Bulgaria’s teenage duo Rami Kiwan and Kristian Nikolov shined in the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament
21 November 2019Following the Liventsev Memorial Tournament, the next European international event the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament was held in the Sports Hall Prishtina in Kosovo. Bulgaria’s teenage duo Rami Kiwan and Kristian Nikolov proved their talents in the 21st edition of the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament while Kosovo’s Shpetim Bajoku won his next title within short time.
Their main international elite tournament was named by Mr. Adem Jashari who is one of the biggest national heroes of the country. Kosovo Boxing Federation dedicated an elite international event to remain his memory. The Technical Delegate of the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament was Mr. Marko Marovic of Croatia.
Kosovo joined to the AIBA and EUBC Families as affiliated federation member in 2012 but after a few years of experiences, their boxers reached already good international results. Their young athletes took part almost all of the AIBA and EUBC events in the women and in the men parts of the sport since their debut in 2012.
Bout of the finals
Bulgaria’s promising Rami Kiwan is a 19-year-old talent who attended in the recent EUBC Championships and fought out his place in the elite national team. The Bulgarian middleweight (75kg) boxer had a hard job in the final of the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament when he met with Kosovo’s Besart Pireva. His local opponent is also a teenage talent who is hungry for the successes therefore both of them looked very motivated in the title bout. The Bulgarian was slightly better in the exchanges which means Kiwan won the gold of the middleweight (75kg) which could be raised his confidence before the European Olympic Qualification Event.
Surprise of the finals
Bulgaria’s Kristian Nikolov is only 19-year-old as his teammate Rami Kiwan but he also won the title of the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament in spite of the fact that he had a tough rival. Nikolov met with Albania’s more experienced Arjan Kajoshi who is member of the national elite team since 2015 and competed almost all levels of boxing internationally. The Bulgarian teenager choose the best tactic in the day of the finals and surprisingly his upgraded skills were enough to win the light heavyweight (81kg).
The Round-Up
The host nation’s Artan Shaqiri had to meet in the final of the bantamweight (56kg) with Leutrim Rexhepi who claimed silver medal in the last edition. Shaqiri won the 2018 edition of the Lah Nimani Youth Tournament but the Adem Jashari Memorial was one of his first elite competitions. The 19-year-old Kosovan boy was too quick for Rexhepi and earned the gold medal of the weight class.
Kosovo’s 21-year-old Besfort Merlaku was titleholder in the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament and his efforts were enough to defend his throne after beating Poland’s Szymon Skorupa in the final. Kosovo’s Shpetim Bajoku is also a young talent who has got already several years of experiences therefore his success over Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Ivan Blazevic was not a surprise.
Croatia produced fantastic super heavyweight (+91kg) boxers in the recent 15 years and one of their new hope Juraj Saldo bagged a tournament title in Prishtina. The newcomer Croatian had to fight for the title of the Adem Jashari Memorial Tournament with Albania’s Albert Kapaj and he succeeded in the final.
