The key facts
- On November 7, Russia defeated Georgia 4:1 in the European judo championships final in Belgrade — the second team gold after 2019
- Head coach Dmitry Morozov: the team was strong, but the outcome of the final was impossible to predict in advance
- On the way to the final, the Russians did not concede a single bout, beating Austria and Turkey 4:0 each
Morozov: the victory did not come easy
The Russian judo team won gold in the mixed team event at the European Championships in Belgrade, and head coach of the Russian national teams Dmitry Morozov admitted that the victory was not an easy one. According to him, the outcome of the final clash with Georgia was impossible to predict in advance, although the team felt it was capable of winning the tournament. “Of course, at the competition we felt that the team was very strong and could win this European Championship. And that is exactly what happened,” Morozov told the Izvestia newspaper. He added that the Russians came to Serbia intending to deliver their best result, but even good preparation did not guarantee gold, and the most serious opponent was the Georgian team, which has extensive experience in international competitions.
How the tournament unfolded
In the decisive match on November 7, the Russians defeated the reigning European champions from Georgia with a score of 4:1. The final began with a technical advantage: in the over-70 kilogram category the Georgian team did not field a competitor, and Elisa Startseva gave the team its first point without a fight. Next, Valery Endovitsky defeated Irakli Demetrashvili, Irina Zueva beat world champion Eteri Liparteliani, Georgia's only point came from Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili, who overcame Buyan-Kherel Sanaa, and Tamara Lishchenko won the decisive bout, defeating Nino Gulbani. On the way to the final, the Russian team did not concede a single bout to its opponents, crushing Austria and Turkey with an identical score of 4:0.
Second team title and season context
For the Russian team, this title is the second in the history of the mixed European Championships: the previous gold was won in 2019 in Minsk. In Belgrade, the Russians competed under the national flag and anthem, and the bronze medals went to the teams of France and Turkey. Earlier this season, Russian judokas took silver at the mixed team World Championships in Baku: in October they reached the final after victories over France and Uzbekistan, but lost to the Japanese with a score of 1:4. In the individual events, the world champion is Inal Tasoev in the over-100 kilogram category; the Russians finished the tournament in fifth place in the medal standings.
