Cadet Worlds Begin in Bulgaria

The 2025 OTP Group Cadet World Judo Championships opened on Wednesday at the Asics Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria. The event, which brings together the very best of cadet judo worldwide, welcomed 551 athletes, ages 14-17, from 71 nations to the Bulgarian capital, including 20 athletes from the United States.

2025 Cadet World Championships Live Stream and Results

Three Americans took to the tatami on the opening day of competition. 

The youngest member of the men's squad, 14-year-old Samuel Abdelmalak (Punta Gorda, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), reached the round of 16 in the men's 50kg division after an opening-round victory over Nikolay Danailov (BUL). Abdelmalak threw the Bulgarian for ippon (instant win) just 50 seconds into the contest.

In the round of 16 against #9-ranked Arman Myssa (KAZ), the two athletes battled into the fourth minute before Myssa was able to throw Abdelmalak for ippon to secure the win. Myssa would go on to claim a bronze medal.

Also in action for Team USA on Wednesday’s opening day were a pair of 15-year-olds competing in their first Cadet World Championships.

In the women's 44kg competition, Amaris Bell (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center) matched up with Khadija Abdullayeva (AZE) in the round of 32. Bell scored a partial throw on Abdullayeva for yuko in the second minute, but Abdullayeva responded in the third minute as the match went to the ground and she was able to secure a chokehold on Bell for the ippon.

In the men's 55kg division, Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center) battled with Eyad Bamahfouz (KSA) into the third minute of their round of 32 contest before Bamahfouz won with a chokehold.

Competition continues on Thursday with six Americans in action: Malia Manibog (San Gabriel, Calif. / San Gabriel Judo) in the women’s 48kg; Aubrey Genereux (Port St. Lucie, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) and Mackenzie McPherson (Miramar, Fla. / Budokan Judo Club in South Florida) in the women’s 52kg; Adrian Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo) and Liam Kesler (San Jose, Calif. / CJ Judo) in the men’s 60kg; and Anthony Reyes (Round Rock, Texas / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) in the men’s 66kg.

Top eight and U.S. results from Day 1 are as follows:

Women’s 40 kg
1. Dilafruz Boltaboeva (UZB)
2. Sema Nur Yuksel (TUR)
3. Khulan Bayarzul (MGL)
3. Fenne Peeters (BEL)
5. Emiliia Saifutdinova (IJF)
5. Alina Kolucheva (UZB)
7. Nadine Chiraz Dahoumane (ALG)
7. Maja Radics (HUN)

Men’s 50 kg
1. Khushnud Sultanov (UZB)
2. Arthur Melo (BRA)
3. Arman Myssa (KAZ)
3. Anar Guliyev (AZE)
5. Milan Szabo (HUN)
5. Tsvetelin Martinov (BUL)
7. Abdulwahab Alshammari (KUW)
7. Omer Mor Barak (ISR)
Also Competed: Samuel Abdelmalak (Punta Gorda, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 1-1

Women’s 44 kg
1. Nadezhda Mishenkina (IJF)
2. Livanur Kayir (TUR)
3. Zi-Yu Yang (TPE)
3. Sandra Walendzik (POL)
5. Yuval Gabay (ISR)
5. Fatma Zehra Meki (TUR)
7. Khadija Abdullayeva (AZE)
7. Gulshan Huseynova (AZE)
Also Competed: Amaris Bell (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1

Men’s 55 kg
1. Khushnudbek Burkhonov (UZB)
2. Matteo Gualandi (ITA)
3. Adris Jakubauskas (LTU)
3. Aleksei Toptygin (IJF)
5. Mahammadali Husiyev (AZE)
5. Ivo Galenkov (BUL)
7. Alin Marian Sorici (ROU)
7. Tom Dubrovsky (ISR)
Also Competed: Sebastian Teran (Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1