What could be better than a victory in front of a home crowd? “Nothing,” says Kaja Kajzer, who thrilled the home audience in the Stožice Arena.

The 26-year-old from Ljubljana, who made her debut in the -63 kg category at last year’s home tournament, lived up to her top-seed status this time and went all the way. Not only did she win the gold medal – on Valentine’s Day she also won the hearts of Slovenian judo fans who came to support the national team at the second edition of the Ljubljana European Open.

The day did not start well for the Slovenian champion. “I didn’t sleep well, which showed in my first match when I had to break the ice, but after that everything started to flow,” Kaja admitted, adding what helped her push through and step onto the top of the podium: “Last year I felt quite a bit of pressure because of the crowd, but this time the home audience lifted me. I felt great seeing how much support I had, and after the victory I was truly happy to share it with everyone.”

For the two-time Olympian, the home victory marks an excellent start to the new season, with her main goal being a medal at the World Championships. There, she will compete under a double surname, as she is getting married this summer.

In the “Slovenian” -63 kg category, Leila Mazouzi also came close to winning a medal on home soil but finished just shy of the podium. The 19-year-old judoka, who stood on the podium at the Junior European Cup in Sarajevo a week ago, impressed with three victories and proved she will be a serious contender for top places in the senior category in the future.

But it was not only Kaja who impressed – David Štarkel also delivered outstanding performances, adding a silver medal to his four bronze medals from World Tour events. “When I stepped off the mat, I was a bit disappointed about losing the final. But looking back now, I have to say that if someone had offered me second place at my home tournament before the competition, I would have signed immediately,” said the 29-year-old Slovenian judoka after achieving his best result at World Tour level.

Like Kaja, he did not start the day at his best but finished it on a high note: “Today I didn’t feel great — I was somehow sleepy from the morning, completely different from a week ago in Paris, where I felt excellent. Fortunately, it turned out well for me in the end, also thanks to the support of the home crowd.”

An especially emotional moment on the day of love was the sporting retirement ceremony of Paris Olympic champion Andreja Leški. She was honoured by her closest supporters, numerous fans who had cheered for her in front of their screens, and distinguished figures from the sports world, including Slovenia’s Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matjaž Han, and the President of the European Judo Union, Dr. László Tóth.

Ljubljana European Open 2026 once again proves Slovenia’s strong judo tradition and the quality of its athletes on the international stage, inspiring both young generations and long-time followers of the sport.

The largest judo event in Slovenia continues tomorrow, featuring the women’s categories -48 kg, -52 kg and -57 kg, as well as the men’s -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg and +100 kg divisions.