A total of nine judoka will represent Kosovo at the “European Open”, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday in Sofia, Bulgaria. 385 judoka from 39 different countries take part in this competition.
It is the first major competition of the year in the adult division. For the Kosovo judoka, a good start, i.e. with medals, is of great importance.
Although the European Cups are not among the most high-profile competitions, they are still important, especially for judoka seeking stability at the adult level. Kosovo is not The three best judoka, Distria Krasniqi, Laura Fazliu and Akil Gjakova, will represent the country. But nine more judoka are aiming for this level in the near future.
Erza Muminović competes in the weight class up to 48 kilograms, Laurinë Gashi and Fationa Kasapi in the weight class up to 52 kilograms. Flaka Loxha, Enise Zijade and Sidorela Dodaj compete in the weight class up to 57 kilograms.
Flaka Loxha takes first place in the weight class up to 57 kg and is therefore one of the medal contenders. Fationa Kasapi wants to build on her previous successes after her injury problems. Erza Muminović returns after a long break from competition.
For Laurina Gashi, Enise Zijaden and Sidorela Dodaj, the competition in Sofia offers a good opportunity to gain valuable experience at a high level. They are also aiming for victory and a good placing.
Among the judoka, Dardan Cena competes in the weight class up to 73 kilograms, Anes Veseli in the weight class up to 90 kilograms and Shpati Zekaj in the weight class up to 100 kilograms.
Zekaj took third place in the European Cup in Skopje in September and seventh place in the Grand Prix in Zagreb in November. He wants to win the title in Sofia. He is the third defending champion in his category.
Dardan Cena is the eighth weightlifter in the 73kg class. He hopes for a medal. This year he has not yet been able to achieve any notable successes.
The Paris Grand Slam, considered the most prestigious judo competition in the world, will take place on February 7th and 8th. A total of 529 judoka from 82 countries will compete in Paris. The best judoka in the world compete in the French capital.
Kosovo will be represented in Paris by Distria Krasniqi, Laura Fazliu, Akil Gjakova and several other judokas.
