Judo: Georgia’s Tchrikishvili wins gold at Paris Grand Slam (VIDEO)

Georgian athletes are making their mark in the judo arena and impressing the world with their skills in contact sports.

A Georgian judoka has won a gold medal at the most prestigious European judo competition – the Paris Grand Slam.

Avtandil Tchrikishvili was crowned champion of the 81kg weight category at the International Judo Federation’s (IJF) event in France yesterday.

Tchrikishvili is member of Georgia’s national judo team and was twice named the country’s best sportsman of the year. He is a three-time European champion and 2014 world champion. Tchrikishvili also won the Paris Grand Slam in 2014.

With yesterday’s victory, Tchrikishvili – who was already ranked number one in the world in this weight class – gained an additional 500 ranking points, which increased the distance between himself and his fellow judoka who ranked below him on the list.

Tchrikishvili defeated five opponents in the Paris competition. In the first round he defeated a French athlete before overcoming a Hungarian and Russian judoka. In the final the Georgian defeated a Bulgarian athlete.

Meanwhile Georgian judoka Varlam Liparteliani (90kg) won a bronze medal at the Paris Grand Slam. – the competition category he won last year.

With one gold and one bronze medal the Georgian team gained fourth place overall. First place was won by Japan, followed by France and Korea.