Tbilisi 2009-Review 3rd day

EJU Article – Four different countries (Georgia, Estonia, Ukraine, Russia) have won the gold at day 3.

The gold medals for Elena Ivashchenko (+78) and Tagir Khaibulaev (U100) for Russia made the fifth gold medal this tournament, which makes Russia by far the most successful country of this Championship, taking over from The Netherlands last year.

Russia leads the medal table winning eight medals: 5 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. On Sunday Russia won 3 medals: Elena Ivashchenko (1st +78, Tagir Khaibulaev (1st U100), Alexandr Mikhailine (3rd +100)
Alexandr Mikhailine from Russia won his 10th medal at European Championships beating Andreas Toelzer (GER). He became 5 times European Champion.

Russia also leads in the number of medals won, followed by The Netherlands (both five medals).

Ukraine had a good championship was well, high high in the medal tally with one gold medal for Voldomyr Soroka) and silver for Georgiy Zantaraya and Marina Pryshchepa today.

Host country Georgia won a silver medal as Varlam Liparteliani made his reputation come true, but couldn’t finish it in the final against Andrei Kazusionok (BLR). On Saturday Levani Tsiklauri won the bronze U81kg while Nestor Khergiani already won the bronze on Friday. His 7th ever, which puts him just behind Robert van de Wall (BEL) who won 9 bronze medals.

Andrei Kazusionok from Belarus won the fourth gold medal for his country. Other gold medalists where Rachad Mamedov 1997, and Anatoly Laryukov 2002, Siarhei Shundzikau 2006. Igor Makarov (+100) and Sviatlana Tsimashenko (U78) both finished third today and making a total of 31 medals.

Ukraine won its 8th ever gold medal this championship. Genadiy Bilodid was the first to win gold for Ukraine in 2001. He also won in 2003. So far Marina Prokofieva was the only woman to win the gold for the Ukraine (2004), as Maryna Pryshchepa missed her chance.

Yesterday Slovenia celebrated its second gold medal ever in the history of the European Championships, thanks to Urska Zolnir. In total Slovenia have won 2 gold medals, 2 silver, and 13 bronze including this years medal of Aljaz Sedej.

Gulsah Kocaturk from Turkey won the 27th European medal with her bronze +78kg, but only the 4th in the women’s category. Hulya Senyurt and Nese Sensoy (2 medals) all won in the U48 kilogram weightclass.

Only Lucie Decosse from France prolonged her European title. Decosse even changed weight category and could win again.

The Netherlands have won 2 medals today making 5 in total. Henk Grol lost his final as well as Grim Vuijsters, but Vuijsters won his first European Championships medal ever.

The Netherlands lost 3 finals, for the first time since 1970 when Wim Ruska lost both his finals (Open and +93) as well as Martin Poglajen (U80)

The Netherlands however missed three chances for another medal, as they have lost three medal bouts (Houkes, Gravenstijn, Willeboordse who all won an Olympic medal in Beijing). Spain, Germany and France also lost 3 bronze medal bouts.

Martin Padar from Estonia finally won the European title. He participates since 1999 (U100) and already won four medals, but failed to win the gold until today. In 2002 he lost the final to Elco van der Geest (NED), this time he had his revenge against another Dutch, Grim Vuijsters.
Estonia now have 17 medals in total, 2 gold medals, 5 silver and 10 bronze. (Indrek Pertelson 1996, Alexei Budolin 2001)

Latvia won two medals, Denis Kozlovs won bronze on Friday, Sunday Jevgenijs Borodavko added another bronze, making a total of 8 medals ever since 1993. Vsevolods Zelonijs won the other 5 European medals. Latvia didn’t win any gold medal yet.

Poland’s heavyweights both where the heaviest in their category. Urszula Sadkowska makes 162 kilogram while Janusz Wojnarowicz weighs 179.8 kilos.

Lithuania won bronze due to Karolis Bauza. It was the third medal ever for Lithuania, Algimas Merkevicius won two European medals in 1997 and 1999.
For the first time since 2003, Romania didn’t win a gold medal. But both Alina Dumitru (U48) and Daniel Brata (U100) were able to win the bronze this edition.

Ariel Zeevi (Israel) and Serbian Milos Mijalkovic debuted in 1996, no one else debuted earlier than these two, but apparently it’s not a guarantee for a medal.

Austria only won a bronze medal won by Ludwig Paischer on Friday (U60). As next year’s European Championships organizers they will be eager to improve that. Since 2004 they always won more than one medal. In 2004 Paischer won the gold. In 2002 Austria only won bronze too. Austria has a long history in judo winning medals since 1951 (Robert Jacquemond).

All Olympic gold medalists (Giulia Quintavalle, Alina Dumitru and Ole Bischof) have not been able to extend their performance in Tbilisi.

Natalia Kuzyutina (20) from Russia is the youngest European Champion this year. Esther San Miguel the oldest (34).

Antonio Ciano won the 50th silver medal ever for Italy. Thirty for the women, twenty for the men. Italy have won 24 European gold medals.

Hedvig Karakas from Hungary is the youngest medalwinner at this 2009 Europeans. Hungary was successful too with 3 medals, all different colors.
Hungary started great on Friday but didn’t win any medal on Saturday nor Sunday. Miklos Ungvari won his second European title after winning in 2002. It was the 11th gold medal for Hungary. Ten of them in the men’s category. Bertalan Hajtos and Miklos Ungvari are the only ones winning twice.

Esther San Miguel of Spain won the gold today in the U78 weight class.. It was the 24th gold medal ever out of 109 total medals since 1954. Last three years Spain had at least one European Champion. In 2004 Spain had its best year with three gold medals.

San Miguel (34) is the second oldest ever European Champions, even improving Ylenia Scapin last year. She has to tolerate compatriot Isabel Fernandez (35 in 2007) in front of her in the women’s category.

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