Yonezuka Nabs First Career European Open Medal

Paris 2024 Olympian Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC) captured a bronze medal in the men's 73 kg division on Saturday at the European Open in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It marked the fifth Continental Open medal and first European Open medal of the young 21-year-old's career.

2025 Ljubljana European Open Results

Yonezuka won four of his five matches on the day. He won by ippon (instant win) over Sergio Garcia Obensa (ESP) in the round of 32, then secured another ippon by pin against Aron Gabor (HUN) in the round of 16 after taking the match to the mat two minutes into the contest.

In the quarterfinal round, Luca Rubeca (ITA) scored two waza-aris (half-points) against Yonezuka in the span of 18 seconds to come away with the victory. The loss sent Yonezuka to the repechage where he earned a shot at a bronze medal by defeating 2023 Junior World Championship bronze medalist Mouhammad Gazaloev (BEL). Yonezuka again showed his superior ground game by pinning Gazaloev for ippon at the 1:55 mark of the match.

Facing 2021 U23 European Champion Lucien Bors Dumitrescu (ROU) for the bronze medal, Yonezuka secured a waza-ari on the ground two minutes into the contest, which held up as the only scoring of the match.

Another American judoka finishing in the top seven on Sunday was Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center) in the men's 81 kg competition. Silot went 2-2 on the day, opening with a round of 32 win over Luka Zorotovic (CRO) by scoring two waza-aris. He then scored a yuko on a throw just 14 seconds into his round of 16 contest against Karel Foubert (BEL) and made that stand up the rest of the way for the victory.

In the quarterfinals, Silot took Keagan Young (CAN) to Golden Score (sudden death overtime) before the Canadian tallied the decisive yuko a minute into the extra time. Fighting in the repechage, Silot lost via ippon to Vladyslav Kolobov (UKR) at the 1:09 mark of the match. Young and Kolobov would capture the bronze medals in the division.

The IJF World Tour resumes this weekend in Azerbaijan with the Baku Grand Slam, Feb. 14-16.

Top eight and U.S. results at the 2025 Ljubljana European Open are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Yehonatan Veksler (ISR)
2. Csanad Feczko (HUN)
3. Marton Andrasi (HUN)
3. Vache Adamyan (AUT)
5. Andras Vida (HUN)
5. Pedro Gomez Llorens (ESP)
7. Gabin Supervielle (FRA)
7. Vincent Limare (FRA)
Also Competed: Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 1-1; Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club), 1-1; Joshua Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club), 0-1

Women’s 48 kg
1. Coralie Gilly (FRA)
2. Marine Gilly (FRA)
3. Sofia Petitto (ITA)
3. Sofia Mazzola (ITA)
5. Heidi Quach (CAN)
5. Marie-Lune Turmel (CAN)
7. Szabina Szeleczki (HUN)
7. Zuleima Del Carmen Falcon Sanchez (ESP)

Men’s 66 kg
1. Nazar Viskov (UKR)
2. Jochem Van Harten (NED)
3. Balint Gombas (HUN)
3. David Ickes (GER)
5. Deny Altemirov (BEL)
5. Guy Gutman (ISR)
7. Adrian Nieto Chinarro (ESP)
7. Jaume Bernabeu Rico (ESP)
Also Competed: Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club), 0-1

Women’s 52 kg
1. Lea Metrot (FRA)
2. Janka Juttner (HUN)
3. Paula Beorlegui Oses (ESP)
3. Ilaria Finestrone (ITA)
5. Gaia Stella (ITA)
5. Luciana Catana (ROU)
7. Luca Mamira (HUN)
7. Evelyn Beaton (CAN)

Men’s 73 kg
1. Said-Magomed Khalidov (UKR)
2. Zakary Ainseba (FRA)
3. Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC)
3. Alexander Bernd Gabler (GER)
5. Lucian Bors Dumitrescu (ROU)
5. Luca Rubeca (ITA)
7. Mouhammad Gazaloev (BEL)
7. John Waizenegger (SUI)
Also Competed: Nathan Belfer (Solon, Ohio / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1

