In 2017, Podgorica in Montenegro hosted the U23 European Championships, and earlier in 2024, the Junior European Cup was added to their roster. This weekend over the 21st and 22nd of September, it will be the turn of the senior athletes.
This Senior European Cup will be a warm up event for the EJU Prime event, the 2025 European Judo Championships which will be held in Montenegro’s capital city.
On this occasion however, there are athletes joining the list from further afield, the top seed being WRL #22, Jack YONEZUKA (USA). Of the 29 nations competing over the two-day event, four are travelling from afar; USA, Australian, Canada and New Zealand.
The focus for the crowd of course will be the 51-strong team of home representatives, led by Jovana PEKOVIC in the -78kg category, an U23 European Champion and most recently the silver medallist in the Sarajevo European Open, but she will be looking to add a fourth senior Continental Cup title to her collection. On the men’s side, it is Anto DUBRETA in the +100kg and -66kg athlete, Jusuf NURKOVIC, the latter placed second in the Tallinn European Open this year.
It won’t be an easy Cup event however, with the likes of Grand Slam gold medallist, Niias BILALOV (IJF) competing in the -100kg category and World bronze medallist, Julia KOWALCZYK (POL) in competing at -57kg, with a total of 272 athletes. The live draw will be available online at JudoTV.com at 20:00 local time on Friday 20th September.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen