Poland Takes Control at Riga Cadet European Cup

Poland set the pace at the Riga Millennium Team Cadet European Cup 2026, finishing top of the medal table after a powerful final day of Judo. Four of the eight available titles went to the Polish team, completing a weekend that brought seven gold, six silver and four bronze medals.

Poland collected 17 medals in total. Ukraine earned one gold, four silver and three bronze. Israel and Lithuania each ended the event with six medals, while Great Britain collected five.

Emil Zaslona delivered one of Poland’s final-day gold medals in the -90 kg category. The country’s women were especially effective, taking three of the four titles on offer. Nadia Dziadko won -63 kg, Zuzanna Wojciech topped -70 kg, and Maria Wozniak claimed gold at +70 kg.

The -63 kg and +70 kg categories underlined Poland’s depth. Dziadko overcame fellow Pole Lena Krawczyk in the -63 kg final, while Wozniak defeated Marta Poznanska in an all-Polish +70 kg final. Those results placed Polish athletes on the top two podium steps in both divisions.

Poland captured four of the eight final-day gold medals in Riga.

Lithuania also ended the tournament strongly, with Kajus Charenka taking the -81 kg title and Tajus Babaicenko winning +90 kg. Sweden’s Valter Reutfors secured gold at -73 kg, while Finland celebrated Carolina Hietanen-Lin’s -57 kg victory over compatriot Daria Kildeeva in an all-Finnish final.

Ukraine reached three finals on the closing day through Vladyslav Soborov at -73 kg, Lev Konstantynov at -90 kg and Oleh Kalyniak at +90 kg. All three finished with silver medals, helping Ukraine remain close to the leading nations across the weekend.

The hosts had their own moments to celebrate. Latvia added bronze medals through Aleksandrs Apsalons in +90 kg and Agate Jancevska in +70 kg. Mihails Volodenoks (-81 kg) and Tomass Gustavs Celenbergs (-90 kg) finished fifth, while Avivs Savins and Renats Dobrzanskis took seventh places.

Together with Bogdans Cervinskis’ silver medal from Saturday, Latvia completed its home Cadet European Cup with three medals. For Poland, though, the final-day surge turned a strong weekend into a decisive overall victory.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union