hopes Tournament has attracted tremendous interest, with 556 young athletes representing 139 clubs from 23 countries across Europe. In addition, more than 100 coaches have travelled to Győr to be part of the event.
Following Friday afternoon’s registration, athletes from the U14 and U16 age groups gathered on the tatami for the official opening ceremony. Welcoming them was European Judo Union President Dr Tóth László, joined by two of the sport’s most celebrated figures.
“I warmly welcome you all to Győr for an event that is far more than just a competition. It is a true judo weekend for athletes, coaches and family members alike. Through the European Judo Union programme, we are striving to provide even more comprehensive development opportunities for this age group. I believe those who take part can become stronger, faster and continue to improve their technical skills, while also gaining valuable experience of the environment and standards found at the highest levels of our sport.
“It is also possible that this programme will continue to evolve. We will seek the views of our member federations on whether an official European Championship for the U16 age category could be introduced as early as next year,” revealed Dr Tóth.
He then handed the microphone to the event’s distinguished guests: two-time Olympic medallist and three-time world champion Misato Nakamura of Japan, and Olympic medallist and six-time European champion Telma Monteiro of Portugal.
Rather than delivering formal speeches, the two judo icons went straight to work. Before dinner, they led a 90-minute seminar, guiding the young judoka through a variety of standing and groundwork techniques. It was an opportunity for the next generation to learn directly from some of the sport’s greatest champions.
The atmosphere throughout the session was electric. Even the vast arena felt slightly too small as athletes packed onto the mats, eager to absorb every detail. More importantly, it was impossible not to sense the unique bond shared by the representatives of 23 different nations. They may have come from different countries and cultures but everyone spoke the same language: JUDO.
By Saturday 30 May, the focus shifted firmly to competition. During the opening day of the Judo Hopes Tournament, half of the U14 weight categories contested their medals in the morning session, followed by half of the U16 divisions in the afternoon, all spread across four competition areas.
Meanwhile, those not competing remained fully engaged. The dedicated judo hall once again came to life as Nakamura and Monteiro delivered further technical training sessions, offering participants another rare chance to learn from two athletes who helped define an era of international judo. For many of the young judoka in attendance, it was an invaluable opportunity to pick up techniques and insights directly from the very best.
Live Stream
Day 1 – Tatami 1 Gyor European Judo Hopes Tournament 2026 – Day 1 – Tatami 1
Day 1 – Tatami 2 Gyor European Judo Hopes Tournament 2026 – Day 1 – Tatami 2
Day 1 – Tatami 3 Gyor European Judo Hopes Tournament 2026 – Day 1 – Tatami 3
Day 1 – Tatami 4 Gyor European Judo Hopes Tournament 2026 – Day 1 – Tatami 4
Author: Gombkötő Roland
Author: EJU Media