Under the watchful eye of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who officially opened the Championships today, Trstenjak beat Austria’s Kathrin Unterwurzacher by ippon in the final to claim the gold medal.

Having won bronze at the 2013 European Championships in Budapest, and silvers at both the 2014 and 2015 editions in Montpellier and Baku respectively, victory for the 25-year-old Slovenian has put to bed some near misses.

Putin will no doubt have enjoyed seeing home favourite Ekaterina Valkova claim one of the two bronze medals at the expense of Italy’s Edwige Gwend.

The Netherlands’ Anicka van Emden beat former world champion Yarden Gerbi of Israel to the other.

Even more pleasing for Putin was Russian Khasan Khalmurzaev’s gold medal in the men’s under 81kg category.

Khalmurzaev overcame Georgia’s Avtandili Tchrikishvili in the final, while Sweden’s Robin Pacek and Bulgaria’s Ivaylo Ivanov took the bronze medals with wins against Moldova’s Valeriu Duminica and The Netherlands’ Frank De Wit. 

In the men’s under 73kg division, Rustam Orujov became Azerbaijan’s fourth-ever European champion and first since Olympic gold medallist Elnur Mammadli won the men’s under 81kg title in 2011.

Orujov, ranked number two in the International Judo Federation (IJF) world rankings, got the better of Georgia’s Lasha Shavdatuashvili in the final.

Defending champion Sagi Muki of Israel had earlier lost out to 18-year-old Slovenian Martin Hojak, who went on to lose a bronze medal bout against compatriot Rok Draksic, the 2013 European champion.

Georgia’s Nugzari Tatalashvili won the other bronze medal with Russia’s Denis Iartcev just missing out on a podium place.

There was success for France in the women’s under 70kg category as three-time word champion Gévrise Émane defeated surprise package Esther Stam of Georgia in the final to ensure her fifth European title.

Stam, who upset France’s Fanny Estelle Posvite in the semi-finals, secured an Olympic ticket, despite feeling the effects of a severe neck injury.

World ranking leader and triple European champion Kim Polling of The Netherlands suffered elimination at the hands of 33-year-old Émane.

She went onto lose her bronze medal match against Hungary’s world junior champion Szabina Gercsák, who was joined on the third step of the podium by Posvite ahead of Great Britain’s Sally Conway.

Putin was accompanied by IJF President Marius Vizer and European Judo Union President Sergey Soloveychik during the Opening Ceremony. 

"We wish good luck to all participants and may the best win," Putin, a black belt himself, said. 

"I declare the 2016 European Championships in Kazan opened."

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