The inaugural standalone European Ne-Waza Judo Championships took place in Riga, Latvia, on 29 and 30 August, bringing together 150 judoka from 18 countries across the cadet, junior and senior divisions.
Host nation Latvia topped the medal standings with six gold, five silver and six bronze medals, ahead of Romania with four gold and one bronze. Poland took two gold, three silver and one bronze. The medal haul was distributed widely across the participating nations, which organisers took as an encouraging sign for the format.
The championships offered Europe's first cadet, junior and senior ne-waza champions under one competition structure. Ne-waza, the part of judo fought on the mat, includes control, pins, armlocks and strangles within the rules.
The EJU is now collecting feedback from athletes, coaches and referees to refine the format, with the next edition planned for Estonia in 2027.
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