Just one week to go until the flagship event of the European Judo Union takes centre stage, the European Judo Championships Seniors Tbilisi 2026. While there are still seven days to witness Europe’s finest battle it out in the Georgian capital, the event is already beginning to take shape, with the entry list nearing its final form. Although this edition is not part of the Los Angeles 2028 qualification system, the ranking points on offer remain highly valuable for athletes aiming to maintain or improve their position on the world ranking list. Over the next seven days, we will provide an in-depth breakdown of each weight category, starting with the lightest divisions: women’s -48kg and men’s -60kg. Hajime…
-48kg category
Speed is often underestimated in this category…, blink and the action is already over. At the summit stands Shirine Boukli (FRA). The Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist arrives in Tbilisi for her fifth Senior European Championships with a flawless record: four appearances, four titles. As the reigning champion following her 2025 triumph, she remains the woman to beat. Joining her among the Olympic medallists in the field is Tara Babulfath (SWE), who also claimed bronze in Paris.
Adding further intrigue, reigning world champion Assunta Scutto (ITA) enters the draw, immediately raising the stakes for everyone in her path. Should the current seeding hold, Scutto, seeded fourth, is likely to meet fifth-seeded Babulfath, a compelling contest in itself, with their head-to-head standing at 1–1. Scutto prevailed with victory in the semi-final of the 2024 World Championships while the Swede responded in their quarter-final clash at the Paris Olympic Games. The winner would, in all likelihood, go on to face Boukli, making the top half of the draw particularly unforgiving.
The most prestigious showdown, however, remains a potential clash between Boukli and Scutto. They have met five times at major events, with the French athlete holding a narrow advantage (3–2). Last season, Boukli came out on top in the European Championships semi-final, while Scutto had the final word at the World Championships, also in the semi-final. On both occasions, the winner went on to secure gold, a detail that adds further weight to any future encounter.
The bottom half of the draw may appear slightly less congested but offers no real respite. Sabina Giliazova (RUS), currently seeded second, brings experience and consistency, while Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP), the third seed and a world bronze medallist, continues to demonstrate remarkable control and reliability. Tbilisi could well present the breakthrough she has been building towards. Meanwhile, unseeded, yet 2025 European bronze medallist, Andreja Stojadinov (SRB) has the capacity to disrupt the order and stir the contest at any stage.
All in all, six athletes from the top ten of the world ranking list promised to be in attendance, which in itself speaks volumes. With 22 judoka entered and only four places on the podium, the margins are razor-thin. The question remains…, who will rise above the rest?
European champions of the past ten years in the -48kg weight category
2016, Kazan (RUS): Charline Van Snick (BEL)
2017, Warsaw (POL): Daria Bilodid (UKR)
2018, Tel-Aviv (ISR): Irina Dolgova (RUS)
2019, Minsk (BLR): Daria Bilodid (UKR)
2020, Prague (CZE): Shirine Boukli (FRA)
2021, Lisbon (POR): Distria Krasniqi (KOS)
2022, Sofia (BUL): Shirine Boukli (FRA)
2023, Montpellier (FRA): Shirine Boukli (FRA)
2024, Zagreb (CRO): Kristina Dudina (RUS)
2025, Podgorica (MNE): Shirine Boukli (FRA)
-60kg category
One of the most notable absences in this category is 2025 European silver and 2025 world bronze medallist Ayub Bliev (RUS). Still, 26 men are lined up in the -60kg category, each with a clear objective: to take the title. Among them are two Olympic medallists, Luka Mkheidze (FRA), bronze medallist in Tokyo and silver medallist in Paris, and Francisco Garrigós (ESP), who claimed bronze at Paris 2024.
The weight category also features two reigning world champions: Garrigós (2023) and Giorgi Sardalashvili (GEO, 2024). In addition, four athletes from the top ten of the world ranking list will take to the tatami: Balabay Aghayev (AZE, #2), Romain Valadier Picard (FRA, #4), Ahmad Yusifov (AZE, #7), and Sardalashvili (#9).
Sardalashvili returns as the defending European champion, while Garrigós arrives as a three-time European champion (2021, 2022, 2024). Yet, intriguingly, neither sits at the top of the seeding. The Georgian is currently placed as the fourth seed, while the Spaniard falls outside the top eight altogether. Still, experience cannot be overlooked, Garrigós, who made his European Championships debut in 2015, will be competing in his 12th senior edition in Tbilisi.
Two names continue to dominate the narrative: Sardalashvili and Garrigós. Their rivalry could ignite at any stage, particularly with Garrigós unseeded and capable of meeting the Georgian as early as the opening round. The pair have faced each other six times at major events, sharing victories evenly at 3–3. Garrigós prevailed at the Paris Olympic Games, while Sardalashvili struck back at last year’s European Championships in Podgorica.
However, this division runs far deeper than a two-man story. Salih Yildiz (TUR) defeated Sardalashvili in the quarter-final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while Andrasi Marton (HUN) overcame him on home soil at the 2025 World Championships in Budapest. Jorre Verstraeten (BEL) continues to hover on the brink of the podium and on the right day, could go all the way.
Finally, one name demands particular attention: Izhak Ashpiz (ISR). The 18-year-old has already made a statement this season, winning the Tbilisi Grand Slam last month and securing bronze at the Paris Grand Slam in February. Returning to the Olympic Sport Palace in Tbilisi, he does so with confidence and with the knowledge of exactly what it takes to win on this stage.
In a field this deep, there are no easy routes and it is risky to back anyone with confidence to seize the moment.
European champions of the past ten years in the -60kg weight category
2016, Kazan (RUS): Walide Khyar (FRA)
2017, Warsaw (POL): Robert Mshvidobadze (RUS)
2018, Tel-Aviv (ISR): Islam Yashuev (RUS)
2019, Minsk (BLR): Lukhumi Chkhvimiani (GEO)
2020, Prague (CZE): Robert Mshvidobadze (RUS)
2021, Lisbon (POR): Francisco Garrigós (ESP)
2022, Sofia (BUL): Francisco Garrigós (ESP)
2023, Montpellier (FRA): Luka Mkheidze (FRA)
2024, Zagreb (CRO): Francisco Garrigós (ESP)
2025, Podgorica (MNE): Giorgi Sardalashvili (GEO)
Watch how these categories unfold live on JudoTV, where every exchange, every counter and every golden score moment could redefine the race for the title.
Author: EJU Media