The Minister of Education and Sports, Ogerta Manastirliu, held a meeting with taekwondo athlete Ernest Merdanaj. During the discussion, Manastirliu emphasized that “Albanian sports have significant potential to be competitive on the international stage.”

The 18-year-old athlete has recently achieved remarkable success, securing two gold medals and one bronze medal within a few weeks. These accomplishments have earned him 27 Olympic points, positioning him currently in 11th place in the Olympic rankings.

At the recent Albania Open event held at the “Feti Borova” Sports Palace in Tirana, Merdanaj, alongside fellow athlete Egers Aliu and team coach Arjola Kasaj, triumphed as a team among 900 participants from 48 different countries in Europe. This victory has further solidified the standing of taekwondo as one of the top sports in Europe.

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