Georgian athletes sweep 20 medals, place country third at ongoing European Games
Thre-time Olympic medal winner Nino Salukvadze and her son Tsotne Machavariani display their bronze medals earner in shooting. Photo: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.
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Georgian athletes have elevated their team to third place in medal rankings after a haul of prizes over the first four days of the European Games held in Minsk.
While wrestlers of the team have predictably carried most of the country's gains, competitors under the Georgian flag also distinguished themselves in trampoline gymnastics and shooting.
In the latter, three-time Olympic medal-winner Nino Salukvadze was joined among bronze medallists in the Belarusian capital by none other than her son Tsotne Machavariani, with both marking their appearance in the Rifle & Pistol discipline.
In the gymnastics category, Luba Golovina showed her form in the finals of Women's Individual section, finishing just ahead of local favourite Hanna Hancharova to secure the silver behind France's Lea Labrousse.
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Competing in sambo and judo fixtures at the tournament, Georgian wrestlers have so far swept 17 medals, including six gold, to contribute most to the team's results.
Guram Tushishvili's feat of taking the highest step of the podium in the 100+ kg category in judo was augmented with a win by Beka Berdzenishvili in the same weight section in sambo, as the athlete stormed past Belarus' Yury Rybak with a score 8-0.
Other top results in sambo were scored by Levan Nakhutsrishvili, Davit Loriashvili and Vakhtang Chidrashvili, while among judokas Lukhum Chkhvimiani added to Tushishvili's result.
The haul of silver medals has also been scored by competitors on judo and sambo, however here both men and women athletes earned the honours.
Beka Berdzenishvili claimed one of Georgia's six medals at the European Games so far. Photo: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.
Nino Odzelashvili and Elene Kebadze were on the second step of the podium in sambo from women's roster, with Varlam Liparteliani and Mindia Liluashvili earning their silver medals among men.
Bronze winners include judokas Amiran Papinashvili, Luka Maisuradze, Vazha Margvelashvili and Bagrat Niniashvili, with the sambo roster of Besarion Berulava, Givi Nadareishvili, Paata Ghviniashvili and Genadi Chirgadze adding to the collection.
With the combined results Georgia is third in the team classification with 20 medals, with Belarus on second with 39 and Russia leading with a haul of 49.
Over 4000 athletes are competing at the second edition of the European Games, with 15 sporting categories featuring entrants from 50 countries. The tournament will close on June 30.