Russian Taekwondo fighters took 4 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze medals at the European Championships, which took place from May 10 to May 13 in Kazan. Our teem in the overall standings.
– This tournament turned out to be the best in the history of the Russian team, said the head coach of the Russian national team Vadim Ivanov, summing up the results of the competitions. For me it is important strategically; almost all candidates to the Olympic team proved their class. I mean four champions and Roman Kuznetsov and Polina Khan. These are the people, we count on, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Candidates for the Olympic team will be determined by the end of the 2019.
– On the one hand, in fact, two compositions of the Russian team performed in Kazan, because 16 athletes got additional licenses to the European Championships after the World Taekwondo President’s Cup. On the other hand, the first place was secured without their help, by the first team.
– That is right. Yes, we had the largest amount of representatives, but the Turkish, Croatian and Spanish teams were also big (the Turks took the second place in the overall standings 3+4+2, the Croats became third 3+0+5).
– What stands out, is the fact that all our champions are very young. World champion Khramtsov and 2017 World Championships silver medalist Artamanov are 20 years old, Kudashova and Larin, the winners of the 2016 and 2017 World Championships, are 21 and 22 respectively. Is it encouraging?
– In this connection, I hope that the current Olympic cycle will not be their last cycle.
– Two-time Olympic prize winner Alexey Denisenko, who could not qualify for the European Championships will obviously face serious competition from compatriots, since in his weight category under 68kg Tsakoev has silver and Minin has bronze.
– Tsakoev is only 18. A year and a half ago, he won the World Junior Championships. We count on him and on the other silver medalist, Gagiev, even in 2024. Anyway, these guys deserve all praise.
– Are you particularly pleased with the performance of any of your wards in Kazan?
– Perhaps, I would like to pay tribute to Mikhail Artamonov from St. Petersburg, who defeated the Spaniard Jesus Tortos in the finals. So far, they had roughly equal number of wins and losses in personal battles. But now Mikhail defeated this opponent. I am glad that 18-year-old Polina Khan joins the main composition.
In Kazan the title of Champions of the continent was won by Mikhail Artamonov (under 58 kg), Maxim Khramtsov (under 80 kg) and Vladislav Larin (under 87 kg) and Tatiana Kudashova (under 53 kg).
Silver medals were won by Magomed Gagiyev (under 54 kg), Sarmat Tsakoev (under 68 kg), Roman Kuznetsov (over 87 kg), Natalia Antipenko (under 49 kg) and Arina Zhivotkova (under 73 kg), bronze medals were won by Valery Shimanov (under 58 kg), Vyacheslav Minin (under 68 kg), Oleg Kuznetsov and Yuri Kirichenko (both over 87 kg), Polina Khan (under 67 kg) and Olga Ivanova (over 73 kg).
