Israeli Judoka Raz Hershko to Compete in European Champions League
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Raz Hershko will compete for Kazakh club JENYS in the ECC Champions League until 2028.
- The ECC Champions League is Europe's premier club judo competition.
- The event will take place in Paris on October 24.
- The competition includes a mixed team format and prize money.
- Hershko expressed pride in the values-based partnership with JENYS.
Israeli judoka Raz Hershko has signed a contract with the Kazakh judo club JENYS, and will represent the club in the ECC Champions League until the end of 2028. JENYS is a professional and ambitious club from Kazakhstan that has already won a bronze medal in the ECC Champions League, the top European club competition organized by the EJU. The club also trains Olympic champion Yeldos Smétov.
Hershko stated, "We are very happy and proud of the connection with JENYS. This connection is based on values we believe in: excellence, achievement, professionalism, and a constant aspiration to reach the highest level. Beyond the sporting goal of succeeding together in the Champions League, I see this as an opportunity for a significant professional and sporting connection between Israeli and Kazakh judo."
Hershko added, "It is a great honor for me to join JENYS and represent my international club in the Champions League. I come with a lot of motivation and a desire to contribute to the team and succeed together. For me, there is also special significance in the connection with a club from Kazakhstan and the sporting partnership that is being created between us, and I greatly look forward to starting our shared journey."
The Champions League event will bring Europe's top clubs to Paris on October 24. The European Club Championship is considered the highest level of club judo in Europe. The 2026 edition will feature a mixed team format, with each team comprising four to six judokas, combining men's and women's categories to determine the European champion club. Paris Saint-Germain Judo, the reigning champion for the past two years, will compete, facing challenges from other top European clubs on French soil.
The competition offers a total prize pool of 100,000 Euros: 40,000 Euros for the winner, 30,000 Euros for the runner-up, and 15,000 Euros for each of the two bronze medalists. Additionally, the top four teams will secure direct qualification for the 2027 Champions League.
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