Georgian national judo team will compete at London Olympic Games with whole staff.  Lasha Shavdatuashvili wrestler in 66kg weight category gained the seventh medal at European championship which was underway in the city of Russia, Chelyabinsk. Young Georgian wrestler gained bronze medal and 72 ranking points. Amiran Papinashvili (60kg) had the same result.

Before leaving for Chelyabisnk the main goal for Shavdatuashvili who joined seniors’ team this year was to show better result than his rival Latvian Danis Kozlov. For achieving his goal was enough going through quarter-final, because Kozlov stayed beyond the 1/8 final. But Georgian did so well at European tatami that at the beginning it was clear that he could fight not only for license for gold medal too. Before quarter final he won over two wrestlers: experienced Armenian Armen Nazaryan and Ukrainian Sergey Drebot. It was the last victor y in the main draw- after wrestling with No.2 seed wrestler of the world Alim Gadanov, Shavdatuashvili went through the repechage. The reason of the failure with Russian wrestler, was not his superiority, the true reason was unfair referee. Encouraging host sportsman, the referee gave four fouls for Shavdatuashvili and declared Russian sportsman as winner. Unfortunately, it did not happen only once at this tournament. Unfair referees played the biggest role in Beslan Mudranov’s success (60 kg).

In repechage Shavdatuashvili won over Spanish Surgoi Uriarte and French David Laros and celevrated debut in seniors’ team with bronze medal.

As for Amiran Papinashvili, he lost chance of winning gold- silver medal in semi-final, as a result of losing with Beslan Mudranov. Before this match Georgian sportsman beat Slovenian Matias Trbovch, Jew Artem Arshansky and Dutch Xeroen Mooren. In repechage final he beat Austrian Ludvig Paysher.

Before wrestling with Papinashvili, Paysher wrestled against another Georgian wrestler, Betkil Shukvani who won silver meal at European championship 2011 and took the seventh place. In the main draw Shukvani beat Robert Mshvidobadze pf Russia and Elnur Aliev of Estonia and lost with Armenian Hovanes Davtyan. Soon he surprised fans and beat Giorgi Zantaria of Ukraine, who is owner of a lot of titles.

Shalva Kardava (66kg) took the seventh place. He also did well in the main draw, he beat Russian Kamil Khan Magomedov and Azerbaijani Tarlan Kamirov. In quarter0final he lost with French David Laros. In repechage he lost with Slovenian Roc Drakshic.

Tomorrow champions and prize winners will befound out in 73 and 81 kg weight categories. Nugzar Tatalashvili, Zebeda Rekhviashvili (both of them 73 kg), Avtandil Chrikashvili and Levan Tsiklauri (both of them 81 kg) will represent Georgia.

Judo

European championship

Chelyabinsk

April 26

60 kg

1 Beslan Mudranov (Russia)

2 Hovanes Davtyan (Armenia)

3 Amiran Papinashvili (Georgia)

3  Kheroen Mooren (Holland)

7 Betkil Shukvani (Georgia)

66 kg

1 Alim Gadanov (Russia)

2 Tomas Kovalsky (Russia)

3 Lasha Shavdatuashvili (Georgia)

3 Rok Drakshic (Slovenia)

7 Shalva Kardava (Georgia)

Otar Maglakelidze