Author: Royal Spanish Judo Federation
The province of Alicante will return to the international map of judo with two events of the first level that confirm the excellent moment that lives this sport in Spain. On the one hand, the European Open of La Nucía, which will be celebrated on the 17th and 18th of May in the Pabellón Camilo Cano, and on the other hand, the Olympic Training Camp in Benidorm, which will start on the 19th of May in the Palau d’Esports l’Illa. Both matches will meet historic participation records, and have become an inescapable meeting for the world’s judo elite.
La Nucía, the international capital of judo this weekend
The European Open will bring together almost 500 judokas from 41 countries and six continents, an unprecedented figure that consolidates this test as one of the most important of the international calendar in its category. The preliminary rounds will start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, while the finals will be held on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
Among the big names that will participate is the Spaniard Nikoloz SHERAZADISHVILI, double champion of the world, who will compete before the local public in a tournament that promises great fights and a high technical level. His presence is one of the great attractions for fans, who can enjoy the best judo in an environment of great organisational level.
This success of the convocation reaffirms the organisational potential of the Real Federación Española de Judo y Deportes Asociados (RFEJYDA) and its strategy of betting on the Alicante coast as the seat of events of international reference. The excellent sports infrastructures, the experience accumulated in previous editions and the tourist environment make La Nucía a privileged enclave to host competitions of this caliber.
Benidorm will host the mayor’s Olympic Training Camp until the end
Just after the competition, from Monday 19 May, Benidorm will take over with the start of the Olympic Training Camp, another event that reaches historical figures with more than 900 participants among judokas and technicians from all over the world.
During six days, the Palau d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm will be the scene of intense training sessions in the framework of the Olympic Training Camp, which will reunite a number of Olympic medallists recently crowned in the Games of Paris, among them the Spaniard Francisco GARRIGOS, as well as outstanding figures of international judo both in the male and female categories.
This prestigious campus will serve as a key preparation for the World Championship, which will take place in mid-June in Budapest (Hungary).
In addition to its technical and sporting importance, the Benidorm OTC has become a key meeting point for international exchange between sportsmen, trainers and federations, reinforcing Spain’s position as the nerve center of high-performance judo.
La Costa Blanca, the epicenter of international judo
The consecutive celebration of the European Open in La Nucía and the Olympic Training Camp in Benidorm consolidates the Costa Blanca as a world reference of judo, the result of the coordinated effort between the RFEJYDA, the municipalities of La Nucía and Benidorm, the Diputación de Alicante and the active commitment of clubs and technicians.
This institutional and sports synergy has allowed to combine with elite sport success, sports tourism and organisational excellence, positioning the region as a model to follow in the international projection of Spanish sport.
Author: EJU Media