Georgian judo team started participation in European Championship with winning silver medal. On the first day of the tournament, champions and prize winners were found out in two weight classes. 4 Georgians wrestled on tatami and Betkil Shukvani (60 kg) showed the best result from them – he won 4 matches from 5 and stood on the pedestal for the first time.
At first, Shukvani beat Finnish Valtteri Jokinen within two minutes and half. Then, he won over Armenian Hovhannes Davtyan by ippon. This year, Shukvani has wrestled against Davtyan twice and lost both matches. He beat Azerbaijani Ilgar Mushkhiyev in ¼ final and Russian Arsen Galstyan – in semifinal.
Georgian judoka won the final but this Georgian was Georgii Zantaraia who has been competing in the name of Ukraine for many years and is considered as one of the strongest judokas in 60 kg.
Georgii Zantaraia beat another Georgian Amiran Papinashvili. This match was held in ¼ final and Ukrainian Georgian won at the 2nd minute. Before that, Papinashvili beat Turkish Ozkanoglu Iskender by yuko but lost against French Sofiane Milous. In repechage final, Papinashvili won over Estonian Elnur Aliev. One more victory and two Georgians would have stood on the pedestal but Papinashvili could do nothing against Galstyan and finally took the 5th place.
Georgians wrestling in 66 kg finished participation before ¼ final and lost chances to win gold, silver and bronze medals. Giorgi Shoshiashvili lost against Romanian Laszlo Szoke. Shalva Kardava started participation from the second circle and beat Turkish Mehmet Durmaz but lost against Azerbaijani Tarian Karimov in 1/8 final. Hungarian Miklos Ungvari became champion of this weight class. He beat Azerbaijani Tarian Karimov in final.
Today, women champions and prize winners were found out in 48 and 52 kg. Romanian Alina Dimitru and French Penelope Bonna became champions.
Tomorrow, champions will be found out in 73 and 81 kg. Ambako Avaliani, Tengiz Paposhvili (both 73 kg), Levan Tsiklauri and Davit Karbelashvili (81 kg) will wrestle in the name of Georgia.
Avaliani will start participation from the second circle. Before that, Armenian Artyom Baghdasaryan and Romanian Adrian Nicolae will wrestle against each other. The best among these three judokas will wrestle against winner between French Benjamin Darbelet and Jewish Iosef Palelashvili in 1/8 final and against winner among Ukrainian Volodymyr Soroka, Azerbaijani Renat Mirzaliyev or Spanish Kiyoshi Uematsu in ¼ final. Belgian Dirk Van Tichelt is one of the main favorites in this weight class. The first opponent of Tengiz Paposhvili will be French Ugo Legrand. In case of beating him, Tengiz will wrestle against Azerbaijani Ramil Gasimov. Russian Mansur Isaev is in this group but he will not wrestle against Paposhvili till ¼ final.
Tsiklauri will start participation from the second circle. Before that, Ukrainian Artem Vasylenko and Estonian Aleksander Marmeljuk will wrestle against each other. In case of victory, Tsiklauri might wrestle against Russian Sirazhudin Magomedov. German Olympic champion Ole Bischof is on this side of the wrap. Karbelashvili will also start participation from the second circle. Turkish Halil Ibrahim Ozerler will be his opponent. Winner will wrestle against winner between Hungarian Sandor Nagysolymosi and Croatian Tomislav Marijanovic in 1/8 final. In case of overcoming this stage, perhaps, Karbelashvili will wrestle against Azerbaijani Elnur Mammadli in ¼ final.
The first stage matches will start at 12:00 Tbilisi time.
Judo
European Championship
Istanbul
April 21
Men
60 kg
1 Georgii Zantaraia (Ukraine)
2 Betkil Shukvani (Georgia)
3 Elio Verde (Italy)
3 Arsen Galstyan (Russia)
5 Amiran Papinashvili (Georgia)
66 kg
1 Miklos Ungvari (Hungary)
2 Tarian Karimov (Azerbaijan)
3 Colin Oates (Britain)
3 Alim Gadanov (Russia)
Women
48 kg
1 Alina Alexandra Dumitru (Romania)
2 Eva Csernoviczki (Hungary)
3 Frederique Jossinet (France)
3 Laetitia Payet (France)
52 kg
1 Penelope Bonna (France)
2 Joana Ramos (Portugal)
3 Ana Carrascosa (Spain)
3 Sophie Cox (Britain)
Otar Maglakelidze
