With the IJF introducing a Cadets Grand Prix later this year, it’s worth taking a look at Olympic Champions who were once Cadet Champions. The European Judo Union has published a list of former European Cadet Champions who later went on to become Olympic Champions as well.
Parisi (FRA)
Angelo Parisi was European Cadet Champion in Bordeaux in 1970. Ten years later, at the 1980 Moscow Games, he was Olympic champion.
Iliadis (GRE)
Ilias Iliadis won the European Cadet title in Gyor in 2002 and then just two years later, at the 2004 Athens Games, he won the Olympic gold.
Mammadli (AZE)
Elnur Mammadli was European Cadet Champion in Rotterdam in 2004. Four years later, he won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Galstyan (RUS)
Arsen Galstyan won European Cadet gold in Salzburg in 2005. Seven years later, in 2012 in London, he became Olympic Champion.
Khalmurzaev (RUS)
Khasan Khalmurzaev won the European Cadet Championships in 2009 in Koper, Slovenia. Eight years later, he was the gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Agbegnenou (FRA)
Clarisse Agbegnenou won gold at the European Cadet Championships in Sarajevo in 2008. She became Olympic Champion in Tokyo in 2021.
Bekauri (GEO)
Lasha Bekauri was European Cadet Champion in Kaunas in 2017 and later became double Olympic Champion (in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024).
Heydarov (AZE)
Hidayat Heydarov has the distinction of winning the European Cadet Championships twice, taking gold in Tallinn in 2013 and Athens in 2014. A decade later, he won gold at the the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Leski (SLO)
Andreja Leski won European Cadet gold in Athens in 2014. A decade later in 2024, she won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Matic (CRO)
Barbara Matic was the European Cadet Champion in Teplice in 2010. It took a while but 14 years later, in 2024, she became Olympic Champion in Paris.
Kotsoiev (AZE)
Zelym Kotsoiev repeated Heydarov’s feat of becoming a two-time European Cadet Champion (in Athens in 2014 and Sofia in 2015) before becoming Olympic Champion at the 2024 Paris Games.
