Kosova celebrates two golden girls at The Hague Grand Prix

Two women from Kosovo with a 100% score. What a performance of the women of Driton Kuka at the first day of the Grand Prix in The Hague. Also a super team performance by Mongolia that captured four medals at the opening day.

Daria Bilodid from the Ukraine became one of the youngest ever winners in a World Tour event. Only Japanese Uta Abe (JPN) was younger when she won this year at the Grand Prix in Düsseldorf. Bilodid became 17 in October and today she was the best among 15 women. In the final Bilodid defeated Otgontsetseg Galbadrakh of Kazakhstan after more than 8 minutes of fighting. Galbadrakh was close to defeating the tall Ukrainian but the finishing touch was for Bilodid and took her first World Tour victory. Bilodid was coached by her mother and father was double European Champion in 2001 and 2003. This year Bilodid won the European title at the age of 1 and she learns fast.

Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova are today’s super stars in Kosovo. The small nation where judo sport number is, took two gold medals in The Hague. Olympic Champion Majlinda Kelmendi who just got operated has her successor in Distria Krasniqi who was simply superior in her class U52kg. In the final Krasniqi overcame Spanish Estrella Lopez Sheriff. Nora Gjakova was the best U57kg with steady victories over Lieby, Van de Meeberg and Libeer to qualify for the final against Germany’s Theresa Stoll. Stoll made her comeback after a period of focusing on her study and reached the final after she bested her sister Amelie Stoll who won bronze afterall. Italian Martina Lo Giudice finished her day with bronze as well after a tough battle with Anna Borowska (POL).

Gold for Turkey U0kg with Bekir Ozlu who defeated Ashley McKenzie in the final. The 29-year old Turkish fighter outclassed McKenzie who showed great judo today on his way to the final. Ozlu was the oldest winner today but proves to have enough intelligence to proceed for a few years. Two Mongolian judoka won the bronze today in the lightweight class, but there was gold for Bashkuu Yondonperenlei in his class U66kg.

Yondonperenlei defeated Yakub Shamilov in the final. The Russian showed awesome judo today but simply forgot to win his last battle. He won his first two fights in 15 seconds, but in the best final of the day Shamilov was outsmarted with super active judo, spectacular to watch. The Mongolian led the match quickly by wazari and from that moment Shamilovs energy was pulled out of his body and the Mongolian did not suffer at all and finished the match after three minutes.