Judo Junior World Championships 2025 in Lima – New Stars Emerge

The 2025 World Judo Juniors Individual Championships were held from 5 to 7 October in Lima, Peru, culminating ahead of the mixed teams day on 8 October. The event took place at Coliseo Eduardo Dibós, drawing top Under-20 talent from around the globe.

In a tournament defined by Japanese depth and surprise breakthroughs from smaller judo nations, the medal tables and individual stories reveal the evolving landscape of junior judo.

Summary & Highlights

• Japan asserted its dominance, taking multiple gold medals across weight categories and often clinching both top podium spots in women’s or men’s divisions.

• Historic moment: Linthoi Chanambam of India made history by becoming the first Indian judoka to ever medal at a Junior World Championship, winning bronze in women’s –63 kg.

• In the +100 kg men’s class, Bislan Katamardov (IJF flag) edged out Gai Hatakeyama (JPN) in a tense final.

• Several well-noted juniors from Europe and other continents showed strength, including Narek Vardanian (SWE) who placed 5th in Men –73 kg after just missing a podium finish.

> Full Medal Results (Selected Weight Classes) <

Below are selected weight classes and full podiums, drawn from the official IJF “Results” pages: ijf.org

Men –60 kg

Women –48 kg

Men –66 kg

Women –52 kg

Men –73 kg

Women –57 kg

Men +100 kg

Women +78 kg

Fact Box: Event Overview

Spotlight: Stories & Trends

Japanese Sweep & Depth

Japan’s juniors returned to form, capturing a dominant share of golds across weight classes. The consistency of Japanese youth development continues to pay dividends, as their athletes claimed multiple podiums through technical precision and composure under pressure.

Emerging Powers

• Tajikistan’s Muhiddin Asadulloev won gold in men’s –73 kg, a signal that smaller federations are advancing.

• Cosmopolitan flags: bislan Katamardov competed under IJF (neutral) flag, showing transitional states in judo governance.

• India’s breakthrough: Linthoi Chanambam’s bronze in –63 kg stands as a watershed moment for Indian judo’s presence on the world stage.

Notable Swedish Performance

One Swedish standout was Narek Vardanian in men’s –73 kg, finishing in 5th place after winning three bouts before losing in a bronze-medal match. This remains a strong showing from a Swedish junior on the world stage and augurs well for future growth.

What Lies Ahead

After the individual phase concluded on 7 October, the event transitions into the mixed teams competition on 8 October. That format often yields surprises, with underdog nations combining strengths across genders and weight categories.

From a Swedish perspective, Vardanian’s performance may act as inspiration for broader investment in youth judo. Elsewhere, India’s medal could catalyze new momentum in South Asia’s judo programs.

In the larger context, the 2025 Lima Junior Worlds reinforce that while Japanese youth judo remains a benchmark, the landscape is becoming more competitive and diversified.

Complete Individual Medal Table by Country

Below is the medal tally for the individual phase of the 2025 Junior World Judo Championships in Lima, based on IJF “Nations” listings.

Notes / caveats:

• The listing shows several countries tied with high counts (Japan, IJF-flag, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and France) each having “9 / 9 / 18” in the IJF Nations summary.

• Sweden’s entry is shown as 2 / 3 / 5 (2 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze) in the IJF nations listing for the event.

• The medal table reflects only the individual segment (5–7 October). The mixed teams event (on 8 October) is counted separately and is not included here.

Given this, Japan and several other top nations dominate in raw medal counts, but national depth and number of entries also influence totals.

Swedish Perspective & Highlights

From the Swedish side, the performance in Lima was modest in terms of podium breakthroughs but contained promising elements and narrative threads worth following.

Swedish Delegation & Entries

According to the IJF nations listing (Lima World Championships Juniors Individuals 2025 / IJF.org), Sweden entered 5 judoka in the individual competition:

• Narek Vardanian (Men –73 kg)

• Emil Jabiyev (Men –90 kg)

• Tara Babulfath (Women –48 kg)

• Vilda Backlund (Women –63 kg)

• Ingrid Nilsson (Women –70 kg)

So, Sweden had a presence across both men’s and women’s divisions.

Narek Vardanian: Sweden’s Best Finish

The standout Swedish result was from Narek Vardanian in the –73 kg class. He reached a 5th place finish at Lima 2025. This shows that he won multiple matches, advanced through the draw, and ultimately fell short of the bronze medal match.

In his IJF profile, his Lima 2025 placement is explicitly listed as “5. place.”On social media, he posted “Junior World Championships Finished 5th in the world.”

His performance is significant because:

• It marks a strong showing on the world junior stage, demonstrating Sweden can compete at higher levels.

• He is already showing consistency across European and global events (for example, having taken silver in the 2025 Junior European Championships in Bratislava).

• Such a finish gives experience and confidence that may translate to future success at U23 or senior levels.

Broader Swedish Context & Implications

While no Swedish judoka captured a medal in the individual portion in Lima, the distribution of entries suggests a balanced approach: placing athletes in both men’s and women’s weight classes. The fact that Sweden appears in the IJF nations summary with 2 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze (even if those may partly reflect team or other events) indicates prior or parallel achievements.

In the European judo community, Sweden has recently received attention for emerging junior talents. The EJU’s commentary on rising nations cites Sweden’s resurgence via athletes like Tara Babulfath, whose performances have helped restore Sweden’s visibility in international juniors.

Looking ahead, the Lima result offers a benchmark: it shows where Swedish juniors currently stand (outside the top few countries, but not far off in many cases). It gives direction for goals: pushing into podium placements, improving depth, investing in youth development and international experience.

Article List / IJF.org

The Growing Footprint of Europe’s Judo Nations – European Judo Union

World Junior Judo Championships 2025 in Lima: Results of Day Two

World Championships Juniors (Individuals+Teams) 2025 – European Judo Union

Tara Babulfath official member of team Adidas Judo