Marta Beorlegui claimed the under-52 kilogram silver medal at the European U23 Judo Championships in Naples, Italy, finishing as the continental runner-up after a hard-fought final against Italy’s Gaia Stella. Competing at the Palasport Palavesuvio, the judoka navigated a demanding 17-competitor bracket before dropping a narrow decision in the gold-medal bout.
Weigh-In and Bracket Path to the Naples Final
Following the official weigh-in sessions held ahead of the opening matches, Beorlegui opened her tournament campaign by defeating Hungary’s Reka Szabo via waza-ari. In the quarterfinal round, she secured a maximum-scoring ippon victory over France’s Pauline Cuq, who entered the event as the 2025 European U23 champion. That performance featured a decisive osoto-gari throw.
The semifinal match required patience against Ukraine’s Marharyta Miroshnichenko. Beorlegui advanced by securing a yuko score in the final seconds of the bout, earning her place in the championship final alongside coach Jose Toro.
Championship Bout Against Gaia Stella
The gold-medal match pitted Beorlegui against Italy’s Gaia Stella, the 2025 European Junior champion. Stella initiated the scoring with an early yuko advantage. Beorlegui responded with persistent kumikata grip work, pressuring the Italian competitor into a shido penalty with 50 seconds remaining on the clock.
A second penalty awarded to Stella was subsequently overturned with 14 seconds left. Time expired with the initial yuko standing, securing the victory for Stella and establishing Beorlegui as the European U23 silver medalist in the -52 kg division.
A 2026 International Medal Record
The Naples podium finish adds another significant result to Beorlegui’s competitive resume for the year. Her results include a silver medal at the European Cup Senior in Malaga on October 10, 2026, and a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Montenegro on September 3, 2026.
Earlier in the spring, she collected a silver medal at the European Cup Junior in Lignano on April 11, 2026, alongside a bronze medal at the European Cup Junior in Portugal on March 7, 2026.
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