Majlinda Kelmendi makes comeback with gold in Bratislava

Double world champion Majlinda Kelmendi of Kosova made her comeback this year at the European Cup in Bratislava. Kelmendi was absent at the recent World Championships, but one week later she started with her first official fights this year. The competition was obviously not as tough as in Astana where Misato Nakamura was crowned as successor of Majlinda.

Today in Bratislava Kelmendi won all three matches by ippon. Julia Scardone, last year’s winner Karolina Pienkowska and in the final German Sonja Wirth were her opponents U52kg. Martyna Martynowicz (POL) took bronze as well as Anja Stangar of Slovenia.

Slovakia celebrated a victory of Matej Poliak U66kg. The home fighter defeated Andreas Tiefgraber in the final for men U66kg.

The fold for men U60kg was for French Victor Leboedec. He overcame Andrej Klokov of Lithuania. Bernard Azinovic (CRO) and Bartlomiej Garbacik won bronze.

The final U73kg was a Czech party with Jakub Jecminek and Vaclav Sedmidubsky fighting for the gold, decided by Sedmidubsk. Akil Gjakova (KOS) won the bronze as well as Adam Stadler (HUN).

In the women’s division it was Angela Giamattei who won her first ever European Cup. The former winner of Italian titles U17, U20 and U23 was today too strong for Joanna Stankiewicz of Poland. Stankiewicz took her second consecutive silver medal in Bratislava.

Swiss Emilie Amaron was the strongest in the category U57kg. In the final she defeated Magdalena Miller, another Polish. Last year Poland won 7 gold medals after two days of fighting. Laury Posvite won her first international senior medal by taking bronze against Leutrime Krasniqi, another Kosovarian talent. Italian Anna Righetti won bronze against against Celje winner Tena Sikic who couldn’t equal last year’s bronze in Bratislava. Righetti won gold last year. She took silver in Sindelfingen this year.

Daniela Kazanoi booked another success for Belarus. One week ago it was Darya Skrypnik who won world bronze U52kg, now Kazanoi added another nice result by taking gold in Bratislava. The runner-up of the European U23 Championships defeated Karolina Talach. Halima Mohamed-Seghir won bronze for Poland. Despite seven medals for Poland, no gold. The gold was distributed among seven winning nations.

Ivana Komlosiova got the cheers of the homecrowd after her bronze victory against Andreja Dakovic (CRO).