Velazco Wins Gold in All-American Final at Prague Junior European Cup

Jonas Loeffler

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Just weeks after battling for Junior Olympic gold in Chicago, the burgeoning rivalry of Chris Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) and Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club) took center stage at the Prague Junior European Cup in Czechia on July 5, where the two friendly rivals faced off in the men's 60 kg final. A total of 428 athletes from 32 countries participated in the two-day tournament.

Velazco, ranked #2 in the world, advanced to the final with four straight victories via ippon (instant win) over Alberto Tripepi (ITA), Darmen Yessengeldi (KAZ), Francesco Crociani (ITA) and Mario Tinelli (ITA).

World #5 and reigning Cadet World Champion Yang paved his way to the final with wins by ippon over Danylo Avramenko (UKR) and Sangwoo Oh (KOR), and victories by yuko against Aykhan Mirzazada (AZE) and Asadbek Misirov (UZB).

As with their Junior Olympic final last month, Saturday's final also required extra time to decide as the evenly matched athletes went into Golden Score (sudden-death overtime) to determine the victor. In the third minute of the extra session, Velazco was able to throw Yang for an ippon and secure the win for the eighth Continental Cup victory of his young career.

Joining Velazco and Yang on the podium was Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy) who captured the silver medal in the men's 90 kg competition. Nyzhnyk's journey to Sunday's final featured highlight ippon throws for wins over Gleb Azarov (KAZ), Nils Baalmans (NED), Azamat Ablakulov (UZB) and 2024 Junior World Champion Luka Javakhishvili (GEO). Facing 2023 Cadet World Champion Boris Rutovic (SRB) in the final, Rutovic was able to throw Nyzhnyk for ippon in the final seconds to pull out the victory.

Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center) finished in the top 7 of the men’s 100 kg division.

2025 Prague Junior European Cup Results

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

Men’s 60 kg
1. Chris Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center)
2. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club)
3. Samariddin Kuchkarov (UZB)
3. Giorgi Chankseliani (GEO)
5. Asadbek Misirov (UZB)
5. Mario Tinelli (ITA)
7. Francesco Crociani (ITA)
7. Aykhan Mirzazada (AZE)
Also Competed: Adrian Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club), 0-1

Men’s 66 kg
1. Dilshodbek Hamroyev (UZB)
2. Nazar Viskov (UKR)
3. Danylo Kravchenko (UKR)
3. Tornike Gigauri (GEO)
5. Kaiyrkhan Abdirakhman (KAZ)
5. Akylzhan Zhubatkanov (KAZ)
7. Jakub Bajtos (SVK)
7. Ettore Balestri (ITA)
Also Competed: Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club), 0-1; Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-2

Men’s 73 kg
1. Irakli Goginashvili (GBR)
2. Victor Skerlev (BUL)
3. Omar Nurbergenov (KAZ)
3. Stevan Maitin (SUI)
5. Gigi Giunashvili (GEO)
5. Mukhamedali Zakirov (KAZ)
7. Gabriele Piccolo (ITA)
7. Yernar Keneskan (KAZ)
Also Competed: Alexander Prado (Coral Springs, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1; Domenico Ternullo (Saugus, Mass. / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1

Men’s 81 kg
1. Samariddin Muxibiddinov (UZB)
2. Dusan Grahovac (SRB)
3. Joshua De Lange (NED)
3. Alex Marousek (CZE)
5. Vasilije Grujicic (SRB)
5. Sandro Akhlouri (GEO)
7. Stanislav Sahir (UKR)
7. Saba Aleksanovi (ITA)
Also Competed: Daniel Shulgin (Philadelphia, Pa. / Yawara Force Judo/Sambo Club), 0-1; Aiden Cohen (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Cohen Brothers Judo Club), 0-1; Octavio DeOliveira (Lynnfield, Mass. / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1; Evan Miller (Marion, Ind. / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1

