JUDO: Kosovo shines in Tashkent Grand Prix

Kosovo's Olympic gold medalist Majlinda Kelmendi

The biggest stars in judo were not at the Tashkent Grand Prix in Uzbekistan, but it opened the door for others, notably the judoka from Kosovo.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 and has had considerable difficulty becoming recognized in some sports, and has been refused entry into some events, including the European Karate Championships in Serbia in May. Spain is the latest to get in hot water for refusing to allow Kosovo athletes to complete under their own flag at last weekend’s Karate World Championships.

But in judo, where Kosovo won its first Olympic medal in 2016 thanks to judoka Majlinda Kelmendi – gold in the women’s -52 kg category – and won three golds in Tashkent. Distria Krasniqi won the women’s -48 kg title, Kelmendi won at -52 kg and Loriana Kuka won at -78 kg.

The three golds for Kosovo equaled the three for Azerbaijan, while Germany won nine total medals (1-3-5). Prize money for this tournament was $3,000-2,000-1,000 (for both thirds). Summaries:

IJF World Tour
Tashkent (UZB) ~ 9-11 November 2018
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Boldbaatar Ganbat (MGL); 2. Diyorbek Urozboev (UZB); 3. Yung Wei Yang (TPE) and Moritz Plafky (GER).

-66 kg: 1. Adrian Gomboc (SLO); 2. Sardor Nurillaev (UZB); 3. Nijat Shikhalizada (AZE) and Shakram Akhadov (UZB).

-73 kg: 1. Khikmatillokh Turaev (UZB); 2. Igor Wandtke (GER); 3. Oleg Babgoev (RUS) and Victor Scvortov (UAE).

-81 kg: 1. Dimar Khamza (KAZ); 2. Dagvasuren Nyamsuren (MGL); 3. Vladimir Zoloev (KGZ) and Alexios Ntanatsidis (GRE).

-90 kg: 1. Mammadali Mehdiyev (AZE); 2. Krisztian Toth (HUN); 3. Ivan Vorobev (RUS) and Eduard Trippel (GER).

-100 kg: 1. Elmar Gasimov (AZE); 2. Alexandre Iddir (FRA); 3. Ramadan Darwish (EGY) and Karl-Richard Frey (GER).

+100 kg: 1. Soslan Bostanov (RUS); 2. Bekmurod Oltiboev (UZB); 3. Iurii Krakovetskii (KGZ) and Yerassyl Kazhbayev (KAZ).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 2. Eva Csernoviczki (HUN); 3. Milicia Nikolic (SRB) and Joana Diogo (POR).

-52 kg: 1. Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 2. Evelyne Tschopp (SUI); 3. Ana Perez Box (ESP) and Agata Perenc (POL).

-57 kg: 1. Theresa Stoll (GER); 2. Nora Gjakova (KOS); 3. Kaja Kajzer (SLO) and Amelie Stoll (GER).

-63 kg: 1. Mungunchimeg Baldorj (MGL); 2. Maria Centracchio (ITA); 3. Kathrin Unterwurzacher (AUT) and Andreja Leski (SLO).

-70 kg: 1. Michaela Polleres (AUT); 2. Giovanna Scoccimarro (GER); 3. Elvismar Rodriguez (VEN) and Szabina Gercsak (HUN).

-78 kg: 1. Loriana Kuka (KOS); 2. Bernadette Graf (AUT); 3. Beata Pacut (POL) and Luise Malzahn (GER).

+78 kg: 1. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE); 2. Carolin Weiss (GER); 3. Yelyzaveta Kalanina (UKR) and Maryna Slutskaya (BLR).