Women’s 57 kg
1. Binta Ndiaye (SUI)
2. Nika Tomc (SLO)
3. Kitti Kovacs (HUN)
3. Malin Wilson Claret (ESP)
5. Carla Ubasart Mascaro (ESP)
5. Adriana Rodriguez Salvador (ESP)
7. Alya De Carvalho (FRA)
7. Luna Verfaillie (BEL)
Also Competed: Leana Nelson (Coventry, R.I. / Top Game Martial Arts), 0-1

Men’s 81 kg
1. Pawel Drzymal (POL)
2. Igor Tsurkan (UKR)
3. Vladyslav Kolobov (UKR)
3. Keagan Young (CAN)
5. Vladimir Stark (GER)
5. Thien Oulevey (SUI)
7. Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center)
7. Nebojsa Gardasevic (MNE)
Also Competed: Ramon Hernandez, Jr. (Pompton Lakes, N.J. / North Jersey Judo), 0-1

Women’s 63 kg
1. Anastasiia Antipina (UKR)
2. Brigitta Varga (HUN)
3. Ilariia Tsurkan (UKR)
3. Friederike Stolze (GER)
5. Lili Nguyen (FRA)
5. Anna Kriza (HUN)
7. Sara Lisciani (ITA)
7. Andjela Samardzic (BIH)
Also Competed: Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1; Karlee Carrouth (Oklahoma City, Okla. / NYAC / USA Stars Foundation), 0-1

Men’s 90 kg
1. Toni Miletic (BIH)
2. Daniel Nieto Trinidad (ESP)
3. Noah Christiaens (BEL)
3. Teo L Herbier (FRA)
5. Stanislav Gunchenko (UKR)
5. Roy Sivan (ISR)
7. Guillaume Gaulin (CAN)
7. Segev Ben Haroch (ISR)
Also Competed: Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 0-1

Women’s 70 kg
1. Gioia Vetterli (SUI)
2. Anna Oliinyk-Korniiko (UKR)
3. Vera Zemanova (CZE)
3. Ksenia Zadvornova (IJF)
5. Olga Tsimko (UKR)
5. Sarah Mehlau (GER)
7. Julie Zarybnicka (CZE)
7. Jennifer Czerlau (HUN)
Also Competed: Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1; Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1; Isabella Garriga (Richmond, Texas / USA Judo National Resident Team / Westlake Judo Team), 0-1

Men’s 100 kg
1. Adam Borchashvilli (AUT)
2. Martin Bezdek (CZE)
3. Jean Carletti (ITA)
3. Joes Schell (NED)
5. Andzhei Pavliukov (IJF)
5. Laurin Boehler (AUT)
7. Jannis Baschin (GER)
7. Enrico Bergamelli (ITA)
Also Competed: Jared Causse (Westminster, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Los Angeles Tenri Judo Dojo), 1-1

Women’s 78 kg
1. Kaila Issoufi (FRA)
2. Lea Schmid (GER)
3. Kaja Schuster (SLO)
3. Nisrin Bousbaa Dab (ESP)
5. Emma Krapu (FIN)
5. Nikolett Sagi (HUN)
7. Claudia Sperotti (ITA)
7. Anna Kazakova (UKR)

Men’s +100 kg
1. Francisco Solis (CHI)
2. Mikita Sviryd (CRO)
3. Stephan Hegyi (AUT)
3. Yves Ndao (BEL)
5. Mykola Hrybyk (UKR)
5. Igor Vracar (SRB)
7. Mihaly Cserkaszov (HUN)
7. Eduard Serban (ROU)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Erica Simonetti (ITA)
2. Carmen Dijkstra (NED)
3. Tiziana Marini (ITA)
3. Paulien Sweers (NED)
5. Tina Radic (CRO)
5. Urska Torkar (SLO)
7. Gabrielle Bouvier (BEL)
7. Alessia Giordano (ITA)