Italy sets the pace as Sarajevo opens with drama, tributes and tight kata finals

The first medals at the European Judo Championships Kata Sarajevo 2026 came with everything that makes kata compelling: pressure, precision, emotion and margins so small they changed the whole story of a final.

Day one featured six title decisions across Nage-no-Kata, Katame-no-Kata, Ju-no-Kata, Kime-no-Kata, Kodokan Goshin Jutsu and ENBU. With a record 452 participants from 28 nations, this was the biggest edition yet, and Italy ended the day on top of the medal table with three golds and one bronze.

In Nage-no-Kata, the Spanish pair Saralegui Vallejo Unai and Reguillaga Eizaguirre Unai led after the preliminaries, but the final belonged to Italy’s Mauro Collini and Tommaso Rondinini. The reigning European champions handled the pressure again and took gold with 395 points. Spain followed on 393.5, while Germany’s Immo Schmidt and Hendrik Schmidt earned bronze with 391.5.

That result said a lot about the level in Sarajevo. The category drew 31 pairs and needed three preliminary groups, and the final podium was separated by only a few points.

Katame-no-Kata brought another major showdown. Belgium’s Gilon brothers were once again among the central names, but Italy’s Andrea Fregnan and Pietro Corcioni found the edge when it mattered most. After a preliminary round where the top two were separated by just half a point, the Italians won the final with 390 points, ahead of Belgium on 386.

Tiny gaps made every movement count in Sarajevo.

Ju-no-Kata delivered one of the day’s most emotional moments. Giovanni Tarabelli and Angelica Tarabelli did more than add another European title to their family name. After recently losing both of their parents, the Italian siblings dedicated the gold to them, turning their win into something far deeper than a result.

They had finished second in the preliminaries, so the final still demanded a response. They produced it with authority, scoring 398 points to take the title. Romania’s Alina Zaharia and Alina Cheru, who had led earlier in the day, took silver with 392.5, while Germany’s Helene Weinmann and Birgit Weinmann claimed bronze on 388.

Spain answered back in Kime-no-Kata through Julian Jose Sanchez-Chaparro Montero and Carlos Alberto Navarrete Cerezo. After taking the lead in the preliminary round, they stayed in front in the final and captured gold with 508.5 points. It marked a clear step forward after their bronze medal in 2025.

France’s Stephane Bega and Gregory Marques finished close behind on 505, while Italy’s Enrico Tommasi and Yuri Ferretti secured bronze with 503. Again, the gap at the top was narrow enough to keep the tension alive until the scores appeared.

Germany had its breakthrough in Kodokan Goshin Jutsu. Andreas Freimuth and Eike Alexander Schmidt returned to the podium after taking bronze in 2025, but this time they climbed all the way to the top. Their 518.5-point performance earned them the European title ahead of Spain on 513 and France on 505.

Germany turned last year’s bronze into gold.

The final title of the day went to Slovenia in ENBU. With enough entries to officially stage the category for the first time in several editions, the competition also reflected the recent revival of ENBU Judo. Slovenia topped the standings with 183.0 points through a team made up of Kora Kojc, Keno Kojc, Kara Kojc, Kira Kojc, Tomo Mihaljević and Tito Karanjac Kroflič. Croatia took silver and Bosnia & Herzegovina completed the podium.

By the end of day one, the results were impressive on their own. But Sarajevo also showed something else: kata remains a space where experience, family stories, comebacks and new momentum can all meet on the same tatami.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union