Home Joy for Mireia Rodriguez Salvador as Spain Breaks Through in La Nucía/Benidorm

Spain finally got its moment on day two of the La Nucía/Benidorm European Open 2026, and it came in the -48 kg category through Mireia Rodriguez Salvador. In front of a home crowd that had waited all weekend for a gold-medal breakthrough, she delivered the host nation’s first title of the tournament and sparked the biggest celebration inside the arena.

For Rodriguez Salvador, the result carried extra weight. It was her first European Open gold medal, and it happened close to home, with family and friends in the stands and the pressure of Spanish expectations all around her. She said she had prepared all year for this competition and tried to turn nerves into energy on the tatami.

Spain’s breakthrough arrived at exactly the moment the crowd needed it.

Her win gave the event one of its most emotional scenes, with the Spanish anthem finally ringing out before the weekend ended. Spain also added more bronze medals on the final day, helping round off a strong and memorable home event.

One of those bronze medals came from Carla Ubasart Mascaro in the -57 kg category. After coming through a stacked field, she spoke openly about her bigger goals, saying she is ready to give everything if she gets the chance to fight for Olympic qualification. Her words reflected the mood of the Spanish team across the weekend: ambitious, grounded and fully aware that every tournament matters.

Still, while Spain owned one of the loudest moments, the overall medal table told a different story. Germany finished top after two intense days on the Costa Blanca, collecting three gold, two silver and four bronze medals. They ended the tournament ahead of the Netherlands and France.

Germany’s campaign was helped by a major name in the -90 kg category. Olympic silver medallist Eduard Trippel returned to competition for the first time since the 2025 Senior World Championships and immediately made an impact, taking gold with a controlled performance that showed his class and experience.

Germany led the standings, but Spain owned the emotion of the weekend.

There was also a notable breakthrough in the -52 kg division, where 23-year-old Tereza Bodnarova claimed gold. Her result was one of the surprises of the event and another reminder of how competitive and unpredictable the European Open circuit can be.

From established Olympic medallists to rising athletes stepping into the spotlight, the weekend offered a little of everything. Spain had the home-crowd story, Germany had the strongest overall haul, and several judoka used the event to make a statement at an important point in the season.

The competition may be over, but the activity in Benidorm is not slowing down. The Benidorm Olympic Training Camp begins today with nearly 1,000 participants, keeping the momentum going after a European Open that mixed pressure, opportunity and some unforgettable home-tatami emotion.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union