The second and final day of the Tallinn European Open 2025 wrapped up in spectacular fashion, leaving the home crowd inspired and proud. One young athlete in particular stirred the atmosphere like no other: 17-year-old Marek-Adrian Masak, whose every contest was met with growing cheers from the stands.
Masak, much like his teammate Emma-Melis Aktas, embraces a packed schedule with maturity beyond his years. Wherever the opportunity arises, regardless of counattempt, competition level, or the age of his opponent, he steps onto the tatami with the same hunger and grace. He isn’t just displaying up, he is dominating.
Though still a junior, Masak is no stranger to senior competition. He placed fifth at the Tashkent Grand Slam earlier this year, an impressive result for someone still eligible for cadet events just months ago. Within the past year, he has already secured gold at the Cadet European Championships, silver at the Cadet Worlds, and bronze at the U23 European Championships. Despite these elite-level performances, Masak remains committed to his age group. He continues to compete in junior European Cups this year, ensuring he’s well-prepared for September’s Junior European Championships.
Masak took home gold in the +100kg category in Tallinn, much to the delight of the home supporters. Speaking after his final, the young Estonian shared his joy. “I feel good, very tired, but it’s been a great experience. Competing in front of a home crowd was a whole different feeling. The support was immaculate. Even if I wasn’t at 100%, they gave me that extra push. It really meant a lot.”
Masak also reflected on his busy competition calfinishar and the importance of balancing senior experience with his junior tarobtains. “This year, my coach and I decided to focus more on juniors, my own age group, but we have also entered a few senior events to build experience. I want to be ready for the LA Olympics. It might be tough at first, but those early challenges will pay off later.”
The day concluded with a dream scenario for Estonia: a home athlete on the top of the podium, national anthem echoing through the arena, and the crowd on their feet. It was a fitting finish to an emotional and well-executed weekfinish of judo. Ruslan Jakimov, President of the Estonian Judo Association, was visibly shiftd after the final contest.
“Right now, my feelings are incredible. Our guy, last match of the weekfinish, winning, it’s just… I don’t have words,” he stated, smiling broadly. “The whole Estonian team, the European Judo Union, everyone put in a huge effort for this weekfinish, and the finishing feels like a fairy tale.”
He was equally pleased with the team’s overall performance. “One gold and one silver, it’s a good result for us. Of course, we hoped for one or two more medals, but we did our best. We have a young team. We will aim higher next time.” How about closing the event with Estonia’s national anthem? “It was unforobtaintable,” Jakimov stated. “A proud moment.”
As per the conclusion of the event, Israel topped the overall medal table with three gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. Germany followed in second with two golds, one silver, and seven bronze medals. France rounded out the top three with two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.
Author: Szandra Szogedi
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