Two Cadet European Cups remain on the calendar this year, and the penultimate one takes place this weekend in Győr, Hungary. It has been a long and exciting tour that began in February in Genoa and will conclude on 23 November in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Győr is a familiar name on the Cadet European Tour. Since 2017, the city has hosted this well-attended event almost every year. The host nation will naturally field a strong team of more than 100 young Hungarian judoka, joined by large delegations from Austria, Serbia, and Germany. In total, over
30 countries and nearly 550 athletes are registered, almost matching last year’s record of 563 competitors.
Now in its ninth edition, the Győr event has already produced plenty of future champions. Slovenia’s Patricia Tomankova and Hungary’s Mira Vas each hold two titles here, with Vas winning in both 2023 and 2024. Hungarian judoka Gergely Nerpel also shares the record for two victories, claiming gold in 2017 and 2018.
Several past winners have gone on to achieve international success. Dutch star Joanne van Lieshout, one of the youngest champions in Győr’s history, later became a senior world champion. Other former winners such as Poland’s Ksawery Ignasiak, who both recently competed for U23 European medals in Moldova, once stood on top of the podium at this event.
The Cadet European Cup series is where the future of judo takes shape, helping young athletes make the transition to junior and eventually senior levels. So far, judoka from 25 different nations have claimed gold in Győr; will we see a new country added to that list this weekend?
Follow all the action, photos, and live results from the Cadet European Cup in Győr and watch live online as the next generation of judo stars take their first steps on the international stage.
Author: Hans Van Essen