Sergiu Toma closer to the Olympics

The best Moldovan athlete of 2011 kicked off the new year in style. The Judoka finished 5th at the Masters Tournament in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Info-Prim Neo reports. The competition gathered the best 16 athletes in each weigh category. Sergiu Toma bested Montenegro’s Srdjan Mrvaljevic in the 81 kg category, but lost to Japan’s o Nakai in the quarter-finals. The result brought Sergiu Toma 80 points in the world rankings, according to which entries at the Olympics in London will be distributed. The Moldovan is currently ranked 12th, a position that qualifies him for the Olympics. 2011 was the 24 year old Judoka’s most successful year. He won the European silver and World bronze and was named the Athlete of the Year in Moldova by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.