Toni Kuka: Proud of you, Akil, you fought like a lion | Nora will forever be an Olympic champion

Driton Kuka, the legendary coach of Kosovo judo, spoke after Akil Gjakova’s match for third place, which the Kosovar lost to the Japanese judoka, Hashimoto. Toni also wrote about Nora Gjakova, who entered the competition despite being injured.

The full post:

You fought like a lion today, Akil!

You reached the Olympic semifinal!

You deserved the medal, but luck wasn’t on our side today!

Three great victories; the Azeri and the Japanese stopped Kosovo’s first medal for men after the war!

Five crazy and intense bouts.

You were better in every aspect in the semifinal, but in sports, sometimes luck plays its part!

Fifth place at the Olympic Games, the best result for men since the declaration of independence!

Nora competed injured today, but she wanted to compete in the Olympic Games once again, not for herself but for our country, for the Albanian people. But things didn’t go as we had hoped. You are an Olympic Champion, and you will remain one for me for the rest of my life!

We move forward…