Narek Davtyan Wins Silver at U17 World Judo Championships

The 2026 U17 World Judo Championships got underway in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on August 21. Three members of the Armenian national team took to the tatami on the opening day of competition. Narek Davtyan produced Armenia’s best result, winning the silver medal in the under-55 kg weight category.

Davtyan began his campaign with a victory over an opponent from Mexico. The Armenian judoka then defeated competitors from France and Azerbaijan in succession before overcoming a Ukrainian athlete in the semifinals.

In the final, Narek faced American Sebastian Teran. The decisive bout was closely contested and ended in a narrow victory for the U.S. representative, with Teran scoring the only waza-ari of the match.

The World Championships silver medal is the first international medal of Narek Davtyan’s career.

Armenia’s other two representatives were eliminated in the early rounds of the competition.

In the under-50 kg category, Karen Navasardyan defeated a French judoka in his opening bout before losing to an opponent from Brazil.

Narek Nahapetyan, competing in the under-60 kg category, also opened the championships with a victory over a French opponent, but lost to a Ukrainian athlete in his second bout.

Three more Armenian judokas will compete over the following days: Sergey Gevorgyan (66 kg), Artem Galstyan (66 kg) and David Julhakyan (81 kg).

Results from Day One of the U17 World Judo Championships

Boys

Under 50 kg

1. Farid Rzazade (Azerbaijan)
2. Adilzhan Nurbeken (Kazakhstan)
3. Bekaris Kudaibergen (Kazakhstan) and Andrea Hofmann (France)

Under 55 kg

1. Sebastian Teran (USA)
2. Narek Davtyan (Armenia)
3. Noham Benkrouadem (France) and Bobur Yusupov (Uzbekistan)

Under 60 kg

1. Gabbit Russulkhan (Kazakhstan)
2. Roman Semirozum (Canada)
3. Akhmet Baubek (Kazakhstan) and Enkhtur Jamiyan (Mongolia)

Girls

Under 40 kg

1. Iroda Sirojiddinova (Uzbekistan)
2. Adiya Zhanakhmet (Kazakhstan)
3. Ana Michele Alcantara (Brazil) and Emilia Saifutdinova (Russia)

Under 44 kg

1. Regina Akhtiamova (Russia)
2. Sema Nur Yuksel (Türkiye)
3. Alina Kolucheva (Uzbekistan) and Julia Bashchuk (Poland)

Under 48 kg

1. Edda Bar Lev (Israel)
2. Maels Dapa (Belgium)
3. Charos Nikhmatova (Uzbekistan) and Agam Sol Noy (Israel)