Explosive Start in Maribor: Day 1 of the 2026 AETF European Championships Concludes
The wait is finally over! The 40th AETF Taekwon-Do European Championships officially kicked off today at the Dvorana Tabor arena in Maribor, Slovenia. From the early morning hours, the tatamis were burning as elite athletes from across the continent gathered to compete for the most prestigious titles in European Taekwon-Do.
Daily Highlights The opening day featured a packed schedule, showcasing the versatility of our athletes across Patterns, Sparring, Special Techniques, and Power Breaking. Spectators witnessed the rising stars of the Pre-Junior and Junior divisions, alongside the seasoned technical precision of the Senior Female categories.
Medal Standings – Early Dominance Competition remains incredibly tight after the first full day of results. Ireland currently leads the overall standings with 3 Gold medals. However, England and Ukraine are locked in a fierce battle for second place, demonstrating incredible depth across multiple disciplines.
Integrity & Partnerships Beyond the podiums, the AETF remains steadfast in its commitment to the “Spirit of Sport.” We continue to strictly enforce WADA anti-doping regulations to ensure that victory is determined solely by hard work and integrity. We extend our gratitude to our Official Partners, TOPTEN, MIGHTYFIST, PRIDE, FUJIMAE, TKD Tekkers and NI-KKO for their unwavering support in providing world-class resources for our athletes.
Looking Ahead The action continues today, Wednesday, April 15th, featuring Senior Patterns, Junior Female Sparring, and Senior Female Power Breaking.
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Kányai Szebasztián – Individual Male Pre-Junior Pattern 2.-3. Dan
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Hultbäck Sixten – Individual Male Junior Pattern 1. Dan
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Marin Cristian – Individual Male Junior Pattern 2. Dan
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Dreglea Bogdan – Individual Male Junior Pattern 3. Dan
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Brown Jake – Individual Male Junior Special Technique
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Rigney Darren – Individual Male Power Breaking
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Nykytenko Veronika – Individual Female Pre-Junior Pattern 1. Dan
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Moriarty Neasa – Individual Female Junior Pattern 1. Dan
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Suleimanova Elvira – Individual Female Junior Pattern 2. Dan
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Tsybulko Anastasiia – Individual Female Junior Pattern 3. Dan
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Lungu Dragos – Individual Male Pre-Junior Sparring -40kg
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Popov Oleksandr – Individual Male Pre-Junior Sparring -45kg
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Vatamanu Iulian – Individual Male Pre-Junior Sparring -50kg
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Kravchenko Artem – Individual Male Pre-Junior Sparring -55kg
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Dovgan Mykyta – Individual Male Pre-Junior Sparring +55kg
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Filipova Elena – Individual Female Pre-Junior Sparring -36kg
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Kostenko Valeriia – Individual Female Pre-Junior Sparring -40kg
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Stanciu Maria – Individual Female Pre-Junior Sparring -44kg
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Biriuchkova Mariia – Individual Female Pre-Junior Sparring -48kg
