MINSK GIVES DIRECTIONS TO BUDAPEST

Winner of the +100kg category, Uladzislau TSIARPITSKI (BLR): “The final was hard today against Kokauri [AZE] because he is more experienced player and he is very strong. I wanted to do well for the team and that’s why it was great to fight at home I felt huge support from the supporters. I set myself to win a medal today, any medal, didn’t really think of gold. We will now do the OTC camp and after that we have little rest and we go to the World Championships.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the -81kg category, Denis KALININ (RUS): “It is my first medal at European Judo Open level. I had team event medal in Warsaw but never won individual gold medal. I won silver before but this is my first gold. It was just a good moment in the final, I didn’t expect to finish the fight so fast. I don’t go to the World Championships, but I am still young so step by step I aim to be in the top team in Russia.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the -90kg category, Yahor VARAPAYEU (BLR): “This is my first gold medal at senior level. I am very happy to win today. I didn’t have my family here as I am not from this city but I had friends to support me here today. The home support was nice and I was able to focus on my coach during my fights.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the -100kg category, Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO): “It is difficult to say that I arrived to the -100kg category because it is difficult and I know I need more power and more competitions. It is my fourth tournament in the new weight division and I can surely say I am still not at my maximum. I fought more than 10 years in the -90kg category and only few months the division above so I am still developing. Today was good, I take it like a training practice. Now, I go back home and start power training to finalise the preparation for the World Championships.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the +78kg category, Larisa CERIC (BIH): “About today, I am happy with today because I won against Kalalina in the semi-final and I lost against her last time. Also, won against Maryna, she is European Champion and she is very good this year so I am happy that I managed to win against her too in the final. We have a difficult situation in Bosnia because we don’t have enough money so I had to come without a coach. For this trip, my club paid and most of the time my club helps me to go for tournaments, but I was always in contact with my coach so it was almost like he was here.” – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the -70kg category, Szaundra DIEDRICH (GER): “I am very happy because of all the trouble with the journey we had on the way here. I am really tired. We had over 18-hour journey to get here. Despite the tiredness, I feel I have some work to do until the World Championships, for example to work on my conditioning level.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Winner of the -78kg category, Marhinde VERKERK (NED): “I am really happy where I am standing right now. I had good fights managed to work in both, tachi-waza and ne-waza. It went easier than I thought. I had a long break after the Olympics and I am just getting back to it since January. I did not make any decisions as yet in regards to the long future, we will see how it goes at the World Championships.“ – Kostadin Andonov

Podium +100 kg 1. TSIARPITSKI, Uladzislau (BLR) 2. KOKAURI, Ushangi (AZE) 3. DIBRIN, Nikita (RUS) 3. GORDIIENKO, Oleksandr (UKR) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium -81 kg 1. KALININ, Denis (RUS) 2. TATALASHVILI, Nugzari (GEO) 3. MARTINHO, Joao (POR) 3. ZOLOEV, Vladimir (KGZ) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium -90 kg 1. VARAPAYEU, Yahor (BLR) 2. KOCHMAN, Li (ISR) 3. KLAMMERT, David (CZE) 3. USTOPIRIYON, Komronshokh (TJK) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium -100 kg 1. LIPARTELIANI, Varlam (GEO) 2. KORREL, Michael (NED) 3. FLETCHER, Benjamin (GBR) 3. SAVYTSKIY, Anton (UKR) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium +78 kg 1. CERIC, Larisa (BIH) 2. SLUTSKAYA, Maryna (BLR) 3. KALANINA, Yelyzaveta (UKR) 3. KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium -70 kg 1. DIEDRICH, Szaundra (GER) 2. BERNHOLM, Anna (SWE) 3. JAGER, Hilde (NED) 3. MOSSONG, Lynn (LUX) – Kostadin Andonov

Podium -78 kg 1. VERKERK, Marhinde (NED) 2. PACUT, Beata (POL) 3. AMANGELDIYEVA, Albina (KAZ) 3. MAYERSOHN, Yarden (ISR) – Kostadin Andonov