In Slovenia’s first ever European Open, held in the capital of Ljubljana, the host athletes put on a great show with some even testing new categories, but the one to get the crowd on their feet was Junior European Champion and World bronze medallist, Kaja SCHUSTER. Today she competed in the -78kg category, though her success has been found at -70kg. The lions share of the gold medals ended up going to Ukraine, totalling three gold, one silver and one bronze. Starting with two medals at -63kg…
The final of the -63kg category saw the number one and three seeds; VARGA Brigitta (HUN) and Anastasiia ANTIPINA (UKR) go head to head for the continental open gold in Ljubljana. This was the first final at this level for both athletes, having collected numerous bronze awards in the past, but today, all the glory went to Antipina who used circling momentum to catch Varga with ko soto gari, following her opponent to the ground to ensure the ippon score.
Yehonatan VEKSLER (ISR) is an exciting young potential in the -60kg category, securing the Cadet European title in 2021 and last year becoming a Junior European finalist. Today he began his senior career with a bang, heading straight in to the category final against another gold medal prospect for Hungary, FECZKO Csanad. Feczko is also no stranger to continental success, the 24 year-old won the European Youth Olympic Festival and was a Cadet European Championship finalist twice. Last year he secured his first European Open gold in Sarajevo, and today looked for his second. Unfortunately he was unable to double his loot, with Veksler managing to switch direction, originally looking to throw forward with a huge grip around the back, but feeling the resistance, he redirected with ko soto gari to score an Open-winning waza ari.
The -70kg final hosted Gioia VETTERLI (SUI) and Anna OLIINYK-KORNIIKO (UKR), the latter the owner of five continental championship medals; four at cadet and one at U23. Still a very young contender, she had stiff competition with Vetterli, already a three-time medallist at the open level. For Oliinyk-Korniiko, she made an error going to ground against the Swiss athlete just over a minute in to the contest, as experience and expertise won out. Vetterli worked until she was able to secure the juji gatame win in the -70kg gold.
Arguably one of the most fierce contests of the final block was the -66kg final between Jochem VAN HARTEN (NED) and Nazar VISKOV (UKR). At only 20 and 19 years old, it was certainly a young head to head, each as desperate as the other to stand on top of the podium. Both have also proven their talents on the international stage with continental titles; Van Harten with an EYOF gold, and Viskov with titles from U23 and Junior level, and both came together for their first European Open final. After a further minute and a half of gruelling golden score, Viskov attacked with o soto gari and used his last burst of energy to drive back, lifting the leg high so there was no escaping the score.
Lea SCHMID (GER) and Kaila ISOUFFI (FRA) again took us in to golden score, this time in the -78kg category. It was a contest that could have gone either way, both having near misses in their first European Open final. It didn’t appear to have been an error on Schmid’s side, but more anticipation from Isouffi who created distance as Schmid attacked with a ko soto gari. Isouffi capitalised on the space, moving immediately in to osae komi to take her gold medal.
Throughout the day in the -73kg category, Said-Magomed KHALIDOV (UKR) had given a ballistic performance, but he met his match in the final against Zakary AINSEBA (FRA) who was able to control his opponent, all the way in to another golden score. After 22 seconds, it looked to be over. Ainseba entered for a standing seoi nage on his shorter opponent and found himself taken back by Khalidov for a waza ari score!
Concluding the first day of the Ljubljana European Open 2025 was the +78kg final between Erica SIMONETTI (ITA) and Carmen DIJKSTRA (NED). The Italian judoka, Simonetti, broke the golden score trend and took a strong win in just over one minute! Taking Dijkstra to the ground to worked tirelessly to secure the osaekomi, earning her first European Open gold. This isn’t a debut on the senior circuit of course, already with an IJF World Tour medal from the Zagreb Grand Prix, but the two time continental champion has been slowly growing her presence.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen