VILNIUS, Lithuania — On February 21, 2026, the capital of Lithuania became a magnet for young sambists. The Lithuanian Sambo Championship among cadets and youth was held in Vilnius, bringing together 137 athletes from across the country.
The 2026 tournament was distinguished by the significantly improved technical skills of the participants. Young sambists demonstrated uncompromising fighting and a strong competitive spirit in each weight category, confirming the status of the Lithuanian sambo school as one of the leading in the region.
While the participants spanned the entire country, three cities fielded the largest number of athletes:
• Vilnius — 29 participants;
• Ukmergė — 21 participants;
• Klaipėda — 21 participants.
The main outcome of the competition was the formation of the Lithuanian national teams. Based on the tournament results, the coaching staff selected the best sambists to represent the country on the international stage. The newly-appointed team members now face intensive training for the upcoming European and World Youth and Junior Championships.
The championship in Vilnius marked an important milestone in the development of the national sport, laying a solid foundation for future victories for Lithuanian sambists in the 2026 season.
List of winners
Youth Boys
53 kg — Vakaris Pocius (Klaipėda)
58 kg — Martynas Aukštuolis (Ukmergė)
64 kg — Danilo Stepanov (Klaipėda)
71 kg — Naglis Šepetis (Jurbarkas)
79 kg — Arijus Augūnas (Ukmergė)
88 kg — Donatas Juozėnas (Rokiškis)
98 kg — Edvinas Bernotas (Vilnius)
+98 kg — Kipras Pikauskas (Ukmergė)
Youth Girls
50 kg — Ema Samoilenko (Vilnius)
54 kg — Milija Gražulytė (Klaipėda)
59 kg — Austėja Danasaitė (Ukmergė)
65 kg — Patricija Grišinaitė (Vilnius)
72 kg — Skaiva Bartkevičiūtė (Rokiškis)
80 kg — Otilija Krakytė (Šiauliai)
+80 kg — Roberta Kondrotaitė (Vilnius)
Juniors Boys
58 kg — Martynas Aukštuolis (Ukmergė)
64 kg — Jurgis Puodžiukynas (Vilnius)
71 kg — Nidijus Kasparavičius (Vilnius)
79 kg — Tautvydas Didžiokas (Ukmergė)
88 kg — Donatas Juozėnas (Rokiškis)
98 kg — Augustas Jevstafjevas (Kaunas)
+98 kg — Kipras Pikauskas (Vilnius)
Juniors Girls
50 kg — Ema Samoilenko (Vilnius)
54 kg — Arūnė Šlefendoraitė (Tauragė)
59 kg — Austėja Danasaitė (Ukmergė)
65 kg — Aina Šėgždaitė
72 kg — Skaiva Bartkevičiūtė (Rokiškis)
80 kg — Mija Lementauskaitė (Šiauliai)
+80 kg — Gabriele Dolgovaitė (Ukmergė)