Italian judoka Gennaro Pirelli claimed the men’s half-heavyweight (-100 kg) gold medal at the 2026 European Judo Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, defeating Simeon Catharina of the Netherlands in the final on April 19, 2026.
The victory marked Pirelli’s first senior European title and came on the final day of competition at the Olympic Palace, where 400 athletes from 46 nations competed across four days of intense matches.
According to official results from the International Judo Federation, Pirelli advanced through the bracket with decisive wins, including a victory over Russia’s Arman Adamian in the semifinals before securing gold with a commanding performance against Catharina in the title match.
The men’s -100 kg division featured 32 competitors, with Pirelli joining an illustrious list of Italian medalists at the championships. His teammate in the heavyweight division, Guram Tushishvili of Georgia, won gold in the +100 kg category, highlighting strong performances from host nation athletes throughout the event.
Italy’s overall medal haul at Tbilisi 2026 included two gold medals, both in men’s weight classes, with Pirelli’s -100 kg title complementing Arbuzov Timur’s victory in the -81 kg division. The Italian squad also earned two bronze medals across different categories, contributing to a solid showing in the final medal standings.
The championships served as a key stop on the International Judo Federation World Tour, with Olympic Palace in Tbilisi hosting events from April 16-19 under the auspices of the European Judo Union. Competition followed the standard single-elimination format with repechage brackets determining bronze medalists in each weight class.
For Pirelli, the gold medal represented a career milestone, coming after years of consistent performance on the European circuit. His victory continued Italy’s strong tradition in judo, adding to the nation’s growing medal count at continental championships.
The event concluded with Georgia topping the medal table with four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal, followed by France with two gold, four silver, and six bronze medals. Russian Federation athletes secured two gold, one silver, and four bronze medals to round out the top three nations.
Looking ahead, Pirelli will now turn his focus toward preparations for the 2027 European Judo Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, where he will aim to defend his newly acquired continental title.
For ongoing coverage of international judo competitions and athlete profiles, readers are encouraged to follow official updates from the International Judo Federation and European Judo Union throughout the season.
