Veksler Wins Gold and Hayun Claims Bronze at U23 European Judo Championships
Israeli judokas Yonatan Veksler and Elay Hayun claimed gold and bronze medals respectively on the opening day of the U23 European Championships in Naples, capping a stellar year for the sport.
The U23 European Judo Championships kicked off impressively for the Israeli delegation in Naples, Italy, securing two medals on the opening day: a gold for Yonatan Veksler and a bronze for Elay Hayun.
Competing in the under-60kg weight category, Veksler started his tournament in the second round with a victory by penalties over Ukraine's Oleksandr Klipinin. He advanced by defeating Armenia's Vahagn Aghasyan in the quarterfinals with a yuko advantage, and repeated the feat against Georgia's Luka Gedila in the semifinals. In the gold medal match, Veksler faced Italy's Pietro Andreini, securing a waza-ari and holding his lead until the final buzzer to claim the European U23 title and the prestigious gold medal.
In the women's under-52kg division, Hayun opened with a swift ippon victory over Ukraine's Tetiana Lymtsiayeva in the second round, though she was later stopped in the quarterfinals by Serbia's Bojana Savic. Dropping into the repechage, Hayun bounced back with an ippon win over Georgia's Tetriashvili to advance to the bronze medal contest. There, she overcame Ukraine's Mariia Myroshnychenko with a hold-down ippon to secure the bronze podium finish.
Head coach Shany Hershko praised the strong start: "An excellent achievement for the team, huge congratulations to Yonatan, Elay, and the entire coaching staff. Yonatan Veksler delivered a particularly impressive performance, showcasing high-level professionalism, determination, and competitive maturity. Elay Hayun displayed a series of quality bouts with great judo and a lot of character. Special thanks to Arthur Katiev, who accompanied and guided the athletes, and to all staff members contributing to this success. Thank you to the Israel Judo Association and its chairman, Moshe Ponte, for the ongoing support and trust."
With these medals, Israeli national judo teams have rounded off a remarkable 2026 season, clinching at least one medal at every single European and World Championship across all age groups. This milestone reflects exceptional professional work, consistency, and depth across both men's and women's squads.
