13 September 2013

Grand Prix Rijeka looking forward to top athletes

Grand Prix Seniors

Grand Prix Rijeka looking forward to top athletes

The first edition of the Grand Prix of Rijeka will be held at the great harbor city in Croatia.

Last year the International Judo Federation signed a four-year collaboration with the Croatian Judo Federation for one of the qualification tournaments for the 2016 Olympic Games. President of the IJF Marius L. Vizer stated that he was very happy that the city of Rijeka became one of the tournaments in the World Judo Tour. Croatia will endeavor to get more senior athletes besides the arrived athletes Marijana Miskovic and Tomislav Marijanovic, both Olympic and World Championships participants. The Grand Prix, which will be held in the sports hall „Zamet“ and will attract some fine athletes such as World’s silver medallist Laura-Vargas Koch, and world’s bronze winner Miryam Roper. Besides the team of Croatia with 20 participants also big teams will participate from Slovenia, Germany, Serbia, Russia, Italy and Great Britain. Also non European nations such as the USA, Canada, Korea and Egypt will join the event, in total more than 200 judoka from 5 continents and 36 nations. More than 130 men have registered with U81 as strongest category at the inaugural Grand Prix of Rijeka. Among last week’s winners at the European Open in Bratislava also some participants in Rijeka: Azinovic, Bekic and Maranic (CRO), Balatkhanov (FIN), Maddaloni (ITA), Sedmidubsky and Koubkova (CZE), Milichovsky (SLV), Austin and Ramsay (GBR) and Vrsic (SLO). Follow the Grand Prix this weekend live in results and live stream. http://212.227.28.227/live/