Since the establishment of the Mixed Team event for the U23 European Championships in 2021, Georgia have yet to miss out on a podium place. In incredible fashion, they claimed the first title in 2021 when hosted in Hungary, but in 2022 and 2023 were forced to settle for bronze. For Ukraine however, regardless of the result, this was their first medal in this championship event.
Netherlands and Germany took clean wins without the need for a deciding match, but it feels like tradition that Team Georgia would create this extra excitement and entertainment, as they do with their judo style.
Coach, Lomeri ZHORZHOLIANI was beyond happy with the teams result today,
This is a merit of our work together, we aren’t a big country, we don’t have many people but we have a big heart, and this is a mixed team event which is essential for us, it doesn’t matter who wins or who loses, we win together and always strive for the top.
Today is the gold, it really is a merit of our hard work. We always do our maximum in our national camps, when we train and fight abroad, everywhere, we always do our best, and you know… God loves Georgia!
The final between Ukraine and Georgia started with the +78kg women, Diana SEMCHENKO (UKR) put an early score on the board with kata guruma against Nino PAPIDZE, and took the opening win for Ukraine with o soto gari. It was a hard slog between the +100kg men who couldn’t find a way to score, both Irakli DEMETRASHVILI (GEO) and Mykola HRYBYK (UKR) were looking for opportunity but their defences survived. In the end it was a third shido for Hrybyk that brought the contest to an end. 1-1.
Nino LOLADZE (GEO) found herself caught in ne waza against Anastasiia CHYZHEVSKA (UKR), who managed to secure osaekomi for 14 seconds before Loladze escaped. Though she managed to continue the -57kg contest, she could not find her way back and so Ukraine added a second win to their tally. Following a ballistic performance in the semi final, expectations were high for Giorgi LOLADZE (GEO) in the -73kg category against Serhii NEBOTOV (UKR). Even at three minutes, there was no clear winner, both frantically looking for an opening. Seven seconds later, the pair clinched and it was Loladze who threw for ippon with ko soto gake. 2-2.
Clambering for the next point were the -70kg women, Eter ASKILASHVILI (GEO) and Olga TSIMKO (UKR). An ouchi gari from Tsimko scored waza ari at the half way point and created a mountain for Askilashvili to climb, but there was not enough time as a huge ippon was scored by Tsimko with a lovely uchi mata. The deciding point for Ukraine was in the hands of Vladyslav KOLOBOV against Akaki JAPARIDZE.
Of course it was frantic from the get go, Kolobov desperate to secure the sangaku and came very close, spending almost a minute in ne waza, however Japaridze somehow managed to escape. It continued to be a fierce head to head, but was won by Japaridze with a driving o uchi gari, meaning the teams went to a random draw for the deciding contest!
Again the -90kg men were drawn, seeing Japaridze and Kolobov go straight back in to the thick of it. In the first exchange, Georgia’s chance narrowly missed out on the score with drop seoi nage, but continued his assault and brought about the waza ari score with an o uchi gari. It is an impressive feat that the team have managed to medal at every Mixed Team event in EJU history, and they were happy to be back on top and singing their national anthem.
With the winning point, Japaridze explained,
I couldn’t do what I wanted to in the individual competition so I had a lot of motivation for the mixed teams, from my team, my family, and winning that final match, two contests in a row, I did this for my country and all my people. The biggest motivation is that Georgia is together as one team, with the biggest heart and spirit and this makes me ready for anything.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen