Yaounde, Cameroon, 8 November 2026. What a historic day! Cleiton Veloso wins São Tome and Principe’s first-ever international judo medal, while Ricardino dos Santos secures the country’s second medal at the Yaounde 2026 African Junior and Cadet Cups.
On 6 November, Sao Tome and Principe was represented by Ricardino dos Santos and Cleiton Veloso, both competing in the -66 kg category, at the African Junior Cup. Ricardino dos Santos made an excellent start to the competition, securing two consecutive ippon victories against Cameroonian opponents Savinaud Leroy Mbouwe Kameni and Clement Yanis Keumoe Tchinda, thereby qualifying for the semi-finals.
The São Tomean delegation concluded its mission with participation in the Yaounde African Open on 8 November, bringing to an end three days of competition marked by historic achievements for the development of national judo. Winning two medals at official African judo circuit competitions represents an important milestone in the ongoing efforts to promote, strengthen and raise the competitive standards of judo in Sao Tome and Principe.
The São Tomé Judo Federation was founded just a few years ago and is based on Príncipe Island (in the center of Santo António). If you’re traveling to Príncipe Island, you might want to plan a visit, as you can observe the federation’s training sessions (and also support them financially).
Source:
Associação Judo Global, André Rosa (President)