Betkil Shukvani who became champion of Tbilisi World Cup won gold medal at Oberwart World Cup yesterday. It took Georgian judoka (60kg) only 6 minutes and 23 seconds to win 5 rivals.

Shukvani beat Yassine Moudatir of Morocco in 42 seconds, Andrejs Magers of Latvia in 33 seconds, Bolbbaatar Chimeb-Yonbon of Mongolia in 2 minutes and 16 seconds, Won-Jin Kim of South Korea in a minute and a second and Ilgar Mushkiyev of Azerbaijan in 51 seconds.

Georgian judoka gained the second international title and 100 rating points of the season.

After the Austrian success, Betkil Shukvani has more chance to establish himself in license ranking of Olympic Games. So, head coach Peter Seisenbacher will have to make a choice between Shukvani and Amiran Papinashvili.

If Paata Merebashvili had wrestled better, Seisenbacher would have had a wide choice in 60kg. Merebashvili took the fifth place in Oberwart but he has not been on such good form for a long time.

After defeating Matjaz Trbovc of Slovenia, Boldbaatar Ganbat of Mongolia and Issam Nour of France, Merebashvili lost to Won-Jin Kim of South Korea in ¼ final. Paata lost to another South Korean Jin-Min Jang in repechage final. Though, before that he won over Michael Iten of Switzerland.

Like Merebashvili, Zebeda Rekhviashvili (73kg) took the fifth place and earned 20 rating points. Before losing to Yuki Nishiyama of Japan, Rekhviashvili defeated Azamat Kipshakbaev of Kazakhstan, Jordan Amoros of France and Neal Van De Kamer of Holland. In repechage, Zebeda beat Iosef Palelashvili of Israel but lost to Won-Jung Kim of South Korea.

Nugzar Tatalashvili, champion of Tbilisi World Cup, lost to Won-Jung Kim. In repechage, he was beat by Sezer Huysuz of Turkey.

Tengiz Paposhvili, one of the members of Georgian team, wrestled in 73kg but lost in the first round.

Yesterday, champions and prize winners were found out in 66kg. Georgians wrestled only once in this weight class. Shalva Kardava lost to Islam Baialinov of Kyrgyzstan, Lasha Shavdatuashvili – to Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj of Mongolia.

On February 12, champions will be found out in other four weight classes. The following judokas will wrestle in the name of Georgia: Avtandil Chrikishvili, Levan Tsiklauri (both 81kg), Zurab Zviadauri, Betkil Shukvani (90kg), Nodar Metreveli (100kg), Zviad Khanjaliashvili and Adam Okruashvili (+100kg).

Judo
World Cup
Oberwart. Austria
February 11

60kg
1 Betkil Shukvani (Georgia)
2 Ilgar Mushkiyev (Azerbaijan)
3 Jin-Min Jang (South Korea)
3 Won-Jin Kim (South Korea)
5 Paata Merebashvili (Georgia)

66kg
1 Pierre Duprat (France)
2 Tomofumi Takajo (Japan)
3 Jun-Ho Cho (South Korea)
3 Altansukh Dovdon (Mongolia)

73kg
1 Shohei Ono (Japan)
2 Joo-Jin Kim (South Korea)
3 Won-Jung Kim (South Korea)
3 Yuki Nishiyama (Japan)
5 Zebeda Rekhviashvili (Georgia)
7 Nugzar Tatalashvili (Georgia)

 
Otar Maglakelidze