Men’s 90 kg
1. Boris Rutovic (SRB)
2. Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Los Gatos, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Nakano Judo Academy)
3. Luka Javakhishvili (GEO)
3. Daniil Krylov (KAZ)
5. Ivan Chernyshenko (FRA)
5. David Iurcovschi (FRA)
7. Dan Koncilija (CRO)
7. Gleb Azarov (KAZ)
Also Competed: Christian Corchado (New Britain, Conn. / New Britain Judo and Dynamic Arts), 0-2

Men’s 100 kg
1. Lazar Zdrale (SRB)
2. Davud Namazli (AZE)
3. Sakar Birzhanov (KAZ)
3. Sanzhar Yerulanuly (KAZ)
5. Borna Butijer (CRO)
5. Dmytro Lebid (UKR)
7. Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center)
7. Semin Park (KOR)

Men’s +100 kg
1. Giorgi Baduashvili (GEO)
2. Fazliddin Rafikov (UZB)
3. John Messe A Bessong (CAN)
3. Matheo Akiana Mongo (FRA)
5. Andrey Coelho (BRA)
5. Martin Sedlak (CZE)
7. Minjun Kim (KOR)
7. Shynggys Yerzhanuly (KAZ)

Women’s 48 kg
1. Miyu Wakabayashi (JPN)
2. Patricia Tomankova (SVK)
3. Vera Wandel (NED)
3. Sofia Rangelova (BUL)
5. Sevinch Murodova (UZB)
5. Tasnim Abduali (KAZ)
7. Sabina Yuldashbekova (KAZ)
7. Maud Rikmanspoel (NED)

Women’s 52 kg
1. Haruka Kugemoto (JPN)
2. Alyssia Poulange (FRA)
3. Ilaria Finestrone (ITA)
3. Alicia Marques (FRA)
5. Khadizha Gadashova (AZE0
5. Emma Van Leeuwen (NED)
7. Rafaela Rodrigues (BRA0
7. Maira Medema (NED)

Women’s 57 kg
1. Asuka Ueno (JPN)
2. Chloe Link (GBR)
3. Marlene Schinwald (AUT)
3. Jevgenija Gajic (SLO)
5. Daria Boichenko (UKR)
5. Carla Van Zyl (CAN)
7. Varvara Kuchar (LTU)
7. Gulnara Bayramova (AZE)
Also Competed: Ellianna Abbott (Rayne, La. / Louisiana Judo), 0-1

Women’s 63 kg
1. Doria Boursas (FRA)
2. Joni Geilen (NED)
3. Kristina Opanasenko (UKR)
3. Sarvinoz Xusanova (UZB)
5. Orsolya Lajos (ROU)
5. Nigina Saparboeva (UZB)
7. Helena Rottenhofer (AUT)
7. Marjona Nurulloeva (UZB)
Also Competed: Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 2-2

Women’s 70 kg
1. Aleksandra Andric (SRB)
2. Maria Eduarda Oliveira (BRA)
3. April Lynn Fohouo (SUI)
3. Anna Oliinyk-Korniiko (UKR)
5. Jana Cvjetko (CRO)
5. Charlie Thibault (CAN)
7. Nadie Jaafar (BUL)
7. Leonie Bayr (AUT)
Also Competed: Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Women’s 78 kg
1. Marie Kosnarova (CZE)
2. Xanne Van Lijf (NED)
3. Maria Hanstede (NED)
3. Stepanka Hojdarova (CZE)
5. Nanami Yokoyama (JPN)
5. Chaemin Lee (KOR)
7. Alannah Joyce (AUS)
7. Mushtariybegim Afsalova (UZB)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Umida Nigmatova (UZB)
2. Hikaru Yamaguchi (JPN)
3. Ana Soares (BRA)
3. Nina Filkorova (SVK)
5. Ruslana Makhatova (KAZ)
5. Nigar Suleymanova (AZE)

U.S. juniors now look ahead to the Paks Junior European Cup to be held July 12-13 in Hungary.