AZERBAIJAN EMBARKS ON DIFFERENT AVENUES 

The National Judo Federation of Azerbaijan is known for their decorative and outstanding elite team. However, of recent, they are extending their interest across different routes, such as inclusive judo and kata development. To wrap up the year, between 26-29 December 2023 at the National Judo Centre in Baku, a…

VIERU DEFENDS TOP RANKING POSITION

NAME: Denis VIERU COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA CATEGORY: -66KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 6580 One of the most dynamic and exciting judoka on the World Judo Tour is Denis VIERU of Moldova, who started and ended the year as world ranked number one in the -66kg category.  His beautiful judo and ballistic style, always…

SCUTTO SOARS TO NUMBER ONE

NAME: Assunta SCUTTO COUNTRY: ITALY CATEGORY: -48KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 6531 The 21 year-old Assunta ‘Susa’ SCUTTO landed on the senior scene following a number of major junior successes in 2021 with a win in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. In the following year, Scutto succeeded to take her first senior…

HERSHKO HAILS AS WRL #1

NAME: Raz HERSHKO COUNTRY: ISRAEL CATEGORY: +78KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 6950 Raz HERSHKO started the year strong with a gold medal win at home in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, followed by an emotional win in Tbilisi, and aside from the IJF Masters event in Hungary, Hershko was never off the podium…

HEYDAROV TAKES THIRD EUROPEAN TITLE AND WRL #1

NAME: Hidayat HEYDAROV COUNTRY: AZERBAIJAN CATEGORY: -73KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 6638 A weight category once better known for Azerbaijan’s Olympic Champion Elnur MAMMADLI and Olympic silver medallist, Rustam ORUJOV, now has a new golden boy.  Hidayat HEYDAROV is the world ranked number one of the -73kg category and has blasted through…

SULAMANIDZE CONQUERS ALL... AGAIN

NAME: Ilia SULAMANIDZE COUNTRY: GEORGIA CATEGORY: -100KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 6898 At 22 years-old, Ilia SULAMANIDZE of Georgia continues to be one of the most impressive on the circuit, his style is cool with explosive attacks and counters, his demeanour even more so and he simply enjoys stepping on to the…

MASTERS CHAMPION VAN DIJKE HOLDS TOP SPOT

NAME: Sanne VAN DIJKE COUNTRY: NETHERLANDS CATEGORY: -70KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7199 Sanne VAN DIJKE may still be on the hunt for that major title win at a world championships or Olympic Games, which is fast approaching for the Tokyo Games bronze medallist, but she already bagged a serious prize or…

KRASNIQI LEADS THE PACK

NAME: Distria KRASNIQI COUNTRY: KOSOVO CATEGORY: -52KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7715 She is the gift that keeps on giving. Distria KRASNIQI found Olympic glory in the -48kg category and then set sights on a new challenge, the takeover of the -52kg weight class, one already made famous in Kosovo by Majlinda…

MAISURADZE HOLDS THE REIGNS

NAME: Luka MAISURADZE COUNTRY: GEORGIA CATEGORY: -90KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7101 The Georgian team is consistently producing in all categories, in particular in the -90kg category. There were notorious weight changes for Beka GVINIASHVILI in the run up to the Rio Olympic Games as Varlam LIPARTELIANI was the chosen one, and…

LANIR CLAIMS 2023 AS HER OWN

NAME: Inbar LANIR COUNTRY: ISRAEL  CATEGORY: -78KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7760 What a year is has been for the 23 year-old of Israel. Since 2021, Lanir has been finding herself on the podium of the -78kg category with her explosive judo, her ura nage becoming a technique her opponents avoid…

CASSE CLIMBS BACK ON TOP

NAME: Matthias CASSE COUNTRY: BELGIUM CATEGORY: -81KG WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7907 Leading the world ranking for all men is Belgian powerhouse, Matthias CASSE. It was a tough end of the year, but he is happy to be climbing back on top with a silver medal win in the Tokyo Grand Slam…

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM EJU PRESIDENT TÓTH

On behalf of the EJU, I would like to extend best wishes during the festive period, concluding an incredible year. 

MODESTY: A CORE PRINCIPAL

The Education department of the European Judo Union are closing out the year with the theme of modesty. It is a core principal of the sport and practice which is instilled from the first time we step on a tatami. Judo is not boastful, it is not an art filled…

BARBARA MATIĆ THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CROATIAN ATHLETE

For the 30th jubilee, the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) organized the final annual ceremony – the Big Day of Croatian Sports, with the awarding of awards to the most successful female athletes, sportsmen and coaches of the year ending and deserving sports officials for life’s work. Croatian Olympic Committee athlete…

FINISHING ON A HIGH

The competition year has concluded, and not only have the athletes been judged, so have the referees. As we approach the Olympic Games in 2024, the best referees in the world will prepare to oversee the most important contests in an athletes career, as well as their own. The European…

UNESCO RECOGNISES WORK OF BRADIC

7th Dan, IJF Academy Expert and member of the EJU Kata Commission, Slavisa Bradic can now add another string to his bow as he was featured by UNESCO ICM. Established in December 2016, the ICM is the result of an agreement between the government of the Republic of Korea and…

KATA EXPANSION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The National Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the host of the European Judo Championships Kata 2024 as well as the Kodokan Kata Seminar 2024. With that in mind, the country has been vigorously working on the development of Kata activities for several years. Several seminars were held in different parts…

European Judo Championships Open Pristina 2023 - Pristina, Kosovo

THE FINAL ACT: TOKEN OF APPRECIATIONS

Kosovo hosted the first edition of the European Judo Championships Open. Thousands gathered in the capital, Pristina, to watch their local heroes competing on home soil for the first time. Besides the outstanding tournament, celebration of past achievements was also part of the agenda.  On Saturday, during the opening ceremony…