2024-04-06 10:18:21
22-year-old Mindaugas dominated all six minutes in the decisive match against Serbian representative Mihail Kajai. The pace proposed by Tauragiškis was positively assessed twice by the judging team, which awarded a total of two points for activity. However, in the middle of the second half, the opponent from Georgia, 12 years older, got his chance.
M. Kajaia overcame Mindaugas for the second time and equalized the result. As it turned out later, he gave all his strength to his technical action and soon started stumbling and hanging on the Lithuanian’s clothes in the standing position.
Such actions did not go unnoticed – the opponent was given a warning for a gross violation of the rules, and two more points fell into Mindaugas’ savings account.
M. Kajaia’s coaches protested and used the challenge rule, but nothing came of it. Not only that, the judges added one more point to the Lithuanian for the groundless appeal of the opponents. Time ran out with the score 5-2.
The award ceremony did not take long. Right here, on the carpet, Mindaugas Venckaitis was presented with a medal and a powerful poster testifying to the winning ticket.
GR – 97 kg 1/2 Fin. Mihailas KAJAIA (SRB) – Mindaugas VENCKAITIS 2:5
By the will of fate, Tauragiškis avoided an additional qualifying duel and started immediately in the round of 16. In his debut match, Mindaugas beat Turkish Dogan Yilmaz with a score of 3:1.
In the quarterfinals, the Lithuanian defeated the world youth vice-champion and European U23 Championship bronze medalist Tyrona Sterkenburg from the Netherlands with a score of 3:2 and advanced to the semifinals.
“Mindaugas was the first to receive the bottom parterre, but even from this position he was able to cover his opponent – he grabbed his head and almost performed a bowl while lying down.
Later, he intelligently arranged the fight, did not put his hands where it was not necessary and added the tempo. He received another point for his activity and went to prepare for the evening”, commented the Olympic medalist Aleksandras Kazakevičius on the duel.
GR – 97 kg 1/4 Fin. Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) – Mindaugas VENCKAITIS 2:3
GR – 97 kg 1/8 Fin. Dogan YILMAZ (TUR) – Mindaugas VENCKAITIS 1:3
In general, Baku is a successful city for our wrestlers. In the capital of Azerbaijan in 2007, Mindaugas Ežerskis became the world vice-champion, and Mindaugas Venckaitis’ older brother Valdemars won bronze. Three years later, heavyweight Mindaugas Mizgaitis took third place at the European Championship held in Baku.
If Mindaugas Venckaitis goes to Paris (I remind you that the ticket won is not a personal ticket, so athletes who have won the selection do not necessarily go to the Games), he would become the third Olympian of the Venckaitis wrestling dynasty.
Valdemaras Venckaitis fought in 2008 in Beijing, and Edgaras Venckaitis competed in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. This would be perhaps the first such case in the sport of wrestling. Even in other sports, three Olympian brothers are not a common occurrence.
After winning the Olympic selection, Tauragiškis continued a fun tradition – since the restoration of Lithuania’s Independence, wrestlers have participated in all the Olympic Games.
Lithuania was represented at the Olympic Games by:
Date Place Surname / first name Style Weight (kg) Place
2021-08-01 Tokyo Mantas Knystautas GR 130 10
2016–08–14 Rio de Janeiro Venckaitis, Edgaras GR 66 11
2012-08-05 London Kazakevich, Aleksandr GR 74 3
2012-08-05 London Venckaitis, Edgaras GR 66 7
2008-08-12 Pekinas Ežerskis, Mindaugas GR 96 6
2008-08-12 Beijing Kazakevich, Aleksandr GR 66 15
2008–08–12 Beijing Mizgaitis, Mindaugas GR 120 2
2008-08-12 Pekinas Venckaitis, Valdemaras GR 74 14
2004–08–23 Athens Adomaitis, Svajūnas GR 55 16
2004-08-23 Athens Ežerskis, Mindaugas GR 96 13
2004-08-23 Athens Mizgaitis, Mindaugas GR 120 11
2000-09-28 Sidnejs Pauliukonis, Ričardas FS 97 17
2000-09-24 Sidnėjs Ežerskis, Mindaugas GR 97 8
1996-07-30 Atlanta Pauliukonis, Ričardas FS 90 9
1996-07-20 Atlanta Šukevičius, Remigius GR 57 12
1996-07-20 Atlanta Vartanov, Ruslan GR 52 14
1992-07-26 Barcelona Šukevičius, Remigius GR 57 11
The Baku classics have finished their performance, but it’s not yet evening. Tomorrow, the wrestlers will win their first Olympic trophy, and a month later, the last world selection in Turkey awaits.
Results of other wrestlers from our country:
GR – 60 kg 1/4 fin. Victor CIOBANU (MDA) – Justas PETRAVIČIUS 14:0
GR – 60 kg 1/8 fin. Justas PETRAVIČIUS – Ilias ZAIRAKIS (GRE) 9:0
GR – 60 kg Qual. Jacop SANDRON (ITA) – Justas PETRAVIČIUS 0:9
GR – 67 kg Qual. Selcuk CANAS (TUR) – Kristupas SLEIVA 9:6
GR – 87 kg 1/8 Fin. Exauce’as MUKUBU (NOR) – Martynas NEMSEVIČIUS 7:0
GR – 130 kg 1/4 Fine. Romas FRIDRIKAS – Jello KRAHMERIS (GER) 1:3
2024-04-06 10:18:21