It is a new year, and the feeling is clear for all the athletes on the Mittersill OTC, a new cycle and challenge lies ahead. For Ilia SULAMANIDZE of Georgia, only one, the Olympic gold in 2028. Sulamanidze’s performance was stunning as usual, however he fell at the final hurdle and was forced to settle for the Olympic silver. Though he is at peace with the result, the fire continues to burn to have the Olympic gold around his neck.
Prior to the Olympic Games in Paris, we were seeing the young Georgian judoka regularly on the podium, and in the run up, there was nothing but positivity.
I was feeling really great before the Olympic Games, we’d spent a lot of time working hard and preparing, both mentally and physically. It was every second, every minute, every hour, this was all I was concentrating on, preparation. I wasn’t focussing on medals or on winning, only how I was preparing.
For the fans of Sulamanidze, his style is calm and relaxed and completely mirrors his attitude before stepping on the tatami, stating he never feels nervous in competition, but did he feel them in Paris?
Never. For me, being nervous is bad for my mind, my mentality. When you’re nervous, you cannot give 100%, you cannot be your best, sometimes you must have a little bit, but this is to help you focus, to have speed, but not more than I need.
The day before he competed in Paris, team mate, Lasha BEKAURI went on to win his second consecutive Olympic title, did this motivate him?
We were in the same room, Lasha and myself, and we were both preparing for Olympic golds, so he won of course, and this win was such a motivation. When I woke up on my day, I looked at Lasha and I just felt great, I don’t know why, I just felt really happy. I warmed up only with my coach, I don’t need much, just some light uchi komi and in the Olympic Games, it is more important to be ready in your mind. I didn’t have any contact or anything with my family beforehand, all of my concentration was on the competition and I needed to focus there.
There were some big wins that lead Sulamanidze to the -100kg final in Paris, bypassing WOLF Aaron in the quarter to meet Daniel EICH (SUI) in the semi, but he did not anticipate what would happen then.
The semi final was one of the best moments for me, I really didn’t expect this to happen, there wasn’t a plan. For it to be over in 11 seconds, I did not see it. I don’t know how it happened, of course it can happen in the first 10 seconds, maybe the next, a minute or two, I was ready to go ten or 15 minutes if I needed to but this was just instant and perfect.
The final didn’t go the way he had hoped, though Sulamanidze had put the score on the board against eventual winner, Zelym KOTSOIEV (AZE), it all fell apart as he was issued a third shido with only ten seconds left on the clock.
I don’t know, I cannot even speak about this moment in my own language, about the final. It was so hard for me to deal with right then, but now I can say it was a very expensive experience and lesson for me. In Georgia, the gold medallist is awarded one million lari, and for silver it is halved, so yes, an expensive lesson! I’ve watched it back, and now it isn’t hard, it was one second, one moment in my life, and it’s okay. Life goes on.
Now he may say it was an expensive error, but once he arrived home to the support of family, friends and the Georgian public, it was swift realisation that he would be wanting for nothing.
When we arrived home, there were huge celebrations for us! I was given gifts but more so, it was the huge amount of respect from Georgian people, and I don’t know why but there was more for me than for the Olympic Champion. I think maybe because people like these emotional stories, these sad moments and they supported me. Now I have a great situation in Georgia and I am well looked after. For a while I could even train when I wanted… but not now [he laughs] now it’s back to work. Now, I am preparing only for an Olympic gold.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen