Akil Gjakova and Eteri Liparteliani emerge in Kosovo

In the men's U73kg final at the European Open held in Kosovo, former European Champion Akil Gjakova emerged victorious, defeating Manuel Lombardo. Nora Gjakova, Distria Krasniqi, and junior Dardan Cena secured bronze medals in their respective categories. Head coach Driton "Toni" Kuka expressed astonishment at Gjakova's exceptional performance, particularly his victory over top-ranked Hidayat Heydarov en route to the final, describing it as the key to success.

Gjakova himself, a 27-year-old former European champion, claimed to be in superior form compared to when he won the European Championship title in 2021, citing the confidence gained from beating Heydarov as crucial heading into the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Akil attributed his success to the overwhelming support from fans, family, and friends, describing the victory as the best day in his judo career.

Among the first to congratulate Akil was his sister and Olympic champion Nora Gjakova, expressing immense pride in his focused performance during the final. Nora, however, admitted feeling a tinge of dissatisfaction with her bronze medal, given the pressure of performing in front of a home crowd. Despite her sentiments, she expressed happiness for the team's overall success, noting that the four medals, including one gold, were a significant achievement for their judo community, feeling akin to a public celebration.

Contrary to the expectations set on Olympic champions Nora Gjakova and Distria Krasniqi, it was former European champion Akil Gjakova who shone in the -73kg category. In the final showdown against Manuel Lombardo (ITA), Gjakova claimed gold after defeating world champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili in the semi-finals, stunning the local audience with his outstanding performance. Meanwhile, Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) secured her first major title in the women's -57kg category, defeating Olympic champion Nora Gjakova in the semi-finals and expressing her ambition to triumph at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Olympic champion Distria Krasniqi, despite fighting with a rib injury that hindered her training until the previous week, expressed pride in her performance and the team's success, particularly Akil's achievement of winning gold at home. The victory offered a substantial morale boost for the men's team, according to Krasniqi. Head coach Driton "Toni" Kuka, visibly moved, considered the day an overwhelming success, highlighting the presence of esteemed figures in their judo community, even government officials, as a testament to their collective achievement. Additionally, the surprising third-place finish by 20-year-old Dardan Cena earned commendation for his impressive and courageous performance.