Georgia will line up strong participants at the first World Cup this year in Tbilisi.
The competition is expected between Lasha Gujejiani, Zviadi Khanjaliashvili and Adam Okroashvili. They will face competition from abroad by means of Daiki Kamikawa (JPN) or perhaps youngster Farid Babayev (AZE).
Unfortunately Super heavyweight Davitashvili does not compete. He won the World Cup of Tbilisi four times starting in 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2005. This year he turns 36 but is still impressive to see and celebrated his comeback recently at the National Championships finishing third. The National Championships were won by Zviadi Khanjaliashvili.
Davitashvili won three European Championships medals starting at the age of 19 year when he won the bronze at the Europeans in Gdansk. He also took bronze six years later in 2000 and 2001. It would have been nice to see him back competing in his home country.
The most participants will fight U73kg, 21 in total.
Triple European champion Zaza Kedelashvili will start U73kg and is one of the favourites. In 2009 he didn’t fight much, but did participate last year and made his comeback in October last year in Baku (AZE).
Georgian favourite Nestor Khergiani will fight U66kg facing Samir Dadashzade in his first match.
Varlam Liparteliani (GEO) who won the European silver in Tbilisi last year, starts U90kg against Dmytro Berezhnyi (UKR) in the first round.
You can watch them fighting, this weekend live in Tbilisi as of 08.00 o’clock CET. The finals will be expected at 14.00h Central European Time.
