Aleksandra Samardzic grabs fourth title, gold for Pietri and Khalmurzaev

France, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia were the best nations at the European Cup in Sarajevo. In Bosnia Herzegovina the French won 10 medals, two more than Serbia that won one gold medal. Highlights for the host nation were the gold medals for Petar Zadro U66kg and the fourth victory for Aleksandra Samardzic U78kg.

Samardzic defended her title successfully although normally she fights U70kg. In the final Samardzic defeated Urska Torkar of Slovenia.

The gold for Petar Zadro is actually more special. Zadro won in a field 27 judoka and it was the first big international victory for Zadro. The 21-year old judoka won a European Cup for Juniors last year in Lignano but wasn’t spoiled with big results despite good tresults at Balkan Championships and European silver as a cadet in 2012. This victory is a good motivation for Zadro.

Remarkable was the comeback of Olympic Khasan Khalmurzaev in his own category U81kg and he booked the victory after four contests. Also Loic Pietri of France who stepped up U90kg won his category. The former World Champion of 2013 debuted this year in Rome U90kg but lost his first match, on Saturday in Sarajevo he could fight five matches as unseeded player and could pick up some match rhythm. France won a second gold on Sunday via Julien La Rocca U73kg.

Croatia celebrated two titles as Maja Blagojevic (U63kg) won in an all Croatian final and Ivana Maranic seems to get the pace in the heavyweight class with another gold medal.

Slovenian sisters Stangar were successful with both a gold medal, Marusa U48kg and Anja U52kg. Swiss Fabien Kocher booked a long awaited gold medal U57kg, her first in the seniors for the 2013 European Junior Champion. Jovana Pekovic gets traction in her category U70kg. The youngster (19) from Montenegro is doing well and defeated French Gwenaelle Viard in the final. Also for Pekovic her first Senior international victory and a good follow up of her bronze in Dubrovnik recently. Pekovic and Stangar were the youngest winners this weekend.

Adrian Wala of Poland won his category 60kg with quiet some French opposition, but he won the gold. Georgo Fogasy of Hungary was able to collect gold U100kg against Azamat Sitomov of Russia in a field of 12 judoka. Also the category +100kg wasn’t the best field but it was Nikola Jeremic who was the best of the 11 participants. The Serbian bested his compatriot Aleksandar Krmanovic in the final.