A European title was naturally the immediate objective but there was already something more in the air. All the athletes competing in Germany have Los Angeles 2028 somewhere on their horizons. Two years remain before the Paralympic Games and the road will be long, with many competitions and challenges still to come, but some trends are already beginning to emerge.
There are the veterans, athletes whose careers have already spanned several Paralympic cycles and who continue to challenge the very best. France’s Cyril Jonard is perhaps the most striking example. Paralympic champion in Athens in 2004, he is still here, 22 years later, fighting for another major international title. In the J1 -81 kg category, Jonard reached the final once again and eventually took silver behind Georgia’s Saba Bagdavadze. More than two decades after standing on top of the Paralympic podium, the Frenchman remains part of the European elite.
There are the veterans, athletes whose careers have already spanned several Paralympic cycles and who continue to challenge the very best. France’s Cyril Jonard is perhaps the most striking example. Paralympic champion in Athens in 2004, he is still here, 22 years later, fighting for another major international title. In the J1 -81 kg category, Jonard reached the final once again and eventually took silver behind Georgia’s Saba Bagdavadze. More than two decades after standing on top of the Paralympic podium, the Frenchman remains part of the European elite.
There is also a younger generation pushing forward, determined to become the champions of tomorrow. All of those ingredients were present in Heidelberg today: experience, established champions and emerging talent, all meeting on the same tatami with the same ambition. The quality of judo throughout the day reflected that ambition.
There were many ippons and positive scores, with athletes generally looking to attack rather than allowing contests to become overly tactical. At this stage of the Paralympic cycle there is still time to adjust, progress and learn, but in Heidelberg the over-riding impression was one of judoka prepared to give everything.
Georgia enjoyed a particularly successful opening day. In addition to Bagdavadze’s victory, Levan Gugava claimed the J2 -81 kg title, defeating Great Britain’s Evan Molloy in the final. Saado Abdurakhmanov (NPA) and Rufat Mahomedov (UKR) took the bronze medals. In the J2 -70 kg category, Spain’s Sergio Ibanez Banon became European champion after defeating Recep Ciftci of Türkiye, while Youn Balcou of France and Zurab Zurabiani of Georgia completed the podium.
The women’s categories offered the same intensity. Maria Manzanero Ruiz of Spain took gold at J1 -52kg ahead of Aminat Omarova (NPA), with Havva Elmali of Türkiye and Germany’s Vanessa Wagner taking bronze. In J2 -52kg, Zeynep Bozdemir (TUR) became European champion, ahead of Alesia Stepaniuk (NPA) and France’s Sandrine Aurieres. The final title of the day, at J2 -60kg, went to Daria Stakanova (NPA), who defeated Germany’s Isabell Thal in the final, while Marta Arce Payno (ESP) and Dondu Yesilyurt (TUR) shared the third step of the podium.
Earlier, the official opening ceremony brought all delegations together. Following a drumming performance that immediately lifted the atmosphere inside the venue, IBSA President Ilgar Rahimov welcomed the athletes, coaches, referees and guests to Heidelberg. He recalled the city’s successful organisation of an IBSA Judo Grand Prix two and a half years ago and thanked the German federation, the city, the region and the IBSA Judo Committee for making the European Championships possible.
Mr Rahimov also placed the competition firmly within the wider Paralympic journey. “These championships are about the future,” he said, pointing towards both the world championships in Georgia in September and the longer road to Los Angeles. “Step by step we continue our journey towards LA28.”
His message extended beyond results. “Judo is much more than winning medals. It teaches judoka how to win with humility and lose with dignity,” he explained, before highlighting the role of sport in creating confidence, opportunities and inspiration. As IBSA is celebrating its 45th anniversary, he also recalled the special place judo has occupied throughout the organisation’s history and expressed the hope that Heidelberg 2026 would be remembered not only for its results but also for fairness and respect.
