The 33rd Balkan Youth Table Tennis Championships came to a successful close in Elbasan, Albania, after five days of competition that showed the best young talents from across the region. Serving as the final major test before the 2026 European Youth Championships in Gondomar, the event offered players and coaches a valuable opportunity to measure their form against many of their future continental rivals. Romania, Türkiye, Serbia, Bulgaria emerged as the dominant nations on the medal table, underlining their strength ahead of Europe’s premier youth event. In the Cadet Girls Team event, Türkiye claimed the gold medal ahead of Romania, while Greece and Serbia finished third and fourth. Bulgaria lifted the Cadet Boys Team title, finishing ahead of Türkiye, with Serbia and Romania finishing third and fourth. The Junior Girls Team competition saw Türkiye capture the title by beating Romania in the final. Bulgaria won bronze after they overcame Bosnia and Herzegovina in the match for the third position. In the Junior Boys Team event, Bulgarija secured the championship, with Türkiye taking silver and Greece and Romania finishing third and fourth. In the Junior Boys’ Singles event, Türkiye celebrated title thanks to Berk ÖZTOPRAK who defeated Robert PODAR of Romania in the final. The bronze medals were shared by Yoan VELICHKOV and Stefan DIMITROV of Bulgaria. Bulgaria celebrated the Junior Girls’ Singles title thanks to Nina NIKOLOVA, who defeated Romania’s Patricia STOICA in the final. The bronze medals were awarded to Emina CERIĆ of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Alesia SFERLEA of Romania. Bulgaria celebrated the Cadet Boys’ Singles title thanks to Miroslav SCHMIDT, who defeated Kuzey GÜNDOĞDU of Türkiye in the final. The bronze medals were awarded to David CAPANDA of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Branko DRAGOLJEVIĆ of Serbia. Türkiye dominated the Cadet Girls’ Singles event, with Ela Su YONTER claiming the title after defeating compatriot Belinay DAVUS in the final. The bronze medals were awarded to Lejla BOTONJIĆ of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kariss SERBAN of Romania.
Gondomar Ready to Welcome Europe’s Rising Stars
The countdown is almost over. From 10 to 19 July, the spotlight will turn to Gondomar, Portugal, as Europe’s finest young table tennis players gather for the 2026 European Youth Championships, one of the most prestigious events on the ETTU calendar. The championships will feature ten days of competition across Under 19 and Under 15 categories, with team events opening the programme before the focus shifts to the individual competitions. The Multiusos de Gondomar will once again provide the stage for Europe’s future stars. The championships begin with the team events from 10 to 14 July before the individual events, including singles, doubles and mixed doubles, take centre stage from 15 to 19 July. The Multiusos de Gondomar is no stranger to hosting elite table tennis. The Portuguese venue has previously welcomed the 2016 Europe Top 16 Cup, the 2019 European Under 21 Championships and the 2020 ITTF World Team Olympic Qualification Tournament, and now adds the 2026 European Youth Championships to its impressive portfolio. As always, the entry list promises exceptional quality. Thirty-nine associations will compete in the Under 19 Boys Teams event and 34 in the Under 19 Girls Teams competition, while 37 nations have entered the Under 15 Boys Teams and 34 the Under 15 Girls Teams, underlining the depth and popularity of Europe’s premier youth event. Several players arrive in Gondomar carrying the confidence of recent success at the European Under 21 Championships in Cluj-Napoca, where they demonstrated that they are already capable of competing against Europe’s best young seniors. Italy’s Danilo FASO will once again be among the leading contenders after an outstanding season, while Romania’s Bianca MEI ROSU returns as one of the biggest names in the Under 19 Girls event. Other familiar names include Tiago ABIODUN of Portugal, Robert ISTRATE of Romania, Yoan VELICHKOV of Bulgaria, Natalia BOGDANOWICZ of Poland, Leana HOCHART of France and Koharu ITAGAKI of Germany, all eager to add another major European title to their growing careers. The host nation will be hoping home support can inspire another memorable championship. Portugal fields strong squads across the age groups, led by ABIODUN, Julia LEAL and a talented generation aiming to challenge Europe’s traditional powerhouses. Defending champions and recent medallists will also be under the spotlight. Romania, France, Germany, Italy and Poland all enjoyed success at last year’s championships and will once again be among the favourites as a new generation looks to make its mark on European table tennis. With ten days of high-level competition ahead, Gondomar is ready to show the next generation of European stars. For many players, these championships represent not only the pursuit of European titles but also another important step towards senior international success.
