Germany tops the medal table at Junior European Cup in Kaunas

Host nation Lithuania could cheer fast but once. At the European Cup for Juniors Egle Naudziunaite won the bronze U44kg, from then the 13 other nations took the medals and Germany impressed with three gold medals. Only The Netherlands took more medals at the first day of action.

Kaunas is the host city for 345 juniors who are preparing for the European Junior Championships and some of the best cadets who expecting the European Cadet Championships in June in Sarajevo. The sixth edition of the Junior European Cup in Kaunas always welcomes a stable amount of approx. 350 young athletes since 2013. Not very strange that the German tops the table as they brought in the one of the biggest teams with 49 athletes. The Netherlands even sent 50 athletes, the same amount as Lithuania. Fatime Beringer (HUN) took the first gold U44kg. The U48kg had a real tough podium with Andrea Stojadinov of Serbia on top with gold against Mascha Ballhaus (GER). Lois Petit (BEL) and Emy Platten (GBR) joined the podium and all are capable of taking medals at European Championships, later this year in Sofia. The Ballhaus sisters captured gold anyway as Seija Ballhaus defeated Amber Ryheul (BEL) in the final U52kg. Molly Harvey (GBR) and Naomi van Krevel (NED) competed the stage. Jana Ziegler added the second gold medal on Saturday winning the U57kg class.

In the men’s division Germany ended the day with another gold for German Champion Kilian Ochs, one of those youngsters in the successful German junior team. Men’s gold for the Netherlands as Daan Moes continues with stunning results and now in the junior category. The 17-year old youngster didn’t have a huge field with just 7 but still smelled motivational gold in the juniors and was the youngest winner of the weekend. Much more competition U60kg with 41 judoka and the winner was Konrad Shoka of Belarus who may be a competitor for Tel Aviv fifth placer Vadim Shoka (U73kg) in the future. For now young Vadim Shoka was the best, also Mark Shoka was in the field. Belarus continues to develop in each age category and was also in the final U66kg. But Dzmitry Muzhaila lost his final contest against Artjoms Galaktionovs of Latvia. Young Galaktionovs (17) rules in the region. The EYOF bronze medallist now explores the junior category successfully. Even four winners were 17, all born in 2000. It says enough about the chances such European Cup offers for the new junior generation. Not the top quality field but enough participants to hold a few partners on the road to international success later this year at European Championships.