PRESS RELEASE ETU European Taekwondo Championships Montreux 2016 Montreux, Switzerland May 2016

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1 PRESS RELEASE ETU European Taekwondo Championships Montreux 2016 Montreux, Switzerland May 2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, MONTREUX nd DAY PREVIEW CATEGORIES: FEMALES -53 & -57 kg / MALES -63, & -68 kg FEMALES -53 KG * PARTICIPATION: 25 athletes - 23 countries * THE EUROPEAN WINNERS IN 2014 (BAKU): 1st place: Ana Zaninovic (CRO), 2nd place: Yekaterina Kim (RUS), 3rd place: Suvi Mikkonen (FIN), Floriane Liborio (FRA) * HIGHEST POSITION IN WORLD RANKINGS: Ana Zaninovic (CRO) No-2 * QUALIFICATION FROM THE WORLD PRESIDENT'S CUP: Floriane Liborio (FRA), Charlie Maddock (GBR), Ekaterina Kim (RUS), Patimat Abakarova (AZE). * MOST MEDALS IN 2016: During the first five months of 2016, Ekaterina Kim (RUS) won three medals, all in the category of -53kg. In the Dutch Open she was second, while she was found in the third step of the podium in both the Belgian Open and the World President's Cup. * WHAT YOU WILL SEE: Eight athletes stand out in this category, half of which will be contenders to win the gold medal, based on their previous performance. At the top of that list are Ana Zaninovic (CRO), Floriane Liborio (FRA), Ekaterina Kim (RUS) and Patimat Abakarova (AZE). Zaninovic, which has already gotten the qualification for Rio 2016 through the World Rankings, is the title holder in this particular category in the 2014 event of Baku. The athlete from Croatia, No.-2 in the World Rankings, was third in World Championship 2015 in Chelyabinsk, while she already has two European championship medals in total as he was second in 2012 in Manchester. Liborio is No. 4 in the World-Rankings. She currently holds three medals in European Championships and in particular, two gold (St. Petersburg -53kg, Manchester -57kg) and a

2 bronze (Baku -53kg). In the capital of Azerbaijan, she missed the opportunity to reach the final after being defeated14-2 by Kim (RUS). Kim is participating in the Montreux event and will certainly play an important role in the distribution of medals. The Russian athlete, No.-9 in the World Ranking, in 2014 in Baku she was second, losing in the final to Zaninovic 10-7, while in 2016 she has won three medals, with the last bronze being won at the World President's Cup. Abakarova, although originally registered and fought in -49kg,she finally decided to change categories. The athlete from Azerbaijan won no medals at the European Championships, though was third in the European Games 2015 in Baku, while last January she achieved qualification for Rio 2016 and he was in the top -49kg in Olympic Games Qualification Europe held in Istanbul The other four athletes are: Dragana Gladovic (SRB, No-8), Manuela Bezzola (SUI, No-13), Tatiana Kudashova (RUS, No-26), Charlie Maddock (GBR, No-33) FEMALES -57 KG * PARTICIPATION: 27 athletes - 23 countries *EUROPEAN WINNERS IN 2014 (BAKU): 1st place: Eva Calvo Gomez (ESP), 2nd place: Jade Jones (GBR), 3rd place: Gunay Aghakishiyeva (AZE), Nikita Glasnovic (SWE) * HIGHEST POSITION IN WORLD RANKING: Jade Jones (GBR) Nov-1 * QUALIFICATION FROM WORLD PRESIDENT CUP: Indra Craen (BEL), Bruna Vuletic (CRO), Daria Zhuravleva (RUS), Hatice Kubra Ilgun (TUR * MOST MEDALS IN 2016:Raheleh Asemani (BEL) has won five medals, the most important being the gold in the Olympic Games Qualification Europe where she fought under the banner of WTF (refugee status). Asemani, who took Belgian nationality a few weeks ago, apart from the medal in Istanbul, was first in the Dutch Open, second in Slovenia Open, third at the Belgian Open and the Open of Germany, always in the category of -57kg. * WHAT YOU WILL See It may be the most exciting category of women in the event of Montreux. Favorites for the gold medal are many. It is no coincidence that in this category, four of the five athletes who have secured qualification for the Rio Olympics in the -57 kg are present. They are Jade Jones (GBR), Raheleh Asemani (BEL), Suvi Mikkonen (FIN), Eva Calvo Gomez (ESP) and Nikita Glasnovic (SWE)

