Preparations are already well underway for the U23 European Championships 2025 which will be held in just under a year. For the first time, Moldova will host the championship event, welcoming the judo community to Chișinău.
This week, Vice President for Sport, Catarina RODRIGUES, Head Sport Commissioner and Sport Assistant, Sergiu OLEINIC and Head of Event Management and Broadcasting, Tibor JANITY spent two days on a site visit. During this period, the EJU team reported that logistics are very well organised, with hotels walking distance from the pre-competition training facilities
The main stage will be Arena Chișinău, a brand new, modern and fully equipped venue, ensuring excellent conditions for athletes, spectators, officials, press and VIP attendees. Not only were technical points agreed, but the EJU team also had the opportunity to assist in the Moldova Senior National Championships, organised in the second hall which will be used as a warm up area during the U23 Europeans.
On this marked occasion, the National Federation representatives and LOC members met with the team, including President of the Moldova Judo Federation, Andrei GOLBAN, Secretary of State for Sport and Youth, Sergiu GURIN as well as the Mayor of Municipality of Chișinău, Ivan CEBAN.
Vice President Rodrigues was very pleased with the visit, confident in the 2025 event,
These days in Chișinău were very important for the 2025 U23 European Championships outcome. We had the chance to check all facilities; from hotels, to training areas and competition venues. We are well impressed with the logistical conditions prepared by National Federation. The Chișinău Arena is a brand new and modern facility with all we need for a high level competition.
This U23 European event will be the second European Championship event from an Olympic sport to be held in Moldova, we are well aware of how important this event is, not only for Moldova judo but for Moldova sport.
During our visit we had the opportunity to see the how well respected judo is in Moldova, high authorities attended the National Championships, including the Secretary of State, [Gurin], Mayor, [Ceban] and Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, Tudor GOREA. We were also impressed by the media interest in the competition, as well through the their two judo Olympic medallists, Denis VIERU and Adil OSMANOV. Moldova was in fact one of the few European Federations to win more than one medal in the judo event in the Paris Olympic Games.
Although the Moldova National Federation may not have experience in hosting EJU events, the U23 European Championships next year will be their first, we have a common understanding that the event organisation and presentation must be on a high level. We are looking forward to working together for a successful 2025 U23 European Championships.
In the most recent U23 European Championships held in Pila, Poland, Moldova celebrated more medals. An impressive gold medal was won by Mihail LATISEV in the -90kg category who had already been recognised as a rising star by the EJU. In the +78kg category, Oxana DIACENCO took the bronze medal to continue the celebrations for Team Moldova and have heightened expectations for their future event.
Author: Thea Cowen