Balkan breakthrough

For the third time in a row over the past six months, friendly Serbia has become a happy place for Russian judokas. In the fall of 2006, our team celebrated a double victory in the European Team Cup in Belgrade. In winter, the Russians Alexander Mikhailin and Tea Donguzashvili became the first at the absolute championship of the continent. In April, in the capital of the Balkan state, we won two European gold medals in weight categories that were new to us, and the team took second place in the overall standings.

For the first time in the history of domestic judo, Russia has its own flyweight champion. Confidently and beautifully, 27-year-old Stavropol resident Ruslan Kishmakhov (60 kg) won gold in Belgrade. Despite his advanced age, Ruslan only recently joined the national team. In Paris, at the 2006 World Team Cup, he brilliantly played the role of a slaughterer for the team and became a real discovery of the tournament. In Belgrade, the southerner simply created a sensation. “I really wanted to win,” said the new champion. — Together with the national team coach Ivan Chaschin, we prepared and tuned in for every fight. When I felt the taste of victory and caught the courage, I decided that I would never let him go. Now all my thoughts are about preparing for the World Championships and about qualifying for the Olympics - that is my main goal.”

Another unfortunate tradition - the absence of Russian European middleweight champions for 13 years - was broken on the second day of the competition. Having moved through the tournament bracket at a brilliant pace, Salamu Mezhidov, a graduate of the Chechen judo school, won the well-deserved “gold”. The Estonian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Bulgarian and in the final of the Georgian Kevkishvili were simply swept away by the pressure of the Russian’s technique and strength. Salamu deservedly received the “gold” and with it the title “Mr. Ippon”. He became the only one of the championship participants who managed to go all the way to victory, from the first to the last fight, with only clean victories. This achievement was awarded a special prize from the World Judo Development Fund - a certificate for 5,000 euros. By the way, in Belgrade, all the winners and medalists received prize money along with medals - this is how the program of the fund, created last year on the initiative of the Russian and European federations, to support and develop judo began to be implemented. This initiative was approved by the honorary president of EJU Vladimir Putin.

Heavy weights, traditionally strong for Russia, proved their advantage this time too. “Silver” by Ruslan Gasimov (100 kg) and “bronze” by Alexander Mikhailin (+100), which added to our team’s treasury on the last day of the 2007 European Championship, made the men’s team the undisputed winner in the team competition. Two Russians also climbed to the podium in Serbia - Vera Moskaluk (78) became second in the weight category of 78 kg, and Tea Donguzashvili became third in the category over 78 kg. Six awards (2-2-2) brought the Russian team to second place in the team competition.

“Europe today is the strongest continent in the world of judo,” says FDR Vice-President Sergei Soloveichik. - To be the strongest in the Old World means to be competitive at the world level. After the Olympics in Athens, the leadership of Russian judo set the national team coaches the task of making the team a European leader. Today we see that this task is gradually being accomplished. There is dynamics in the results, there is a bright character and a strong spirit. Now we need to perform well at the World Championships in Brazil and approach the Games in Beijing at the peak of our form. We have potential, we have talented athletes and coaches, we have comprehensive support, primarily from our general partner - the KOALCO company. I’m sure there will be results.”

Marina MAYOROVA, Belgrade - Moscow