Orges Arifi is once again the silver medalist at the European Karate Championship. On Saturday in Yerevan, Armenia, Arifi, representing Albania, suffered defeat in the final of the 60 kilogram category by Akhmed Akhmedov.
The Russian, who competes under the flag of the European Karate Federation (EKF), and who had eliminated another Kosovo karate player, Islam Selmani, in the semifinals, won with a score of 2:1, after a very strong fight.
For 29-year-old Arifi, it was his second appearance in the finals of the European Karate Championship.
Until the final of the European Championship in the category up to 60 kilograms in Armenia, Arifi won four fights. With the result 2:1 he eliminated Balsha Vojinovic from Montenegro in the first round. In the second round he won 4:2 against the Czech karateka, Martin Drabeg. He also had a strong fight with the Spaniard Urko Primicia Velasco, whom he defeated 1:0.
In the semifinals, he won 5:3 against Bosnia-Herzegovina karateka Kenan Šiljak.
Last year, Arifi won silver at the European Championships held in Zadar, Croatia. The medals in Croatia and Armenia are the biggest successes in Arifi's career.
Arifi had won his first silver medal five years after leaving Kosovo and returning to Albania.
He left Kosovo along with several other karatekas, claiming insufficient support and improper treatment from the Karate Federation.
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