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IN THE PRESS

Joan-René Mérou Mestre Secures Bronze at 2025 Spanish University Judo Championship

14 Abril, 2025

Joan-René Mérou Mestre, a member of the IAC3 research group and PhD student under the supervision of Professor Alicia Sintes, earned the bronze medal in the -100 kg men’s category at the 2025 Spanish University Judo Championship. The participation of the Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) athletes was coordinated by the Oficina d'Universitat Saludable i Sostenible, which supported both Mérou, holder of a 2nd dan black belt, and Sergi Bueno Castellano, a geography student with a 1st dan black belt who competed in the -81 kg men's category. Both competitors showcased remarkable technical skill and determination in a highly competitive field, under the guidance of their coach Maria Oliver Ferrà.

The championship took place on April 11 at the facilities of the Federación Madrileña de Judo in Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, and was organized by the Universidad Europea. The event brought together 247 athletes from 58 universities across Spain, competing across various weight categories. In the -100 kg men’s category, Mérou shared third place with Humbert Vázquez Ortiz from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. The gold medal was awarded to Román Amaro Cabello of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, while Aritz Lavado Reta from the Universidad Pública de Navarra took silver.

To participate in the championship, athletes were required to be enrolled in an official undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral program during the 2024-2025 academic year and to hold at least a brown belt in judo. The competition adhered to the regulations established by the Real Federación Española de Judo y Disciplinas Asociadas (RFEJYDA) and the International Judo Federation (IJF), and followed a double-elimination format for brackets with six or more competitors.

Mérou’s achievement contributes to raising the profile of the Universitat de les Illes Balears in national university sports. His participation highlights the university’s commitment to supporting students in both academic and extracurricular pursuits.

For more information about the competition and official documents, visit ceusmadrid2025.es/competiciones/judo . Detailed results are available on the RFEJUDO website .