Georgian Judoka Lasha Bekauri named best European Games athlete, first winner of Janez Kocijančič Award

Georgian judoka Lasha Bekauri, the Olympic and European Champion and winner of a gold medal in a mixed event at the European Games, was this week announced as the best male athlete of the third European Games and the first winner of the Janez Kocijančič Award in Bucharest, the Georgian Ministry of Sports said.

The Award has been established to honour the former President of European Olympic Committees and is presented to the best female and male athletes at the Games.

Hosted at the 53rd EOC’s General Assembly, the ceremony for the prize saw Bekauri presented with the Award by Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee, and Spyros Capralos, the President of the European Olympic Committees.

The Ministry said the event also featured Leri Khabelov, the President of the Georgian National Olympic Committee, and heads of the European national Olympic committees.

Held every four years, the European Games are organised by the EOC and involve about 7,000 athletes. Georgian athletes claimed four gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the third Games in Krakow last year, with kickboxer Luka Shonia, fencer Sandro Bazadze, taekwondo wrestler Zurab Kintsurashvili and the country’s mixed team of judokas claim gold medals.

Georgian canoeist Zaza Nadiradze and boxer Lasha Guruli won silver at the event, while karate wrestler Gogita Arkania, kickboxer Zurab Ivanadze and mixed martial artist Elene Loladze earned bronze.