Riga lights up again as Europe’s contenders chase rhythm and redemption

Riga is back in the spotlight this weekend, hosting the annual Senior European Cup on 21–22 March. The Latvian capital welcomes 254 judoka from 27 nations, bringing together a mix of European delegations and visitors from overseas. It’s another clear sign that Riga isn’t just a stop on the map—it’s becoming a reliable home for high-level judo.

This weekend is about building form, not just collecting medals.

The city added extra buzz by announcing, less than 24 hours earlier, that it will stage the inaugural Ne-waza European Championships later this year. After already opening 2026 with the Veteran Cup, Latvia now delivers its second international event of the season, giving athletes a timely platform to test progress.

In the -90 kg category, Mihail Latisev (MDA) enters as the highest-ranked competitor in the field. His résumé includes silver at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2025 and silver at the 2025 U23 European Championships. Close by in the same weight is John Jayne (USA), a 2025 Pan-American Championships bronze medallist, looking to keep building consistency as the LA 2028 cycle rolls on.

European eyes will also track Dominik Družeta (CRO) at -90 kg. A familiar name on the IJF World Tour, he last reached a podium at the Sarajevo European Open in October 2025. Riga could be the reset he’s after—he won here two years ago and already owns four Senior European Cup medals. His teammate Dora Bortaš (CRO, -57 kg) arrives after taking fifth at the Upper Austrian Grand Prix 2026, aiming to turn steady performances into a breakthrough result.

Momentum is also with Lars Vissers (NED, -100 kg), coming off a silver medal at the Warsaw European Open 2026 just last weekend. The 2024 Junior European Champion is keeping that upward trajectory going.

Among the rising European talents, Narek Vardanian (SWE, -73 kg) stands out. Still a junior, he is a 2025 Junior European Championships silver medallist and already took gold this year at the Portimão Junior European Cup, now pushing himself again at senior level. Jakob Vares (EST, -100 kg), also a 2025 junior continental silver medallist, continues gaining Grand Prix experience and gets another valuable shot at confidence in Riga.

For the host nation, a 29-strong team is led by Anastasija Sokirjanska (LAT, -57 kg). Her last podium came in Riga in 2023, when she won gold at this very event. After several near-misses since, she’ll be hungry to turn home advantage into a return to the medals.

The competition can be watched live on JudoTV.

Source: EJU_News