European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
Bislan Katamardov (IJF) was the heavyweight revelation of the day in Bratislava. He shocked the arena early on by defeating reigning champion Ibrahim Tataroglu (TUR) for the very first time, a statement win that set the tone for his golden run. From there, Katamardov swept through the draw, four victories…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The women’s +78kg final was a French affair, Celia Cancan versus her training partner, Leonie Minkada-Caquineau. Just like last year, it was Cancan who stood tall, defending her Junior European crown and proving once again that gold belongs around her neck. At 19, Cancan already looked like the senior in…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
History had a sense of déjà vu in the -100kg category, as Jakob Vares (EST) and Milan Bulaja (SRB) squared off once again in the final. Just like last year, the outcome leaned the same way, Bulaja on top, yet what stood out just as much was Vares’ unmistakable display…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
For the French ace, Lila Mazzarino, there was only one plan in Bratislava: defend the title at all costs. Nothing else mattered. Four contests stood in her way, and while three were smooth sailing, there was one moment where things almost got away from her. Surprisingly, it wasn’t in the…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The Italians are on fire! At the 2025 Junior European Championships they absolutely smashed it, topping the medal table with four gold, two silver and three bronze medals. One of the stars of the show was Cristiano Mincinesi (-90kg), and wow, did he deliver. The 19-year-old judoka bulldozed his way…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
On 5 September, the National Olympic Committee of Slovakia (NOC) opened its doors to welcome distinguished delegates from the European Judo Union (EJU). Hosting the visit was Anton Siekel, President of the NOC of Slovakia, who greeted Dr. Tóth László, President of the EJU, and Catarina Rodrigues, Vice-President of the…
6 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The script of the -81kg category was torn apart early when Spain’s Iñaki Baztán Merchan stunned everyone by eliminating the reigning junior European champion and world bronze medallist, Suleyman Shukurov (AZE). The top seed was gone, the draw wide open, and Baztán Merchan seized the moment. With two more victories,…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The -70kg category delivered one of the biggest stories of the championships, and its heroine was none other than Ecem Baysug (TUR). Unseeded, ranked only #61 in the world, she arrived with little fanfare. Yet step by step, round by round, she tore through the draw with fearless judo and…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The men’s -73kg category belonged to Irakli Goginashvili (GBR) but not without a battle. The British judoka was tipped to medal, and he delivered with gold, though his path was anything but smooth. Each of his five contests was a war of attrition, littered with penalties, yet time and again…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
In the women’s -63kg category, top seed Joni Geilen (NED) walked onto the tatami as the favourite but in a stunning upset she was sent packing by Slovenia’s Neža Mešiček. The Slovenian’s fierce determination carried her all the way into the bronze medal contest, but the fairytale run ended there.…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
On the second day of the Junior European Judo Championships Bratislava 2025, the tournament was honored by the presence of several distinguished guests: Matúš Šutaj Eštok, Minister of the Interior of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia and Ivana Šufliarska Libiaková, State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
At the Junior European Judo Championships 2025 in Bratislava, the stands are filled with familiar faces, former champions, coaches, and leaders of the sport. Among them, one presence stands out: Hiroyuki Akimoto, the 2010 World Champion and CEO of Kimono Fighter, a company proudly supporting this year’s event. We caught…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
On 4 September, European Judo Union President, Dr Tóth László, held a formal meeting with Rudolf Huliak, Minister of Tourism and Sport for Slovakia, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Bratislava. Also in attendance was Jozef Tománek, Vice-President of the Slovak Judo Federation and Head of the Local Organising Committee of…
5 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
For Michela Terranova (ITA), the -57kg top seed in Bratislava, today wasn’t simply about living up to the draw. It was about proving that a year of sacrifice, travel, and endless training could finally be transformed into gold. Last year’s bronze medallist refused to settle for the same again. She…
4 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
Gold medals are usually the stars of the show and yet, in Bratislava, during the final block of the -66kg category, a bronze medal gleamed brighter than ever. Its proud owner was Simas Polikevičius of Lithuania, and with it, he ended a two-decade wait for his nation. The last time…
4 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The -52kg category on day one of the Junior European Judo Championships 2025 brought no shortage of surprises. Junior world bronze medallist 2024, Alyssia Poulange (FRA), was expected to shine but her campaign ended abruptly in the quarter-finals when Szabó Réka (HUN) produced a stunning performance. Fuelled by confidence and…
4 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
Nihad Mamishov (AZE) stormed through the -60kg category in Bratislava with the confidence of a seasoned champion, clinching his first-ever European medal and making it gold. His persistent journey saw him eliminate the top seed and 2024 junior European bronze medallist, Zacharie Dijol (FRA), at the semi-final stage, underlining his…
4 September 2025European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025 - Bratislava, Slovakia
The opening day of the Junior European Judo Championships 2025 in Bratislava brought the -48kg category centre stage, where 24 judoka stepped onto the tatami with dreams of continental glory. The division was loaded with surprises, shocks, and fierce contests that kept the crowd on edge. Early drama struck when…
4 September 2025
European Judo Championships Juniors Bratislava 2025