Armenia’s Narek Davtyan claimed silver in the 55 kg division at the 2026 U17 World Judo Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Davtyan reached the final after an impressive run in Guayaquil, defeating opponents from Mexico, France and Azerbaijan before overcoming Ukraine in the semifinals to book his place in the title bout. In the world final, the Armenian faced American Sebastian Teran in a tight contest decided by a single waza-ari, which was ultimately enough to separate the two competitors. The result gives Davtyan the first international medal of his young career, as well as a world championship silver for Armenia. He leaves Ecuador with a podium finish at one of the sport’s premier youth events, having tested himself against a field drawn from several of judo’s leading nations. For a 55 kg competitor at this stage of his development, the run represents a notable step forward, built on consecutive victories over international opposition across the day’s rounds before the narrow defeat in the gold-medal contest.
Photo: @sportsmanagementcenter