Young ladies want to follow in the footsteps of the greats in Sofia

The 23rd edition of the upcoming Cadet European Championships 2024 in Sofia will feature 513 athletes from 44 nations competing in 16 categories over three days. Bulgaria, already hosting senior European titleholders, will now welcome the promising young athletes aiming to establish themselves on the European stage. Let’s zoom in at the girls division for the first two days with 236 young women at the start.

The girls -40kg category features top seeds Aiora Martin Carriches (#3 ESP), Mathilde Aurel (#4 FRA), Sandra Walendzik (#5 POL), and Khadija Abdullayeva (#9 AZE), all ranked within the world top ten. Martin, with consistent podium finishes in 2024, looks to improve on her past fifth-place finishes.

Spain's Irene Garcia Sanchez and Africa Puente Lopez, both within the WRL top ten, join Cadet European and World Champion Patricia Tomankova (SVK) and Yuval Gabay (ISR) in the -44kg category. This group promises intense competition with top-ranked athletes.

The women's -48kg category sees France's Lalla-Dounia Lahrifi, a gold medallist at the Berlin Cadet Cup 2024, leading the field. Elif Kilic (TUR) follows closely, with Barbara Twarowska (POL) and Charlotte Nettesheim (GER) rounding out the top seeds.

Hungary's Vas Mira, with three Cadet European Cup golds, leads the women's -52kg category. Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas (ESP), Elise Rustige (NED), and Laura Barisic (CRO) follow, each with a strong track record.

The young women's -57kg category features WRL #1 Hili Zakroisky (ISR), Cadet World bronze medallist, and top competitors Emilia Bielawska (POL), Martina Capezzuto (ITA), and Manon Agati-Alouache (FRA), all poised for a fierce contest.

In the -63kg category, Sinem Oruc (TUR), a two-time Cadet European Champion and 2022 Cadet World Champion, leads the field. Challengers include Lucia Carpio Fernandez (ESP), Hanna Zaitseva (POL), and Ilariia Tsurkan (UKR), all bringing strong credentials and recent successes.

At the previous Cadet Europeans in Sofia in 2015 Daria Bilodid became the champion. Also Paris Olympians Marusa Stangar and Raz Hershko wile also Alina Boehm was crowned as European Champion.