Georgian judokas get 2 gold, 1 silver, 5 bronze at Tel Aviv Grand Slam
In the last fight against Spain's Nikoloz Sherazadishvili Georgian judoka Lasha Bekauri put his name among the favourites for the world and Olympic titles winning by waza-ari. Photo: IJF
Tweet 
Share
Georgian judokas have won a total of eight medals at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, taking second place in the group competition after France.
Male judokas Lasha Bekauri and Gela Zaalishvili won gold medals in their respective weight categories.
Lasha Bekauri of Georgia upsets the current World No.1 Sherazadishvili of Spain to take the -90kg Grand Slam title here in Tel Aviv!
— Judo (@Judo) February 21, 2021
------#JudoTelAviv #Judo #TelAviv #Sport #olympics
©️IJF Media Team - Ben Urban pic.twitter.com/t41q0oTiex
The International Judo Federation (IJF) said Bekauri 'is a typical product of the Georgian school: powerful, agile, clever and combative. He is a junior world champion and throughout the day he demonstrated a stratospheric level'.
IJF also noted that on his part, Zaalishvili 'underpinned a glorious day for the proud Georgian team' by defeating his Russian rival Tameraln Bashaev.
Gela Zaalishvili of Georgia concluded the 2021 Tel Aviv Grand Slam with his usual showmanship. At the peak of the Men’s +100kg Final Zaalishvili countered Bashaev of Russia toppling him over for Ippon!
— Judo (@Judo) February 21, 2021
------#JudoTelAviv #Judo #TelAviv #Sport
©️IJF Media Team - Ben Urban pic.twitter.com/mdgoGG0RNS
Judoka Temur Nozadze won silver in the 160kg category; while Nugzar Tatatalashvili (-73kg), Beka Gviniashvili (-90kg), Ilia Sulamanidze (-100kg) and Guram Tusishvili (+100kg) won bronze.
Meanwhile, Eter Liparteliani (-57kg) has also won bronze becoming the first Georgian female to receive a medal at the Grand Slam.
The Georgian team did not bring all of their stars to Israel, but they have a quarry that seems limitless despite the size of the country. It is a team so attached to judo that it always aspires to achieve medals in any competition", IJF said.
With 418 competitors - 244 men and 174 women - from 60 countries, Tel Aviv hosted Grand Slam between February 18-20.
Georgian judokas have won five medals at the prestigious Doha World Judo Masters: two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Young Georgian wrestler Tato Grigalashvili was named the best male athlete at the Doha World Judo Masters, capping a competition where Georgian competitors earned five medals - including a gold for the young judoka.
Georgia's capital Tbilisi will not host the 2020 Judo Grand Prix between March 27-29 after the International Judo Federation cancelled the tournament due to a "heightened risk" of coronavirus.
Georgian judo wrestlers earned two of five prizes in the annual International Judo Federation public poll, with Lukhum Chkhvimiani and Tato Grigalashvili claiming honours from a shortlist of athletes.
Lasha Bekauri, the first gold medal-winner for Georgia at the 2021 Summer Olympic Games, has said he intends to use the prize money from the state to bring his mother and grandmother back from work in emigration.
The central Georgian city of Gori will host the European Judo Championship Club Team - Champions League later this month, bringing together over a hundred competitors from across the world, the Georgian Judo Federation announced on Wednesday.