From the special reporter "Vijesti"
Kazan - The third largest city in Russia will be the host of the largest European judoka exhibition from tomorrow to Sunday. 230 men and 165 girls from 51 countries will compete at the European Championship in Kazan - the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, which the hosts call the capital of Russian sports, and they have good reasons for that. Among them are seven contestants who will have MNE written on their kimonos.
Tanja Božović will break the ice, the only one who will be on the mat tomorrow. In the category up to 57 kilograms, her opponent in the first round will be Slovak Viktorija Majorosova, whom our competitor defeated two weeks ago in Sarajevo.
"The story is repeating itself to me from last year, when in the first round of the championship I worked against a competitor with whom I met just before the championship. It was good then, I hope it will be this time as well. I fought against a Slovakian for third place at tournament in Sarajevo and she won, I hope the outcome will be the same today. After that, every forecast is ungrateful, because the competition is hellish," said Božović, in whose category 27 competitors will compete.
When, after her, our youngest competitor, Jovana Peković, got Lin Mosong from Luxembourg as her opponent in the first round of the category up to 70 kilograms (23 judokas registered in the category), national team coach Hubert Rorauer nodded his head with satisfaction, just like when he found out the opponents in the category up to 73 kg (44 fighters registered) for Nikola Gardašević (Swedish Tomi Masias), and Nikola Gušić, who will meet the better of the match Andreas Krasas (Cyprus) - Arsen Gazarjan (Armenia).
"For Gušić, everything depends on him. If he is the right one, he can beat anyone. He needs to believe in himself, be smart, and in that case he can do a lot. After all, that applies to everyone. The European Championship is difficult, all the best fighters are there, so for every victory it is necessary to give 110 percent," Rorauer said.
Then it was the turn of the darker side of the draw - Srđan Mrvaljević will fight the German Aleksander Vičercak at the start of the category up to 81 kilograms, while Marko Bubanja (-90) will have the legendary Greek Ilijas Iliadis as his opponent. 37 fighters will compete in Srđan's category, and 35 in Marko's.
"The same applies to Srđan as it does to Gušić - if he's the right one, he can beat anyone. As for Marko, I think Iliadis is not happy that he got him as an opponent," Rorauer pointed out.
"Very difficult draw, the German is one of the two competitors who do not suit me at all. He beat me last year at the World Championship, he was third at the European Championship in Baku, a very good fighter. I am in the first part of the draw, it will be very difficult, but in I'm in great shape, so we'll see what happens," said Mrvaljević.
Bubanja received the opponent's name just like his coach - with a smile.
"I am very glad that I will fight with Iliadis. He is an Olympic winner, against such a fighter I have nothing to lose, I can only win. I will do my best," said Bubanja.
Danilo Pantić's opponent in the category up to 100 kilograms (27 competitors registered) is the Latvian Jevgenijs Borodavko.
Russian capital of sports
In Kazan, they say that their city is the capital of Russian sports. They are the hosts of the European Judo Championship, next year the Confederations Cup in football will be played here, and in 2018 the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan will be one of the hosts of the World Football Championship.
Just a few days ago, the Zenit volleyball players defended the title of European champion, Unix has long been a basketball giant with its own, impressive hall, Rubin is a participant in the soccer Champions League, Sintez is well known to our water polo fans, and judo players these days, although they have their own, TatNjeft hall "borrowed" from Ak Bars hockey players, perhaps the biggest stars of Kazan.
Bonus video:
