Babulfath captures European U23 title at comeback event in Pila

The European U23 Judo Championships in Pila delivered an electrifying display of talent, with the continent’s brightest young judokas stepping up to claim their place on the senior stage. It was a tournament that combined youthful ambition with polished skill, and several athletes made history while others cemented their reputations as stars of the future.

In the women’s -48kg category, Sweden’s Tara Babulfath made a stunning return to competition after her Olympic bronze medal triumph earlier this year. At just 18 years old, she became Sweden’s second-ever U23 European Champion, following in the footsteps of Emma Barkeling a decade earlier. Babulfath’s journey to the top was anything but easy, as her semi-final against Italy’s Asia Avanzato turned into a grueling 10-minute battle. The young Swede finally broke through with a well-executed sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi, securing her spot in the final. There, she proved her resilience and maturity once more, taking the title and solidifying her place among Europe’s elite.

Meanwhile, in the -52kg category, Azerbaijan’s Aydan Valiyeva continued her impressive rise through the ranks. A powerful o-uchi-gari in the semi-final against Hungary’s Rebeka Keller brought her an emphatic ippon victory, earning her a place in the final against Spain’s Ayumi Leiva Sanchez. The Spanish judoka, already a Grand Slam and Grand Prix medallist this year, had her own impressive performance in the semi-final, using her trademark low o-uchi-gari to defeat Kosovo’s Erza Muminoviq. The final between these two rising stars promised to be a highlight of the competition.

In the -57kg category, Fidan Alizada of Azerbaijan and Georgia’s Nino Loladze set up a thrilling rematch of their Junior European final. Loladze fought her way to the final with grit and determination, overcoming Spain’s Marta Garcia Martin in the semi-final by countering a late attack. Alizada, on the other hand, showcased her hunger for victory, overpowering Austria’s Laura Kallinger with relentless attacks and sharp technique to secure her place in the gold medal bout.

Among the men, Poland’s own Jakub Kurowski captured the hearts of the home crowd with his fearless run to the -60kg final. At just 17 years old, the Cadet European silver and World bronze medallist thrived under the pressure of high expectations. The young sensation defeated Slovakia’s Josef Tomanek in the semi-final with a beautiful tani-otoshi, his composure and technical precision belying his age. In the final, he faced Azerbaijan’s Huseyn Allahyarov, who advanced with a dominant te-waza win over Spain’s Luis Barroso Lopez.

Italy’s Federico Ninfo emerged victorious in the -66kg category after a day of commanding performances. His waza-ari victory against Bulgaria’s Boyan Yotov in the semi-final showcased his mastery of ippon-seoi-nage, a technique that left his opponents unable to recover. His compatriot Giuseppe De Tullio narrowly missed an all-Italian final, as he fell to Georgia’s Tengo Zirakashvili in a gripping golden-score battle. Zirakashvili’s clever use of o-uchi-gari earned him a hard-fought place in the final.

The men’s -73kg category saw another Georgian star, Giorgi Terashvili, shine as he outmaneuvered Hungary’s Szabo Aron to reach the final. Terashvili displayed exceptional defensive judo, waiting for his opponent’s mistake before countering with precision. Hungary, however, found success in the -81kg category, with Szegedi Daniel making it to the final after forcing Azerbaijan’s Rufat Shovlatov into errors that resulted in three shidos.

In the women’s categories, Laura Vazquez Fernandez of Spain continued her winning streak after her recent triumph at the Rome European Open. In the -63kg final, Vazquez defeated Romania’s Florentina Ivanescu with a perfectly timed ko-uchi-gari, a moment of brilliance that highlighted her tactical awareness. Belgium’s Alessia Corrao produced a similarly spectacular performance in the +78kg category, throwing her opponent, Poland’s Martyna Glubiak, with a powerful o-goshi-like hip entry.

Throughout the tournament, the host nation Poland enjoyed a stellar showing, with their young judokas thriving under the roar of the home crowd. Kurowski’s heroics in the -60kg category and Glubiak’s tenacity in the women’s heavyweight division embodied the spirit of Polish judo.

The European U23 Championships in Pila were a testament to the strength and depth of talent across the continent. From Olympic medallists to rising cadet stars, the competition showcased the next generation of judokas, many of whom are poised to make a seamless transition to the senior circuit. It was an unforgettable event that underlined the bright future of European judo.