Coen Gilbert and Sara Coni Finish 5th on Day One of EYOF 2025
July 22, 2025
Coen Gilbert and Sara Coni delivered strong performances on Day 1 of judo at EYOF 2025, both reaching the bronze medal contests in their respective categories and finishing 5th in Skopje, North Macedonia.
In the -50kg category, Coen Gilbert (Sportif) battled through a highly competitive draw to reach the bronze medal match. While he narrowly missed out on a podium finish, it marked another strong showing on the international stage.
Coen’s maturity and fighting spirit continue to stand out, and this result adds to an impressive summer, having taken bronze at the Cadet European Championships just last month. That achievement made him the first British cadet in 11 years to reach the podium at that event.
In the -44kg category, Sara Coni (Camberley JC / Nippon Club London) also made it through to the bronze medal match on her EYOF debut. Despite just missing out on a medal, Sara showed grit, skill, and composure throughout the day, a promising sign of what’s to come in her judo journey.
Both athletes step away from the mat with valuable experience and momentum as Team GB’s EYOF campaign continues throughout the week.
Congratulations, Coen and Sara — your futures are incredibly bright, and we can’t wait to see what you do next!
Next to take to the tatami will be Taylor Chrisp (Blyth Juno Michi), Vasiliy Menshykov (Garioch JC), and Jack Milligan (Wirral JC), all in action tomorrow as the team’s journey in Skopje continues.
