Faro camp gives Portugal’s young judoka a major step before the Cadet Europeans

Faro’s role in European judo grew again after the Millennium Team Cadet European Cup 2026, with the event closing through a two-day international training camp. In the final stretch before the cadet European Championships, the camp became more than just extra mat time. It turned into a valuable meeting point for learning, testing levels, and sharing work with athletes from different countries.

After an intense competition weekend, several national teams stayed on, and even more judoka arrived from other age groups to join the sessions. That wider mix added fresh energy and different styles, giving athletes a chance to experience the kind of variety that is not always available during the season.

Among those in Faro was Mariana Esteves, the Olympic athlete representing Guinea, who used the camp to build toward her next competitive targets. With her was Taciana César, also an Olympic athlete, now working as a coach and supporting not only Esteves but other judoka from the Alta de Lisboa club.

César described the camp as a strong training environment and explained that the aim was to sharpen physical preparation while adjusting technical and physical details. She also made clear why Faro mattered so much: when a camp of this level is held in Portugal, it is an opportunity difficult to ignore.

That point was echoed from the Portuguese side as well. National team athlete Davi Monteiro said these events are important for growth, especially because international trips are not always possible for every athlete. For many, having high-level competition and training at home can make a real difference.

For many young judoka, Faro offered international experience without leaving home.

Monteiro also underlined why the timing mattered. With the cadet European Championships approaching, many of the athletes in Faro are the same ones competitors will soon meet again on the continental stage. That gave each session extra relevance, turning the camp into a serious benchmark as much as a development space.

The technical leadership came from Portuguese Cadet National Team coaches Joana Ramos and António Saraiva. Their view was simple: the presence of so many teams and athletes pushed the standard higher, and that benefits everyone. In their eyes, no one could look at the camp and call it weak, with athletes from every team giving maximum effort in every session.

For Portugal, the value goes beyond one week of work. Ramos and Saraiva stressed that this kind of multicultural training environment is fundamental because it helps athletes gain experience through training volume, different judo styles, and different competitive realities. Not every young athlete can collect those lessons abroad during the year, so bringing them into Portugal matters.

There is also a longer-term picture. The Portuguese staff sees the cadet category as a decisive moment in building future high-performance athletes. They were careful not to overstate cadet results as a prediction of senior success, but they pointed to work capacity, consistency, and commitment as signs that the future of the national team is already taking shape.

Joana Ramos added that development is not only about what happens on the tatami. She highlighted the educational side of coaching too, teaching athletes how to carry themselves with posture and presence.

The camp was about more than results; it was also about building future habits.

Monteiro perhaps summed up the atmosphere best: keep training, even when it is hard, because there is always something to gain. In Faro, that message felt real. Between hard sessions, international exchange, and the pressure of what comes next, the city once again showed why it has become such an important place for the future of European judo.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union