On day three of the Junior World Championships in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Team Georgia entered the race with a gold medal win in the -81kg category from Luka JAVAKHISHVILI. The young Georgian is no stranger to a major final, taking a Cadet World silver medal in 2022, and was close to the final of the Junior European Championships this year, instead settled for bronze. In Dushanbe however, Javakhishvili bounded off the tatami celebrating with coach and Olympic Champion, Irakli TSIREKIDZE.
After taking a moment to soak in his new status, Javakhishvili was breathing a sigh of relief, the work was done.
I am very happy, today was the best in my career, I am just so happy right now as you can see. This morning I woke up, I was in a great mood, I just knew that today I would become the World Champion. It was ‘my day’ that was my feeling, and God was always with me, he made me achieve this, win this medal.
To be honest I cannot fully realise what it means to be the World Champion right now, I’m sure that more and more, when I am in seniors, I will continue to achieve titles.
There was special motivation in this World Championships, after some disappointment in the Junior European Championships, he was level headed, adjusted and ready to take on this ultimate challenge.
After the European Championships I had a conversation with my coaches, I was too careful against my opponent from Azerbaijan, this was the main reason of my failure and not winning the gold. After this conversation we made some corrections and I have now won the world gold.
Of course he returns home to Georgia as yet another string in the bow of the Georgian federation, secure in the knowledge that they have a wealth of talent and continue to invest in their younger generations.
There are several new projects run by the Georgian Federation, we had in 2020 and for 2024, Lasha BEKAURI was in this project 2020, and now I’m also part of this. It helps me a lot, the coaches, team mates and the environment gives me so much help to achieve more.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen