Home mats, big momentum: Croatia lights up day one in Dubrovnik

Day one of the European Senior Cup Dubrovnik 2026 felt like a statement from the hosts. With the Croatian anthem echoing around Gospino polje, the home team walked away with five podium finishes: one gold, two silvers and two bronzes. It wasn’t just one standout performance either—Croatia looked deep, organized and hungry in front of its own crowd.

The biggest roar belonged to Karla Kulić in the -78 kg category. She moved through a tough bracket with control, dealing with both Turkish opponents and domestic pressure as the day progressed. Her semi-final against compatriot Petrunjela Pavić demanded patience and clear decision-making, the kind of match where one mistake can flip everything.

Karla Kulić delivered the gold that turned a great day into a dream start.

In the final, Kulić finished the job against Lebanon’s Aqulina Chayeb to take the title. Coming after a recent move in weight categories, her calm presence stood out—she looked composed from the opening exchanges and was decisive when it mattered most.

Pavić made sure the celebration didn’t stop with one medal. In the bronze contest, she put in a strong performance to beat Türkiye’s Sila Korkmaz. That result carried extra meaning in a milestone year for Judo Club Dubrovnik 1966, celebrating its 60th anniversary, and it also echoed the legacy of the club’s founder Andrija Habulin, a notable Croatian and European judo figure.

The Cvjetko sisters added another storyline to the home success. In -63 kg, Nina Cvjetko reached the final after confident wins, including an emphatic ippon in the semi-final against Türkiye’s Ezgi Karademir. In the gold medal match she faced another Turkish opponent, Habibe Ciloglu, who took the win, leaving Cvjetko with silver and another European Cup final in her recent run.

Jana Cvjetko ensured the family left with a second medal. Competing at -70 kg, she secured bronze against Türkiye’s Sumeyye Kaya, striking for the decisive ippon early in golden score after a strong gripping exchange.

In -66 kg, Dani Klačar came close to adding another title for Croatia. He reached the final after a solid campaign that included a semi-final win over Kazakhstan’s Kanat Seilkhan, but Israel’s Guy Gutman produced a clean ippon to claim gold. Klačar settled for silver—progress from last week’s bronze in Latvia, even if the ending stung.

Competition resumes Sunday morning at 09:00 in Gospino polje, with all action available live on JudoTV.

Source: EJU_News