Georgia:Â The Georgian judoist team, a formidable force, is maintaining its successful run at the Abu Dhabi World Championship. On May 21, 2024, our judoists in the -81 kg category battled for medals. Our world judo leader, Tato Grigalashvili, claimed the gold medal, a testament to our team’s prowess.
The current world champion and European champion appeared on Tatam in the second round. At the expense of warnings, he beat German and Turkish rivals. In the quarterfinals, Tajik defeated his opponent Wazar, won with Wazar against Korean Lee Yonwan, and got the right to compete in the final.
Grigalashvili had to meet Timur Arbuzov, the representative of the neutral country, in the fourth final. Georgian judoists wrote history. Five seconds before the end of the match, the opponent won and became the world champion for the third time in a row.
It is worth noting that Grigalashvili is the first among Georgian judoists to win the World Championship three times.
Dimitri Gochilaidze was close to success in the same weight; he lost in the semifinals to the same Arbuzov with Ipon and continued to fight for the bronze medal, but Vazar defeated him in the decisive match with Tajik Somon Makhmadbekov.
Eter Askilashvili (-63 kg) from the Georgian women’s team competed on the third day of the championship but was eliminated in the second round.
Vazha Margvelashvili (-66 kg) won the bronze medal a day earlier, and Giorgi Sardalashvili (-60) celebrated the championship debut.
Tato Grigalashvili
Tato Grigalashvili is a Georgian judoka. He is a four-time medalist in the men’s 81 kg event at the World Judo Championships, including three gold medals. He is also a three-time gold medalist in his event at the European Judo Championships.
