Nancy Nguyen Wins First Career Junior European Cup Title in Montenegro

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Fighting at her second major international judo tournament, 19-year-old Nancy Nguyen (San Jose, CA / San Jose State University Judo) won gold at the Podgorica Junior European Cup in Montenegro on Saturday.

2024 Podgorica Junior European Cup Results

A bronze medalist at the 2023 USA Judo Senior Nationals, Nguyen went 4-0 in Montenegro, defeating some of the top junior women in Europe in the 70 kg division.

In the opening round, Nguyen threw 2023 European Cadet Championships silver medalist Jana Cvjetko (CRO) for ippon (instant win) in the final 30 seconds of the match.

Nguyen threw 2022 Cadet World medalist Serena Ondei (ITA) for ippon in the quarter-finals less than 90 seconds into the match to secure a position in the medal rounds.

Nguyen and Alexandra Papagiannaki (GRE) battled into the second minute of the semifinals before Nguyen took the match to the ground, pinning Papagiannaki for ippon to take the win.

The gold medal final went nearly 90 seconds into Golden Score (sudden death overtime) before Nguyen threw three-time European Junior Cup medalist Avia Malka (ISR) for a waza-ari (half-point) score.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Matija Jeremic (SRB)
2. Ben Tamary (ISR)
3. Yeroslav Simonov (ISR)
3. Dmitrii Efimenko (AIN)
5. Dimitrios Georgiadis (GRE)
5. Ido Nakar (ISR)
7. Laurence Hill (GBR)
7. Ilija Music (MNE)

Women’s 48 kg
1. Marie-Lune Turmel (CAN)
2. Maria Eleni Gogua (GRE)
3. Heidi Quach (CAN)
3. Summer Shaw (GBR)
5. Elif Kirt (TUR)
5. Marija Simic (MNE)

Men’s 66 kg
1. Jochem van Harten (NED)
2. Valerio Accogli (ITA)
3. Hilmi Mucik (TUR)
3. Pavle Petrovic (SRB)
5. Veljko Simic (SRB)
5. Nemanja Nisic (SRB)
7. Abid Kurpejovic (MNE)
7. Georgios Kalaitsidis (CYP)

Women’s 52 kg
1. Kinga Klimczak (POL)
2. Evelyn Beaton (CAN)
3. Mina Gacic (SRB)
3. Luca Mamira (HUN)
5. Laurine Gashi (KOS)
5. Ana Cobanovic (SRB)
7. Sara Jocic (SRB)
7. Evangelia Gavala (GRE)

Men’s 73 kg
1. Lasha Tsatsalashvili (CAN)
2. Federico Bosis (ITA)
3. Darko Topalovic (BIH)
3. Christos Dimitriadi (CYP)
5. Artem Neyolov (CAN)
5. Felix Mercier-Ross (CAN)
7. Isaac Hope (GBR)
7. Thomas Jackson (GBR)

Women’s 57 kg
1. Kinga Chmielewska (POL)
2. Jevgenija Gajic (SLO)
3. Julia Bulanda (POL)
3. Jaelynn Chipan (FRA)
5. Daniella Zaguri (ISR)
5. India Serafini (ITA)
7. Madeleine Birri (GBR)
7. Sejla Skaljic (CRO)

Men’s 81 kg
1. Boris Rutovic (SRB)
2. Alessandro Bruno D'Urbano (ITA)
3. Vasilije Grujicic (SRB)
3. Or Argov (ISR)
5. Tigran Kryvytskyi (CAN)
5. Fabrycjusz Tarkowski (POL)
7. Maj Kavnik (SLO)
7. Mikolaj Kaczorek (POL)

Women’s 63 kg
1. Nika Markulin (CRO)
2. Sara Corbo (ITA)
3. Daniela Badura (POL)
3. Rezarta Alimi (KOS)
5. Dunja Sadiku (SRB)
5. Marta Voracek (CRO)
7. Kasandra Kovaci (ALB)
7. Galini Sirinidou (GRE)

Men’s 90 kg
1. Lazar Zdrale (BIH)
2. Borna Butijer (CRO)
3. Panagiotis Kyvelidis (GRE)
3. Marko Jovanovic (SRB)
5. Stevan Nikcevic (MNE)
5. Nikola Cirovic (SRB)
7. Inbar Gabay (ISR)
7. Djordje Pajic (BIH)

Women’s 70 kg
1. Nancy Nguyen (San Jose, CA / San Jose State University Judo)
2. Avia Malka (ISR)
3. Serena Ondei (ITA)
3. Andrijana Sutovic (MNE)
5. Alexandra Papagiannaki (GRE)
5. Holly Devall (GBR)
7. Nika Slacek (CRO)
7. Magda Glubiak (POL)

Men’s 100 kg
1. Vid Kavnik (SLO)
2. Michal Walenciak (POL)
3. Ognjen Djurisic (SRB)
3. Vidak Maljevic (BIH)
5. Dimitar Malev (BUL)
5. Damian Kubiak (POL)
7. Andrija Martinovic (MNE)
7. Vuk Drljevic (MNE)

Women’s 78 kg
1. Lorena Perkovic (CRO)
2. Nika Jakus (CRO)
3. Emma Krapu (FIN)
3. Vedrana Miljevic (CRO)
5. Sofija Pajic (BIH)
5. Eleonora Giusti (ITA)

Men’s +100 kg
1. John Messe A Bessong Jr. (CAN)
2. Stefan Kovinic (MNE)
3. Mateja Borojevic (SRB)
3. Ioannis Kostelidis (GRE)
5. Luka Sestovic (MNE)
5. Vuk Tapuskovic (MNE)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Tara Janjic (SLO)
2. Jovana Mrvaljevic (MNE)