At the European Youth Judo Championships in Podgorica, Italy’s Cinzia Caponetto finished fifth in the -78 kg category after dropping a hard-fought bronze medal match to Croatia’s Dzidic, according to combat sports reports. The individual tournaments concluded following three days of intense competition on the Montenegrin tatamis, setting the stage for the upcoming team events.
Caponetto’s Path Through the Podgorica Draw
Entering the continental tournament as the top-seeded athlete in her weight class, Caponetto opened her campaign with a victory over Georgia’s Dzagania. She followed that performance by defeating Poland’s Glubiak in the quarter-finals to secure her place in the semifinals, as detailed by combat sports reporting.
In the penultimative round, the Italian judoka faced Turkey’s Tuana Gulenay in a bout that extended into the Golden score period. Following an extended battle, Caponetto conceded the match, missing out on a shot at the individual European crown. Gulenay boasts a strong international resume, having taken bronze at the Qingdao Grand Prix and gold at the Mediterranean Games in 2026.
The Bronze Medal Battle
Relegated to the bronze medal contest, Caponetto faced Croatia’s Dzidic on the tatami. The Italian competitor gained an early advantage on the scoreboard before Dzidic mounted a tactical comeback in the latter half of the bout, securing and maintaining the lead until the final clock ran out to leave Caponetto in fifth place.
Across the wider continental competition, France topped the final medal standings for the nations, outperforming Azerbaijan and Spain. Slovenian athletes also finished just off the podium in the country rankings. French juniors such as Alyssia Poulange, Chloe Jean, Leonie Minkada-Caquineau, and Kevin Nzuzi Diasivi captured individual gold medals to anchor their team’s standing at the summit.
Next Checkpoint: Mixed Teams Event
With the individual brackets finalized, attention immediately shifts to the team competition. The Italian delegation returns to the tatami for the Mixed Teams Event, where they are scheduled to face Poland in their opening match.
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