Georgian judokas claim three gold medals, lead Abu Dhabi Grand Slam rankings
Vazha Margvelashvili (second from left) photographed with medal-winners of his weight category. Photo: International Judo Federation.
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Georgia’s Paris Grand Slam medal-winner Lasha Shavdatuashvili followed two other athletes from the country to claim a third gold for Georgia at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam judo competition on Sunday.
Competing in his 73 kg weight category, Shavdatuashvili earned his title in the final match against Kosovo’s Akil Gjakova.
The Georgian edged ahead in the encounter through a waza-ari and successfully defended his advantage through the rest of the final.
Lasha Shavdatuashvili, winner of Sunday’s 73 kg gold, photographed in action earlier in the tournament. Photo: Ben Urban/International Judo Federation.
His gold-winning performance follows similar results by Vazha Margvelashvili and Amiran Papinashvili, two other judokas from Georgia, on the first day of the competition.
Margvelashvili collected the 66 kg gold, while Papinashvili added the 60 kg category top medal to the team coffer.
Georgia’s 60 kg gold-winner Amiran Papinashvili (second from left) with podium finishers. Photo: International Judo Federation.
Two more athletes represented the country in fixtures on Sunday — Tamaz Kirakozashvili and Pridon Gigani faced their opponents in 81 kg and 73 kg categories respectively.
The combined medal haul has seen Georgia lead the team rankings of the United Arab Emirates competition ahead of Kosovo and Israel.
The Grand Slam involved over 60 countries represented by 346 athletes, including 213 men and 133 women.
Georgia has claimed its first medal at the Paris Grand Slam as the former Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili has won silver. Shavdatuashvili, 26, was competing in the men’s 73kg category.
Georgia’s Zebeda Rekhviashvili finished the European Judo Open Championship in Minsk, Belarus on a high after taking four match wins and the gold medal over the weekend.
Georgian athletes locked out the podium in 81kg category at the European Juniors Judo Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia, as the team claimed four medals in total at the tournament.
Georgian wrestlers scored four medals at the European Judo Open competition among men in the Austrian town of Oberwart where they competed against athletes from around the world over the weekend. With twenty competitors taking part in the event for Georgia, four of the team's members claimed two gold, one silver and one bronze medal.