Europe’s judo April delivered packed mats and a strong continental statement

April gave a clear picture of how wide and active the EJU calendar has become. Over 38 days of competition, ten events were staged across multiple age groups, bringing together 3,854 judoka. From youth development to senior elite level, the month rarely slowed down.

Berlin produced the biggest turnout. The ‘Millennium Team’ Cadet European Cup and its following three-day training camp attracted 737 athletes from 35 nations, making it the largest gathering of the month. Earlier in April, the EJU Olympic Training Centre camp in Tata had already opened the month with 461 judoka from 44 countries.

The medal spread also told an important story. A total of 47 nations reached the podium in April EJU events, including 40 from Europe, while 34 countries won at least one gold medal. That kind of range says a lot about the depth of European judo and the way its events continue to draw attention well beyond the continent.

April brought huge numbers, but also real depth across European judo.

The key sporting moment came in Tbilisi, where the Senior European Championships ran from 16 to 19 April. Seventeen years after the city last hosted the event, Georgia finished on top of the medal table with four golds. France and Russia followed, underlining the level and intensity of Europe’s top senior tournament.

There was plenty happening outside the headline event too. Sarajevo welcomed 574 young judoka from 21 nations for the Judo Hopes Tournament, while Kortrijk hosted the first Triglav Insurance Get Together Tournament, an important step for adapted judo on the EJU calendar.

Warsaw, Kaunas and Berlin then closed the month with more activity. Veterans took the spotlight in Warsaw, while Junior and Cadet European Cups and training camps continued in Kaunas and Berlin. If all April medals are combined into one ranking, Poland leads the table, ahead of Belgium and Serbia, with Ukraine and Germany completing the top five.

Poland topped the combined April medal ranking across EJU events.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union