Hans-Jörg Michels, President of the Deutscher Behindertensportverband and National Paralympic Committee of Germany, followed by welcoming the delegations back to a city many had already discovered during the grand prix in 2024. With almost 125 athletes representing more than 20 countries, he highlighted the opportunity to promote “this fascinating sport that is judo” and thanked the volunteers and everyone involved in delivering the championships.
When the speeches ended, the focus returned to the tatami and to what these European Championships are ultimately about: judo! Seven champions have now been crowned but Heidelberg is only one stage of a much longer journey. In just a few weeks, many of the judoka competing here will meet again at the world championships in Georgia, where another major test awaits them.
Athens 2004 champion Cyril Jonard is still fighting for titles. Paris 2024 champion Florin Alexandru Bologa is still winning them. Around them, a new generation is pushing harder with every competition. Different generations, different stories and different stages of their careers, but one destination is gradually coming into focus. Los Angeles 2028 is two years away. Based on what Heidelberg produced on day one, the journey towards it promises plenty more spectacular judo.
FULL RESULTS
J1 Men -70 kg
- 1. BOLOGA, Florin Alexandru (ROU)
- 2. GAMJASHVILI, Giorgi (GEO)
- 3. CAMANNI, Dong Dong (ITA)
- 3. IAFA, Djibrilo (POR)
- 5. RODRIGUES, Armindo (FRA)
- 5. MERKULOV, Artem (NPA)
- 7. COVAS, Gabriel (POR)
- 7. RUDENKO, Viktor (NPA)
J1 Men -81 kg
- 1. BAGDAVADZE, Saba (GEO)
- 2. JONARD, Cyril D (FRA)
- 3. MAGOMEDOV, Magomedzakir (NPA)
- 3. SULTANOV, Saleh (AZE)
- 5. NEMTAN, Oleg (MAD)
- 5. SHIOBRISHVILI, Mishiko (GEO)
- 7. FOLDESI, Bendeguz D (HUN)
- 7. ZHUZHGOV, Aleksandr (NPA)
J2 Men -70 kg
- 1. IBANEZ BANON, Sergio (ESP)
- 2. CIFTCI, Recep (TUR)
- 3. BALCOU, Youn (FRA)
- 3. ZURABIANI, Zurab (GEO)
- 5. OMAROV, Abdula (NPA)
- 5. KHORAVA, Davyd (UKR)
- 7. ISMAYILZADA, Huseyn (AZE)
- 7. DIAKOV, Andrei (NPA)
J2 Men -81 kg
- 1. GUGAVA, Levan (GEO)
- 2. MOLLOY, Evan (GBR)
- 3. ABDURAKHMANOV, Saado (NPA)
- 3. MAHOMEDOV, Rufat (UKR)
- 5. HEINZE, Bela Bel (GER)
- 5. SOLOVEY, Dmytro (UKR)
- 7. KURBANOV, Shakhban (NPA)
- 7. VAN MELLE, Samuel (GER)
J1 Women -52 kg
- 1. MANZANERO RUIZ, Maria (ESP)
- 2. OMAROVA, Aminat D (NPA)
- 3. ELMALI, Havva (TUR)
- 3. WAGNER, Vanessa (GER)
- 5. HERNANDEZ CRESPO, Elsa Lukun (ESP)
- 5. POTAPOVA, Victoria (NPA)
- 7. OKBI, Razan (ISR)
- 7. DONAGHUE, Jolene (GBR)
J2 Women -52 kg
- 1. BOZDEMIR, Zeynep (TUR)
- 2. STEPANIUK, Alesia (NPA)
- 3. AURIERES, Sandrine (FRA)
J2 Women -60 kg
- 1. STAKANOVA, Daria (NPA)
- 2. THAL, Isabell (GER)
- 3. ARCE PAYNO, Marta (ESP)
- 3. YESILYURT, Dondu (TUR)
- 5. GILIGASHVILI, Ketevan (GEO)
- 5. ATASAYAR, Gulhan (TUR)