Tokyo will host Judo Grand Slam on December 9-11. Only Irakli Tsirekidze will compete in one of the most prestigious international tournaments in the name of Georgia. Organizers of the tournament individually invited titled Georgian judoka (100 kg).
Tsirekidze will wrestle on tatami on the last day of the tournament. He will wrestle against Christian Shmidt of Argentina. In 1/8 final, winner will wrestle against winner between finalist of this year’s World Championship – Maksim Rakov of Kazakhstan and Tatsuki Masabuchi of Japan. Here are presumable participants of ¼ final: Ramzidin Saidov (Uzbekistan), Viacheslav Denisov (Ukraine), Temuulen Batulga (Mongolia) and Kieong Tae Kim (South Korea).
Takamasa Anai of Japan, leader of 100 kg and one of the favorites of the tournament, is on the other side of wrap. His and Tsirekidze’s ways will not be crossed till the final. Tsirekidze won over Anai by ippon in the second round of World Championship which was held in Paris at the end of August. Tsirekidze received official invitation of the Tokyo tournament after the end of the tournament.
Georgian Olympic champion defeated Sergey Samolovic of Russia at World Championship and he is in the fifth place of world ranking now. Samolovic won over Tsirekidze at European Championship. They might wrestle against each other in semifinal of the Tokyo tatami.
Rating points prove image of Grand Slam. Champion earns 300 points, finalist – 180, bronze medal winner – 120, loser in ¼ final – 60, 1/8 finalist – 36 and 1/16 finalist – 24.
Irakli Tsirekidze has 478 points and is in the 22nd place in world ranking. Levan Zhorzholiani is in the 14th place with 620 points. Five days after the end of the Japanese tournament, Chinese city Qingdao will also host prestigious Grand Slam and two judokas will compete there in the name of Georgia.
As for other members and candidates of the team, they will participate in international tournaments next year. Peter Seisenbacher, head coach of the team, is holding Japanese meeting with Amiran Papinashvili (60 kg), Nugzar Tatalashvili (73 kg) and Avtandil Chrikishvili (81 kg). Austrian specialist did not find it necessary for these judokas to compete in Tokyo Grand Slam.
Otar Maglakelidze
