Georgi Georgiev (Judoka)

Georgi Angelow Georgiev ( Bulgarian Георги Георгиев ; born January 30, 1976 in Pazardzhik ) is a former Bulgarian judoka . He won one bronze medal at the Olympics and three bronze medals at European championships.

Athletic career

The 1.68 m tall Georgiev from CSKA Sofia competed mostly in half-light weight (up to 65 kg) until 2004, and from 2005 in light weight (up to 71 kg).

He finished seventh at the 1999 European Championships and came second in the World Military Championships that same year. In 2000 he won his first Bulgarian championship title. At the European Championships in 2000 he lost in the quarter-finals to the Dutchman Patrick van Kalken , but then fought his way to the bronze medal with three wins in the round of hope. At the Olympic Games in 2000 , he managed a victory in three fights, he finished 13th.

In 2001 he reached seventh place at the European Championships. In 2002 Georgiev won his second Bulgarian championship title, at the European Championships he was defeated in the semi-finals to the Slovak Jozef Krnáč , the battle for bronze he lost to the Ukrainian Mussa Nastuev . In October 2002 he became military world champion in the lightweight. In 2003 he lost his opening fight against the Israeli Ehud Vaks at the European Championships in Düsseldorf , but then won four fights in the hope round and received the bronze medal. In 2004 he lost at the Olympic Games in Athens after three victories in the semifinals against the Japanese Masato Uchishiba , the fight for bronze Georgiev won against the Spaniard Oscar Peñas .

In 2006 Georgiev was once again military world champion in the lightweight. At the European Championships in 2007 he was defeated in the semifinals against the Russian Salamu Metschidow , in the battle for bronze he defeated Victor Bivol from the Republic of Moldova.

Web links

• Georgi Georgiev at JudoInside.com
• Georgi Georgiev in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original )