Today the Georgian judo team won European Team Championship in Kazan, Russia. It is the eighth European gold medal for the Georgian team.

16 countries participated in the team championship. In the first round Georgia wrestled against Hungary. All five Georgian judokas – Vazha Margvelashvili (66 kg), Lasha Shavdatuashvili (73 kg), Giorgi Papunashvili (81 kg), Varlam Liparteliani (90 kg) and Adam Okruashvili (+90 kg) won their meetings!

Margvelashvili beat Bence Zambori by waza-ari, Shavdatuashvili defeated Frigyes Szabo, Giorgi Papunashvili – Szabolcs Krizsan by waza-ari, Liparteliani – Gabor Ver by two waza-aris and Okruashvili won over Bendeguz Demeter – 5:0 in favor of Georgia.

In quarter-final the Georgian judokas wrestled against the Greeks. The coaches made three substitutions – Amiran Papinashvili replaced Margvelashvili, Nugzar Tatalashvili replaced Shavdatuashvili and Avtandil Tchrikishvili – Papunashvili.

Papinashvili beat Charalampos Foulidis (2:3) and Tatalashvili won over Georgios Azoidis. Tchrikishvili lost to Roman Moustopoulos. Liparteliani defeated Alexios Ntanatsidis by two yukos and Adam Okruashvili won over Ilias Iliadis. Finally, the Georgians won 4:1.

In semifinal Vazha Margvelashvili, Lasha Shavdatuashvili, Giorgi Papunashvili, Varlam Liparteliani and Levan Matiashvili wrestled against Poland.

Margvelashvili defeated Aleksander Beta and Shavdatuashvili beat Szwarnowiecki by ippon. Papunashvili failed to Lukasz Blach. Liparteliani won over Patryk Ciechomski and Levan Matiashvili – Kamil Grabowski.

In the final the Georgian team wrestled with the following judokas: Margvelashvili, Tatalashvili, Tchrikishvili, Liparteliani and Matiashvili.

Margvelashvili lost to Anzaur Ardanov. Tatalashvili defeated Zelimkhan Ozdoev, Tchrikishvili won over Stanislav Semenov and Liparteliani – Sayd Emi Zhambekov. Levan Matiashvili fell to Adlan Bisultanov.

Azerbaijan and Poland won bronze medals.