Israeli judoka Yitzhak Ishpiz, won the bronze medal at the 2026 European Championships in the under-60 kg category. The Israeli national team consists of 16 athletes in the competition, which is being held in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Ishpiz, only 18 years old, completed an impressive tournament, culminating in a podium finish after defeating a Ukrainian opponent in the bronze medal match. Ashpiz is currently in the midst of an exceptional run, which began with a gold medal at the Tbilisi Grand Slam and a bronze at the Paris Grand Slam -achievements that have garnered significant international attention.
In the current championships, Ishpiz defeated opponents from Armenia and Turkey. In the quarterfinals, he recorded a striking victory over Romain Valadier-Picard, the 2025 World Silver Medalist, before losing in the semifinals to Georgia’s Luka Mkheidze, a 2024 Paris Olympic medalist.
Ishpiz recovered quickly, demonstrating great composure in the bronze medal contest and securing the win in the final minutes.
