Three medals for BiH at the European Judo Championship for Veterans, dominance of the French and Georgians

(Patria) - The third day of competition at the European Judo Championship for Veterans was held today in the Arena of the Hills Hotel in Sarajevo, with the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the technical organizer, and it is a competition marked in the European Judo Union (EJU) calendar as one of the most important events in this Olympic year 2024.

Bosnia and Herzegovina won three medals today, all in the women's competition. Dijana Sadikovska won gold, defeating Stephanie Rossetto from France and Jana Poletilova from the Czech Republic, winning the brightest medal, while Sabina Haračić won a silver medal.

In the +78 kg category, Sabina first defeated Zita Notter from Germany, then suffered two losses to the same opponent, and had to settle for silver.

Unlike them, Alma Mujkić was unsuccessful, as she lost to Jessica Lindner from Germany and Maricela Gradisteanu from Romania, and had to settle for a bronze medal.

Nine Bosnian and Herzegovinian judokas also competed but did not manage to win a medal for our country, with Alem Perenda and Dragiša Panić coming closest to a medal. Perenda, in the up to 100 kg category, lost in the match for bronze to Zviad Kapanadze from Georgia. Previously, he lost in the first round to Jan-Marten Aelbrecht from Belgium on a golden point, but in the repechage, he defeated
Hungarian Csaba Meszaros, also on a golden point, but was stopped in the fight for the medal.

On the other hand, Panić, in the over 100 kg category, defeated Georgian Iasoni Nemsadze in the first round, but suffered a loss in the semi-finals to his compatriot Daviti Loriashvili, and in the match for third place, the Hungarian Zoltan Pentek was more successful.

Ramiz Burdalić defeated Ediz Aydogdu from Turkey in the first round, but was stopped in the quarterfinals by Mircea Taran from Moldova. He had a chance to reach the fight for a medal through the repechage, but the Frenchman Omar Sy was better.

Let's add that Admir Kukuruzović, Ibrahim Kasumović, Amar Dugonjić, Dušan Maksić, and Benjamin Jović also ended their participation in the first round.

As for the countries from the region, Mirjana Martinović won gold for Montenegro in the up to 63 kg category, while Marko Žgajner brought bronze to Slovenia in the up to 90 kg category. Croatia managed to win two bronze medals, both in the women's competition. Tea Madar was third in the up to 57 kg category, as was Danijela Maltar, but in the up to 70 kg category.

France won the most medals again today, as many as 28, of which eight gold, nine silver, and 11 bronze, but the Georgians shone today, winning ten gold, five bronze, and one silver medal, while Germany also deserves mention, winning ten medals, including six gold and two silver and bronze each.

Incidentally, veterans from 36 countries across Europe are participating in the European Championship, and more than 800 of them arrived at the Arena of the Hills Hotel, of which 31 represent Bosnia and Herzegovina. All judokas over 30 years of age are eligible to participate in the European Veterans Championship, provided that at least one year has passed since their last senior appearance.

The fights in the Arena of the Hills Hotel continue tomorrow, after which the championship in kata will be held, and from June 12 to 14, a Kodokan kata seminar will also be held.