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As one of the most patriotic nations in judo, it is unsurprising that the Georgian team are ready and rallying to rise up and take the gold medal on home soil during the Tbilisi Grand Slam 2025.
There are some heavy hitters in the line up for Team Georgia, led by team captain, Guram TUSHISHVILI in the +100kg category. Coming off the back of a win in the Upper Austria Grand Prix where he faced his Tokyo Olympic final opponent, Lukas KRPALEK (CZE) in the final, he was looking strong and prepared for the next cycle. Though not all of the team were competing in Linz, they joined shortly after for the OTC in Nymburk for final preparations on the home stage.
Competing for the first time since the Paris Olympic Games is the Olympic silver medallist Ilia SULAMANIDZE in the -100kg category. It’s been a well deserved break from competition for Sulamanidze, but there is a title to defend in Tbilisi and the crowds will certainly be expecting a world class performance from the 23 year old who has established himself as one of the world’s best in the previous cycle. He will be joined by the current Georgian national champion, younger brother of heavyweight, Gela, Nikoloz ZAALISHVILI, who is just moving on to the junior circuit, and will be looking forward to this valuable experience.
Still missing the two-time Olympic Champion, Lasha BEKAURI, is the -90kg category, however former World Champion and WRL #3, Luka MAISURADZE will be on top form. After a tough return to the tatami in Rome, Maisuradze found his stride and took two Grand Slam silver medals in some of the most difficult tournaments on the IJF World Judo Tour; Tokyo and Paris. Another strong option in the -90kg category is the Upper Austria Grand Prix gold medallist, Giorgi JABNIASHVILI, and he is ready for some good luck at home, having left the tournament in the early stages in the previous two editions, now however he will have some confidence from his recent result.
In the -81kg category, 2023 U23 European Champion and Abu Dhabi Grand Slam silver medallist, Zaur DVALASHVILI will be leading Team Georgia. Then of course, the national hero, the first Georgian to achieve European, World and Olympic Champion status, Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI will be carrying the support of the home crowd in to the -73kg category, the two-time winner in Tbilisi will also be defending his 2024 title.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen