Throughout the upcoming weekend, Nicosia, Cyprus, will take centre stage as it hosts the European Championships of the Small States. This tournament, held on 2-3 November, is open exclusively to the Small Member Federations of the European Judo Union (EJU), including Andorra, Cyprus, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino.
The championships will take place at the Eleftheria Stadium. According to the current, likely final entry list, every nation except Monaco will have a representative in either the cadet or senior event. There are 53 entries from 8 nations in the cadet category and 75 judoka also from 8 nations in the senior category, both numbers exceeding those at the event’s inaugural edition in 2022 in Luxembourg.
The host nation, Cyprus, boasts a strong lineup, including Sofia ASVESTA (-52kg), a Paris 2024 Olympian; Zanet MICHAELIDOU (-78kg), Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2024 bronze medallist; Petros CHRISTODOULIDES (-66kg), a bronze medalist at the 2023 Upper Austria Grand Prix and several other robust judoka.
Author: Szandra Szogedi