Judo may be unpredictable by nature, yet the stars arrive at the upcoming European Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 16-19 April carrying both form and confidence.
Here is a quick guide to the top seeds in each category to watch when the action gets underway in the Georgian capital.
Senior Europeans Tbilisi 2026 – Did You Know?
-48kg: Shirine Boukli (France); world ranking: 2
In the lightest of the women’s categories, France’s Shirine Boukli leads the field. The Paris 2024 bronze medallist arrives at her fifth senior European Championships with a flawless record, four titles from four appearances, including gold in 2025, making her the reigning champion. Earlier this year, she topped the podium at the Paris Grand Slam and has already proven herself capable on Georgian soil. The question remains: can she extend her golden streak?
-60kg: Balabay Aghayev (Azerbaijan); world ranking: 2
At -60kg, another Paris Grand Slam 2026 champion sits atop the seeding list. Balabay Aghayev, 27, boasts five Grand Slam titles and has reached the final in four of his last six competitions. A senior European silver medallist in 2024, along with a junior bronze, he now looks to complete his continental set in Georgia and justify his top billing.
-52kg: Distria Krasniqi (Kosovo); world ranking: 1
Leading the -52kg category is one of the sport’s most consistent performers: Distria Krasniqi. Olympic champion at -48kg in Tokyo 2020 and silver medallist at -52kg in Paris 2024, she enters as reigning European champion and one of the most dominant figures on the World Judo Tour.
Her record speaks for itself: 22 medals in her last 22 individual competitions, 16 finals reached, and a remarkable haul of 9 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze medals. She is currently on a streak of seven consecutive podium finishes since April 2025 alone and has reached five finals in her last seven outings.
Krasniqi has medalled at every major level, Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships, and has not missed a podium since early 2022. The 30-year-old also carries three senior European titles into this event, and the world number one ranking.
-66kg: Ruslan Pashayev (Azerbaijan); world ranking: 5
Adding further depth to the Azerbaijani squad is -66kg top seed Ruslan Pashayev, still in search of his first senior continental title. His recent rise includes a breakthrough win in Paris, followed by gold medals in Guadalajara and Upper Austria. Now firmly among the elite, he will aim to convert his promising form into European gold.
-57kg: Eteri Liparteliani (Georgia); world ranking: 2
For the host nation, all eyes turn to superstar Eteri Liparteliani, who made history in 2025 by becoming Georgia’s first female world champion, as well as Mixed Team champion.
Her résumé already includes four European titles across cadet, junior, U23 and open levels, yet the senior individual crown has so far eluded her. She got close last year, coming in second. Now, competing at home, with the full backing of the Georgian crowd, she has the opportunity to complete that collection, and make more history along the way.
-73kg: Joan-Benjamin Gaba (France); world ranking: 2
Breaking Azerbaijan’s run of top seeds, Joan-Benjamin Gaba leads the -73kg category. The Paris 2024 silver medallist and reigning world champion has built his reputation on explosive, tactical judo that often delivers on the biggest stages.
However, he has competed three times since his world title and has yet to return to the podium. With two senior European bronzes and a U23 silver to his name, the Frenchman will hope to find his form on time again.
-63kg: Joanne van Lieshout (Netherlands); world ranking: 2
Joanne van Lieshout heads the -63kg division in her characteristically cool, calm and laser-focused manner. Since her breakthrough world medal in 2023, the 23-year-old has gone on to claim world championship gold in 2024 as well as a European bronze in 2025.
Her most recent appearance came at the Tbilisi Grand Slam, where she reached the final in the very arena set to host these championships. Now returning as the top seed, she will look to turn familiarity into success and upgrade that continental bronze to gold.
81kg: Timur Arbuzov (Russia); world ranking: 1
The ever-competitive -81kg category is led by world number one Timur Arbuzov, the reigning world and European champion. At just 21, he has rapidly established himself as one of the division’s toughest fighters.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2024, Arbuzov has been nearly unbeatable, collecting nine podium finishes and reaching eight finals, including at the sport’s biggest events. The young Russian stands unusually tall for the -81kgs and has an even more unusual flexibility that continues to stun even the category’s best challengers.
-70kg: Lara Cvjetko (Croatia); world ranking: 1
Croatia’s Lara Cvjetko carries her nation’s continued strength in the -70kg category. The world silver medallist has been a consistent contender since mid 2024. Last year, those results included another world championship final, European championship bronze, as well as three World Judo Tour golds, and seven Grand Slam medals in total, to put her firmly in the world number one position.
“I don’t think the fact that I currently lead the WRL is changing anything about how I see myself as an athlete, or the way I train,” she told the EJU. “It’s more important to train harder every day and prove to myself I can improve and become the best version of me on and off the mat.”
-90kg: Lasha Bekauri (Georgia); world ranking: 3
Then come the -90kgs, Georgia’s historically golden category, headlined by none other than double Olympic champion Lasha Bekauri.
It is no secret that Bekauri likes to rise to the occasion, as seen at the Olympics and in the mixed team event at the most recent world championships. He has also done sone quite a few times on the European championship stage, most notably in 2021, where a decisive European title win over his compatriot Beka Gviniashvili earned Bekauri his first Olympic quota spot.
Competing at home once more, Bekauri’s all-or-nothing judo leaves little room for prediction; he seems to be either in the final or off the podium entirely, the outcome is rarely anything in between.
-78kg: Alice Bellandi (Italy); world ranking: 2
Italy’s Alice Bellandi arrives as Olympic champion and top seed in the -78kg category. Her European Championship trajectory has been steady: bronze in 2022, silver in 2023, and now a return after a three-year absence.
The European title remains the only major honour missing from her collection. Victory here would complete a full set and make her the only athlete across the weight categories to hold Olympic, world, and European titles simultaneously.
-100kg: Zelym Kotsoiev (Azerbaijan); world ranking: 2
At -100kg, reigning world and Olympic champion Zelym Kotsoiev stands as the man to beat. A dominant force in the division, he has overcome most rivals, yet several names continue to challenge him.
Russia’s Matvey Kanikovskiy has proven a consistent obstacle, while host nation hopeful Ilia Sulamanidze brings a fierce rivalry. Arman Adamian remains another difficult opponent, having troubled Kotsoiev at key moments.
But Kotsoiev consistently delivers his best results at the sport’s biggest competitions. His gold medals at the 2024 Olympic Games and 2024 World Championships stand out, and he also has multiple World Championship bronzes and a European title in 2023. Even in years where his form fluctuates, he tends to rise when the stakes are highest.
+78kg: Raz Hershko (Israel); world ranking: 2
In the women’s heavyweight division, Raz Hershko leads the field ahead of France’s five-time European champion Romane Dicko. Between 2022 and 2025, Hershko reached four consecutive European finals, claiming one gold and three silvers.
Yet she has never defeated Dicko. With four Grand Slam titles since last year’s World Championships, her form suggests she may be closer than ever to changing that statistic.
+100kg: Jur Spijkers (Netherlands); world ranking: 6
The men’s heavyweight category is led by Jur Spijkers, European champion in 2022. Unlike many of his fellow top seeds, he does not carry a collection of Grand Slam titles or world medals.
However, his recent resurgence tells a promising story. In 2026 alone, he has taken three medals from three events: bronze in Paris, silver in Upper Austria, and bronze in Tbilisi. After a shakier period across 2024 and 2025, Spijkers has rediscovered his form and once again looks like a threat for the title.
Author: EJU Media