The representatives of Israel’s sambo team won two silver medals and a bronze medal this evening (Thursday) at the European Youth and Senior Championships being held in Novi Sad, Serbia, and about 400 athletes from 25 countries are participating. The national teams of Russia and Belarus appeared in the competition under the International Sambo Federation FIAS.
Nahora Saturn (17, Otzma Samuraido Rashlatz), won the silver medal today after being defeated in the final by an opponent from Russia. Shabtai, the 50 kg competitor, apprentice of the former judoka Alice Schlesinger, won the medal on the way to opponents from Serbia and Greece, and in the final match Elizabeth Kovalev (18, 72 kg) Shabtai’s friend for the Israeli national team and the club.
Kovalev, Pavel Mosin’s apprentice, also won a silver medal, when she started the competition right in the second round in which an opponent from Serbia won, and in the final she was defeated by an opponent from Russia. Last year, Kovalev won the gold medal at the Under-21 World Youth Championship, and finished as the runner-up of the European Under-21 Champion.
The young sambist Holy Yanai (17, Hapoel Bat Yam) won a bronze medal in this championship held in Novi Sad, Serbia. Saint, disciple of Shay Geisinger, competing at 71 kg, won 3 fights and was defeated in one. He beat opponents from Belarus, Spain and Croatia and lost to an opponent from Moldova.
Nikail Shabiev (18, Otzma Samuraido Rashalz) apprentice of Pavel Musin, competing in 64 kg was defeated in the semi-finals and finished the competition in fifth place with 2 wins and 2 losses. Vlady Polotsky (16, Hapoel Bat Yam) competing at a weight of 80+ kg, fHarel’s (16, Otzma Samuraido Rashalz) competing at a weight of 53 kg, also finished in fifth place.
Israel’s girls team was ranked second in the group competition after Russia who finished first and Moldova who finished third.
