When 22-year old Jano Ruebo stepped onto the tatami in Sarajevo for the European Open on Saturday, there was a quiet determination in his mind, the kind that only comes from lessons learned the hard way. A week earlier at the German Championships, Ruebo had left without a medal, a result that didn’t sit well with him. But in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he found redemption. With calm precision and sharp intent, Ruebo captured the European Open gold medal, his second European Open title, reaffirming his place among Germany’s most promising judoka in this class.
“I knew I had to perform for myself,” Ruebo says. “Last week at the German Championships wasn’t what I wanted, so this time it was about proving that I could reset, focus, and deliver.”
While Gabler went on to take silver at those national championship, with Luc Meyer seizing the title, Ruebo had to suffer the learning moment. He was planning his own journey and had already booked trip to Sarajevo to meet international athletes to see what he can get out of it as he is convinced of his talent.
Training out of the Training Centre in Cologne, Ruebo has built a reputation for quiet resilience. But behind that composure lies a fire constantly stoked by one person in particular, his friend, training partner, and fiercest competitor, Alexander Gabler.
“People see us as rivals,” Ruebo laughs, “but we’re really just two guys pushing each other to be better. When Alex performs well, I want to raise my game, and when I win, he does the same.”
That mutual drive was on full display in Sarajevo. After victories over Bence Pongrácz (HUN) and Tevdor Sekniasvili (SRB) in the early rounds, Ruebo faced Gabler in the semi-final, a meeting that felt as inevitable as it was electric. The two Cologne teammates know each other’s strengths inside out, but this time Ruebo found the edge, advancing to the final with clinical focus.
Waiting for him there was Mateja Stosic, an opponent Ruebo had studied in detail with his coach. “We analysed his style carefully,” he explains. “I knew what I needed to do, and it was just about waiting for the right moment.” When that moment came, Ruebo didn’t hesitate, executing perfectly to claim gold.
“It’s not just about medals,” Ruebo reflects. “It’s about showing that we can compete internationally, that we can adapt and grow. Alex and I make each other stronger, and that’s the point.”
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Ruebo’s profile suggests he is disciplined and patient in his contests, as per the Sarajevo event note, he “stayed patient to strike at the right moment”.
His early start in judo from the age of six and his evolution through youth / junior categories to senior shows a solid way built on hard work and patience. His roots are in the Bonn and Cologne area. His junior results include gold at German U18 championships (2018, 2019) and an international world medal with the German team in in 2021 in Olbia. From winning the European Cup in Dubrovnik twice, he now steps up to a higher level.
From domestic disappointment last week to international triumph, Ruebo’s story changed in a week time as a reminder of resilience in judo, which isn’t built on victory alone. It’s forged in the spaces between, in rivalry, friendship, and the relentless pursuit of improvement.
Judoka
Author: Hans Van Essen