Serbia and Turkey shine at Balkan Championships

It’s party time in Serbia. After the World Championships take-over in their category U90kg, now Serbia shone at the Balkan Championships in Macedonia. With four gold medals both Serbia and Turkey were the most dominant nations in Skopje.

Also last year in Montenegro the Serbians showed their growth. Now it all pays out. The first gold medals of the day were for Turkey. A country with strong lightweights and heavyweights, also in Skopje. The lightweight medals went to Guz Sehnaz who bested Fjolla Kelmendi (KOS) and Gul Senturk (TUR) in a pool U48kg. Sebile Akbulut won the category +78kg for Turkey. Mercan Buket won her category U57kg.

In the women’s categories Kosova was strong too with an expected medal for Distria Krasniqi. It was the first time that Kosovo participated in the Balkan Championships, an achievement on its own given the sensitive history of the Balkan nations. But sport unites and also Kuka Loriana won gold U78kg. Bosnia Herzegovina won gold via Andjela Samardzic U63kg, the category where her sister Aleksandra started. She won 10 Balkan medals in various age categories. Andjela Samardzic was the youngest winner today (17) and stepped into the footlight of her sister.

Experienced Ivana Jandric won gold and divided with Katarina Denic the top medals U70kg for Serbia, but in the men’s division there was more competition. Both Turkey and Serbia battled for the gold U60kg, won by Ahmet Sahin Kaba. Denis Jurakic defeated Indrit Cullhaj (ALB) in the final U66kg. Typical for this category Jurakic is the 11^th different winner of this class U66kg in Balkan history. Where Serbia dominated the last two years, now Montenegro won gold U73kg by 22-year old Nikola Gardasevic. This year Montenegro organizes the European U23 Championships, last year the Balkan Championships.
Serbian Milan Mihajlovic won gold U81kg, two medals for Montenegro here. U90kg Serbian Bosko Borenovic couldn’t prevent Rijad Dedeic of Bosnia Herzegovina to take their second gold medal.

Danilo Pantic of Montenegro won the second gold for Montenegro U100kg. The last final +100kg was an all Serbian final between Zarko Culum vs Goran Prgonjic won by Culum who prolonged last year’s title.

In the team competition Serbia won both events for men and women, both in the final against Turkey. Host Macedonia and Montenegro won bronze.

Men

1-Serbia

2-Turkey

3-Montenegro and Macedonia.

Women

1-Serbia

2-Turkey

3-Macedonia.