A total of 277 athletes from 36 countries have arrived in Naples, Italy, to compete at the U23 European Judo Championships, with the German Judo Federation (DJB) sending an 11-person roster featuring five regional competitors from North Rhine-Westphalia. The continent-wide tournament features 155 men and 122 women contesting individual titles across various weight classes through Saturday before concluding with a mixed team competition on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
The North Rhine-Westphalian Contingent in Naples
Regional representation anchors a significant portion of the German delegation at the Italian coastal venue.
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In the women’s brackets, Helen Habib of JC 66 Bottrop contests the 48 kg division, Nina Güth of JC 71 Düsseldorf enters the 52 kg category, and Mathilda Sophie Niemeyer of the 1. Hattinger JJJC competes at 78 kg. On the men’s side, Luke Cabecana of JC Wermelskirchen fights in the 60 kg class, and Florian Böcker of JC 66 Bottrop rounds out the regional lineup in the 66 kg division.
Full German Roster and Weight Divisions
Beyond the regional qualifiers from North Rhine-Westphalia, the DJB squad includes athletes from several other state associations. Shenna Nitsche of VfL Riesa represents Saxony in the women’s 63 kg category, while Tanja Grünewald of TSV Altenfurt competes for Bavaria in the 70 kg division.
The men’s team features Sebastian Kaun of TSV Großhadern for Bavaria in the 81 kg class. Pierre Ederer of TSV Tauberbischofsheim (Baden) and Jannis Baschin of Sportfreunde Kladow (Berlin) both contest the 100 kg division. Mortaza Suha of Judo-Team Hannover (Lower Saxony) competes in the over-100 kg heavyweight category.
Competition Schedule and Weekend Timeline
Individual medal decisions take place across the opening two days of the championships. Friday’s preliminary rounds start at 10:00 local time (UTC+1), covering the men’s 60 kg, 66 kg, and 73 kg divisions alongside the women’s 48 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg, and 63 kg categories. The corresponding final blocks begin at 16:00 local time.
Saturday’s schedule shifts to the remaining weight classes, featuring the men’s 81 kg, 90 kg, 100 kg, and over-100 kg brackets, plus the women’s 70 kg, 78 kg, and over-78 kg divisions. Preliminaries on Saturday get underway at 10:30 local time, with the final block following at 16:00. The European championships conclude on Sunday with the mixed team event, accompanied by official livestreams and live tournament result lists.
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