Betkil Shukvani (60 kg), member of Georgian judo team, took the 3rd place at Budapest World Cup. On the first day of a two-day tournament - on February 12, champions were found out in 60, 66 and 73 kg. Besides Shukvani, Sandro Iakobashvili (66 kg) and Zebeda Rekhviashvili (73 kg) wrestled in the name of Georgia. Rekhviashvili started participation from the second circle and lost against the first opponent Serbian Milos Mijalkovic by waza-ari. Iakobashvili was losing against Moldavian Igor Soroca by waza-ari but then he made two waza-aris and won at the 4th minute. Also, he won over Portuguese Sergiu Oleinic. In 1/8 final, Iakobashvili was beat by French Pierre Duprat.
In ¼ final, Shukvani lost against Armenian Hovhannes Davtyan. In repechage, he won over first Mexican Castillo Nabor and then Brazilian Breno Alves. So, Shukvani won bronze medal. Before wrestling against Davtyan, Betkil Shukvani beat Belgian Damien Bomboir and Peruan Juan Postigos by ippons.
Japanese judokas Hirofumi Yamamoto and Junpei Morishita took the 1st places in 60 and 66 kg. Japanese final was held in 66 kg. Hosts Attila and Miklos Ungvari wrestled against each other in the final of 73 kg and Attila became champion.
Today, champions and prize winners will be found out in 81, 90, 100 and +100 kg. Davit Karbelashvili (81 kg), Lasha Guruli, Saba Gavashelishvili (both 90 kg) and Nodar Metreveli (+100 kg) will wrestle in the name of Georgia.
Otar Maglakelidze
Judo. World Cup
Budapest. February 12
60 kg
1 Hirofumi Yamamoto (Japan)
2 Hovhannes Davtyan (Armenia)
3 Betkil Shukvani (Georgia)
3 Felipe Kitadai (Brazil)
66 kg
1 Junpei Morishita (Japan)
2 Masashi Ebinuma (Japan)
3 Pierre Duprat (France)
3 Armen Nazaryan (Armenia)
73 kg
1 Attila Ungvari (Hungary)
2 Miklos Ungvari (Hungary)
3 Yasuhiro Awano (Japan)
3 Riki Nakaya (Japan)