3 Jones is No 1 in World Rankings. This gymnast was found at the top of the -57 kg in the London Olympics. Her palmare includes three medals in the European Championships, but never a gold. In 2010 in Russia she was third (lost in semifinals ro Jennifer Agren by 11-9), in 2012 in Britain she was also third (defeated by Edina Kotsis by 16-8), while two years ago in Baku came second (lost by 11-9 to Calvo Gomez). Could now be the time to find herself on the highest step of the podium for the first time in her career? We will know the answer by Friday. Calvo Gomez currently holds the No 2 in the World Rankings. In 2014 in Baku she was first in this category, while a year later she won the silver medal at the World Championships of Chelyabinsk. She also possesses another world medal (bronze) in 2013 in Puebla, and one bronze medal at the European Games 2015 in Baku again. Regarding Glasnovic, which has also achieved qualification for Rio through World rankings (No. 3 in May), she was third in the European Championships in Baku in At the European Championships Olympic Categories, which made her maiden appearance last year in Russia, she won in the final by 9-5 against Milana Driamova (RUS). Asemani was recently naturalized as a Belgian. Located in No. 14 World Ranking, this year has swept everything away in her path. Five medals, the most important of them being the gold in Olympic Games Qualification Europe in Istanbul. At the Rio Olympics, according to what was enforced in the Turkey event, she will fight under the refugee team set up by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Mikkonen, who also got the qualification for Rio via Istanbul, was third last year, but in -53 kg. This year she chose to fight in the class we will see her in Rio as well. She currently holds no.114 of the World Rankings MALES -63 kg * PARTICIPATION: 31 athletes - 28 countries * WINNERS OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 (Baku): 1st place: Jaouad Achab (Bel), 2nd place: Jure Pantar (Slo), 3rd place: Ioannis Pilavakis (Cyp), Mario Silva (Por). * HIGHEST POSITION IN THE WORLD RANKINGS: Jaouad Achab (Bel) No 1 * QUALIFICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT'S CUP: Mahammad Mammadov (Aze), Lovre Brecic (CRO), Deni Andrun Razic (Cro), Shamsutdin Gamzatov (Rus). * MOST MEDALS IN 2016: Mitko Dzhordzhev (Bul) has got three medals, but all in the category of -68 kg. He was first in the Dutch and Belgian open, while ranked second in Turkish open.

4 * WHAT WE WILL SEE: Three athletes are the favorites for the gold medal in this category. Joel Gonzalez Bonila (ESP), gold medallist in the London Olympics 2012, Jaouad Achab (Bel), title holder of the organization of Baku in 2014, as well as Jure Pantar (SLO), second in the last European championships. Achab is the no-1 in the world ranking of May. He is the world (2015 Chelyabinsk) and European champion (2014, Baku). Through the position of the world ranking, he was able to ensure the qualification for the Rio Olympic games. To 2015 in Russia prevailed by 7-6 against Gonzalez Bonilla, with these rivals expected to be seen again facing each other at the final of Montreux Gonzalez Bonilla is the athlete achieving the most and greatest feats in the category of -63 kg. First in the London Olympics, three medals (two gold, a silver) at the level of men in the world championships and three medals -all gold- in European championships, two of them at the level of men. An important role regarding medals is expected by Jure Pantar (Slo, No. 21) and Ioannis Pilavakis (Cyp, No. 18), athletes who in the European championship in Baku were second and third respectively. Pantar reached the semifinals of the Olympic games qualification Europe, but was defeated 16-6 by Karol Robak (Pol) and as a result he was disqualified from the Olympic games. MALES -68 KG * PARTICIPATION: 36 athletes - 32 countries * THE WINNERS OF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS 2014 (BAKU): 1st place: Servet Tazegul (TUR), 2nd place: Alexei Denisenko (RUS), 3rd place: Vladislav Arventii (MDA), Ruebyn Richards (GBR) * HIGHEST POSITION IN WORLD RANKING: Servet Tazegul (TUR) No-3 * QUALIFICATION FROM WORLD PRESIDENT CUP: Piero Maric (CRO), Marco Mutak (CRO), Konstantin Minin (RUS), Berkay Akyol (TUR). * MOST MEDALS IN 2016: Konstantin Minin (RUS) has had three bronze medals so far this year. He was third in the Dutch Open, the Belgian Open and most recently at the World Presidents Cup always in the category of -68 kg. * WHAT YOU WILL SEE : Servet Tazegul (TUR), and in the absence of Alexey Denisenko (RUS) who is the No-1 of the World Rankings, is the favorite to win the gold medal. A gold medal which will not be the first to Tazegul in European Championships, having already won four consecutive ones. In 2008, in the final of the -67kg he beat Ilkin Shahbazov (AZE), in 2010 and 2012 in the final of the -68kg he beat Filip Grgic (CRO), and in 2014 he won the final against Denisenko 1-0 (Sudden death)

5 Besides Tazegul, the first plea regarding medals is expected by Jose Antonio Rosillo Atencia (ESP), Karol Robak (POL), Berkay Akyol (TUR) and Filip Grgic (CRO). Rosillo is No7 in the World Rankings. At the World Championships in Chelyabinsk he was third, as in 2013 in Puebla. Robak, No-10 on the World Ranking at last year's European Championships Olympic Categories he was third, while this year he managed to secure qualification for Rio 2016 because of the gold medal he won in the Olympic Games Qualification Europe. Grgic has, among others, three silver medals at the European Championships and a gold in the World championships of 2007 in Beijing. Qualifying for Rio 2016 he won the Olympic Games Qualification Europe held in Istanbul after winning 16-9 against Damir Fejzic (SRB). It should be noted that the Federation of Russia withdrew in the last minute the participation of Denisenko, putting in his place Vlacheslav Minin, brother of Konstantin Minin who also participates in -68kg. The fact is, however, indisputable that the class became poorer, since Denisenko holds an Olympic medal (London rd place), a World medal (Chelyabinsk nd place) and a European medal (Baku 2014, 2nd place)in men's level.