The European Judo Open Sarajevo 2023, which was held last weekend in the technical organization of the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was extremely successful for the best judokas of our country. Gold medals were awarded to Larisa Cerić (+78 kg), Anđela Samardžić (-57 kg) and Nikola Pljevaljčić (-100 kg). Aleksandra Samardžić (-70 kg) and Toni Miletić (-90 kg) won silver, while Sara Marić (+78 kg) celebrated in the bronze medal match.

Olympian Larisa Cerić had no major problems in the absolute category, and by winning over the Dutchwoman Carmen Dijkstra, she justified her role as the favorite and won the gold medal and another 100 points for the world ranking list.

"I love competing in Sarajevo, the home field, the audience, I'm really happy and I'm especially motivated every time, like today where I managed to win a gold medal and another 100 points that will mean a lot to me for the Olympic ranking list. Every day I get up with the same desire, to qualify for the Olympic Games and of course to try to make a result this third jubilee time, because in the end it is the only medal I am missing in the treasury of all the ones I have won", said Larisa Cerić, who the current ranking on the world ranking list guarantees an appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris next summer.

After the achieved triumph, Larisa also touched on the work of the Judo Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina: "Last year, the Judo Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina received the award "The best of the best" for the technical organization, which is always impeccable and everything is at the top level. People love to come to Sarajevo and love to compete here where everyone feels at home. Through conversations with colleagues from other national teams, I know that they are happy and proud when they come to Bosnia and Herzegovina."

The success of the best judoka from Bosnia and Herzegovina was repeated by her representative colleague Nikola Pljevaljčić, who triumphed in the category up to 100 kilograms. In the final, Pljevaljčić was better than the British Oliver Barratt and thus brought our country the third gold medal at the European Judo Open Sarajevo 2023.

"I tried, I did my best to make sure everything was right, the home crowd, my club, my coaches, my family... In the end, everything turned out as it should. It was difficult to even reach the final. The rivals were good and quality fighters, but that's how it had to be," said Nikola Pljevaljčić after the medal ceremony.

On the first day of the competition, Anđela Samardžić also won the best medal in the category up to 57 kilograms, defeating the representative of Austria, Lisa Grabner, thus confirming her enviable form.

"First of all, the impressions are even better because it is in front of my audience. My heart was really full when I won the gold medal and I looked in the stands, above all my parents and sister and all those people who came to cheer. The day is quite difficult, especially mentally because I was the number one seed and I can say that at least a medal was expected of me. In the end, I'm really satisfied, I finished three matches with maximum performance and I'm happy because of the new points on the world ranking list for the Olympic Games," said Samardžić .

Anđela solved the semi-final fight quickly, with an ippon in just seven seconds.

"As for the ippon in the semi-final after seven seconds, I entered the fight and just said do your judo and you know everything else. The family in the stands gave me extra security, they were an extra wind at my back, especially sister Aleksandra and her advice ", Samardžić said after the triumph.

The number of gold medals for Bosnia and Herzegovina could have been higher. However, Alina Lengweiler (Switzerland) proved to be an extremely difficult opponent and in the final of the category up to 70 kilograms she was better than our Aleksandra Samardžić, while Toni Miletić was defeated by German judoka Tim Schmidt in the fight for gold.

The top technical organization for which the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is well known, this time it was upgraded with excellent results.

Namely, in addition to winning three golds, two silvers and one bronze, our national team ended the prestigious international competition, which is scored for the world ranking list, and thus the Olympic Games, as the most successful selection. Great Britain is in second place with two golds, one silver and two bronzes, while Germany is third with two golds and four bronzes.

Congratulations to the athletes and the Judo Association for winning medals, and another in a series of extraordinary organizations of international competitions!
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