Judo competitions took place on March 7, 2026, with events in both Las Vegas and Louvain la Neuve, Belgium. The Las Vegas Judo Championship was held at SLAM Academy, while the Kata World Series saw competition in Belgium.

Kata World Series: Italian Duo Secures Silver

The World Series of Judo Kata, held in Louvain la Neuve, Belgium, featured strong performances from several nations, including Italy. A total of 220 competitors representing 16 nations participated, with 14 Italian pairs advancing to the finals.

Giada Casetta and Francesco Piva, representing Pordenone, achieved a silver medal in the Katame no kata Junior division.

“We were determined, focused on what we did in the gym and the result only made it clear that the direction of the work was the right one. Now Giada will participate in the A2 Cadet Championships in Leinì and then we will resume with the kata.”

Giada Casetta and Francesco Piva

Another Italian pair, Gianluca Rainis and Tommaso Rattà, also competed in the Katame no kata, performing well in the qualifying phases but ultimately being overtaken by a Dutch team in the final.

Alessandro Furchi explained the competition:

“Sia Casetta-Piva that the couple Gianluca Rainis-Tommaso Rattà they played some good qualifying phases and performed well in the finals, even if, it was the strong Dutch couple who came out on top Tristan Donga – Stan Van Der Meer, who overtook Casetta-Piva by almost 9 points, while Rainis and Rattà, third in the first phase, were overtaken by 4 points in the final.”

Alessandro Furchi

In the Nage no Kata Senior division, Gino Gianmarco Stefanel and Alessandro Cugini placed fifth in the preliminary stages.

Las Vegas Judo Championship Details

The 2026 Las Vegas Judo Championship took place on March 7, 2026, running from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The event was sanctioned by USJF (26-03-03) and directed by Chris Sakoda.

The USA Judo National Point Tournaments included the Wahadachi Judo Tournament, originally scheduled for March 7, 2026, in Milwaukee, WI, but it has been cancelled. The Battle In The Square V is another Level 5 Junior tournament.