-40kg: Turkish Depth Meets European Talent
Turkiye arrives in Sofia with strong ambitions, spearheaded by top seed Sema Nur Yuksel, fresh from her victory at the Millennium Team European Cadet Championships in Skopje. Belgium’s Fenne Peeters, winner of the European Youth Olympic Festival last month, enters as the number two seed and will be determined to continue her winning run.
Hungary’s Maja Radics, gold medallist at the Bielsko-Biala European Cup earlier this season, is seeded third, while Turkiye’s Yagmur Yilmazturk completes the top four, giving the nation two genuine medal contenders.
-44kg: Mishenkina Leads the Field
In the -44kg category, Nadezhda Mishenkina (IJF) stands out as the clear favourite, already boasting three cadet cup gold medals in 2025. Her consistency marks her as the one to beat.
Behind her, Sandra Walendzik of Poland, the Bielsko-Biala champion in May, comes in as second seed. Livanur Kayir (TUR) and Amaris Bell (USA) will also look to disrupt the challengers and drive themselves onto the podium.
-50kg: African Pride and European Strength
The -50kg division offers a fascinating blend of continental styles. Ala Eddine Sahraoui (ALG), champion of both the African Cadet Championships and the inaugural African School Games, is riding a wave of momentum and carries the hopes of Algeria and Africa onto the world stage.
Europe’s big nations are not far behind: Axel Cup (FRA), Anar Guliyev (AZE) and Milan Szabo (HUN) fill the remaining seeded positions, each with the pedigree to challenge for gold.
-55kg: Azerbaijan’s Next Generation
At -55kg, all eyes will be on Rasul Alizada (AZE), the top seed from a nation that has excelled at senior level consistently. Azerbaijan’s conveyor belt of talent shows no sign of slowing and Alizada will aim to confirm his place among the brightest prospects.
Italy’s Matteo Gualandi, seeded second, hopes to demonstrate that he can be the next name to shine from a nation with a proud judo tradition. Titouan Lucas (FRA) and Tsan-An Chiang (TPE) round out the top four, ensuring a broad international spread in the medal chase.
The Unknown Factor
While the seeding gives an indication of favourites, cadet judo is rarely predictable. Upsets are frequent and unseeded athletes often rise to the occasion. One particularly intriguing question mark lies with Japan. Their cadets compete far less on the international circuit than their European counterparts, arriving in Sofia with little exposure but plenty of mystique.
Day one is set to deliver fast-paced, attacking judo with lightweight athletes traditionally bringing speed, energy and high-scoring throws to the tatami. Fans can expect both brilliance and surprises as the world’s youngest judoka begin their quest for world titles.