Italian youth powerful at Cadet European Cup in Coimbra

After three years the Cadet European Cup in Coimbra was back in place. Almost 300 athletes were fighting for the medals and the Italian youth was more than impressive in the Portuguese city that hosts European Cups for Juniors (March), Cadets and Seniors (August). There is no city in Europe outside Coimbra that hosts all three events.

Especially in the women’s division Italy led the medal table with four gold medals of in total six won.

Rebecca Valeriani (ITA) took the first gold medal on Saturday for her successful country. In the final U44kg she defeated Marta Beorlegui Oses (ESP). In the category U52kg Michela Terranova won the all Italian final against Gaia Massimetti.

On Sunday the Italian Girls again added two gold medals. Gaia Stella (ITA) claimed the victory U57kg against homeplayer Maria Silveira (POR) who took silver. Italian heavyweight Morgana De Paoli defeated Dutch girl Julia Dekker.

If you thought those were the finallists, you were wrong, Sofia Mazzola (ITA) reached the final U48kg on Saturday but Swedish talent Tara Babulfath was again outstanding. In fact that wasn’t the only great result for Sweden. Ingrid Nilsson (SWE) achieved the gold medal U70kg against Shavon Gonzalez (USA).

The Americans won gold U63kg where Emily Daniela Jaspe (USA) defeated another Italian finalist Serena Maddaloni.

In the girls lightweights only two medallists Celia van Beneden of Belgium overcame Beatriz Carinhas. This category had only 3 girls. Overall 113 girls which isn’t a lot compared to the previous editions in Coimbra over the last years. There were more boys with 206 participants. Still the usual number of boys is more than 300.

Surprising was the first gold medal for Kyrgyzstan by Adis Orozmamatov who defeated Emiliano Lattanzi (ITA) U50kg. Italy won also two gold medals in the boys division, the first U55kg for Davide Errichiello (ITA) who defeated Frenchman Dorian Arnaud. The second gold for Italy, making the total six was for Federico Ninfo (ITA) in his category U66kg against Goncalo Lourenco (POR). Portugal was unlucky with four lost finals and nine medals in total. Italy was amazing with not just six gold medals but also 19 medals in total.

Again an American talent took the gold; Christopher Velazco (USA) defeated Nazar Viskov (UKR) in the category U60kg in an amazing field of 44 boys. Then you can say you beat the best from Europe.

There was another gold medal for Dutch super talent Joshua De Lange who also won gold in Lignano and Teplice. This time De Lange overcame Lucio Tavoletta (ITA) in the final U73kg.

Moldova was successful U81kg with Ghenadi Chyzhevskyi (MDA) against another Italian Francesco Sansonetti who took silver, one of six.

Ukraine lost one final but Nikita Yudanov was able to take the gold medal against Gonçalo Loureiro (POR) U90kg. The heavyweight title went to France by Kris Oliver Siewe Djiekam who caught Fedir Yaroshenko (UKR) in the final +90kg.

The Cadet European Cup in Coimbra was the last in the European Tour in advance of the Cadet European Championships in June in Porec (CRO) and the EYOF in Banska Bistrica in July.