Kazakhstan leads after day one at the World Cup of Tbilisi. Sergey Lim (KAZ) won the category U66kg in the final against Serhiy Drebot (UKR). Lim was runner up at the World Junior Championships in Santo Domingo in 2006 and won his fourth World Cup medal today, but his first ever victory.
Russia won only two bronze medals today. In the category U66kg two Russian judoka won bronze: European U23 Champion Denis Lavrentiev and Russian Champion Mikhail Pulyaev who won the IJF Grand Prix of Rotterdam 3 months ago.
Yerkebulan Kosayev (KAZ) lost the final U60kg. Ilgar Mushkiyev from Azerbaijan was too strong for the Kazach (pictured). Last year’s winner David Asumbani finished fifth behind bronze medalists Hovhannes Davtyan (ARM) and Andrejs Magers (LAT)
Georgia celebrated the first gold medal in the category U73kg where Ambako Avaliani defeated Aliaksei Ramanchyk in the final. Volodymyr Soroka who became European Champion in 2009 in Tbilisi now won bronze as well as Iosef Palelashvili representing Israel, but the name sounds like a clock for the present crowd.
Proud was the crown of the awards for icons Nestor Khergiani and Zurab Zviadauri who were honoured for their overall performances of their country by IJF President Marius Vizer.
Last year Georgia won 15 medals at the Tbilisi World Cup, five at day 1, today only one gold medal was for the organising country. On Sunday the heavier categories will start in the morning. Last year Georgia won all four medals in the U81kg division.
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