The tournament traditionally organized by the Judo Club Željezničar in memory of the late Vinko Šamarlić, its member and a hero of the defense of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, once again confirmed that it ranks among the best-organized tournaments for younger categories in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond.
The competition in the "Goran Čengić" hall was solemnly opened by Omer Osmanović, Minister for Veterans' Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton and a former member of the Bosnian Unit, which also included the late Vinko Šamarlić, the would-be Olympian for Bosnia and Herzegovina, who valued the defense of his homeland more than the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where he was supposed to carry the flag of our country.
Despite numerous obligations, Sarajevo Mayor Samir Avdić also greeted the young judokas present. Among the many guests and officials was Ilija Šamarlić, the son of the late Vinko, as well as several of Vinko's former colleagues from the MUP RBiH unit.
From the youngest to the oldest, the young judokas showed that this sport has a future in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the organizers once again made sure that everyone who attended the tournament enjoyed themselves.
Željezničar emphasized that it is time to consider the possibility of a two-day tournament and the introduction of junior competitions starting from the next edition of the Šamarlić Memorial.
Finally, it is worth noting that the title of overall winner was taken by the Judo Club Braća Lukač, which also triumphed last year. Second place went to the Olimpa team, while third place in the overall standings was taken by the Travnik squad.