3 silver and 4 bronze medals – that is all awards of Georgian judokas and wrestlers at 2010 European and World Championship. It is the second times when members of Georgian National team finished season without winning golden medal, but last year was better with more 4 bronze medals.
The only success was Judo Team’s victory at European Championship. Amiran Totikashvili’s trained team took the first place at European tournament which was underway in Vena on April 22-25. At single ranking only one player won medal as for team ranking they competed without loose. According to principal matches were held in five weight categories- 66, 73, 81, 90 and +90. 13 National Teams participated in this tournament. Georgian team was lucky and was in a very weak group and started competing in quarterfinal. Before final Georgian team beat teams of Moldova and Poland with the same points 3:2.
Decisive match started badly for Georgians – Davit Asumbani (66 kg) lost with Sophian Milus and France advanced. Zaza Kedelashvili (73 kg) awarded vazar against Luis Korval in two minutes and equalized. Levan Tsiklauri (81 kg) took revenge and beat Antuan Janin in team ranking, which he could not manage in single one. Varlam Liparteliani (90 kg) beat Roman Bufe and guaranteed victory to Georgian team in advance. Lasha Gujejiani lost but with Teddy Riner but it was not decisive.
Vladimer Putin was attending European Championship and according to the preliminary information he had to award winner men’s team but finally awarded women’s team.
In individual ranking only Varlam Liparteliani(90 kg) succeeded and won medal. He won silver medal second time. Varlam had such opponent in final match that Georgians were celebrating winning golden medal in advance but finally 19-year-old Swedish Yuko Niman managed to beat 21-year-old Georgian sportsman.
World championship was held in Tokyo in fall. It was distinguished because Judo International Federation let countries to represent 2 teams. 15 sportsmen represented Georgia, but none of them managed to take place in top 3. As it was expected Liparteliani (90 kg) wrestled well and got the 5th place.
The most disappointed thing at World Championship was another fact. One of the keader of Georgian team Irakli Tsirekidze was late at 1/8final match and that’s why he automatically lost.
Head coach of Georgian team Amiran Totikashvili made the following comment about this unfortunate occasion from Japan: ” Lasha Gujejiani was wrestling and I was next to him. Suddenly I saw that Tsirelidze’s rival appeared and was waiting for Irakli. I run to the changing room at once. Changing room was quite far, but we appeared in one minute. Head of commission of coaches ordered to finish meeting.” After his arrival he left his position as well as president of Judo Federation. Giorgi Aleksidze the first vice-president of Judo Federation is still acting president. Soso Liparteliani is head coach of National Judo Team.
Greco-Roman wrestlers as well as Georgian Judokas also managed to win only one medal. Soso Jabidze wrestler in 96 weight category won bronze medal at European Championship, which was underway in Baku on April 17-18. At the end of the season there was talks about firing head coach of classical wrestling team Begi Darchia, but Wrestling Federation gave him chance of improve situation at European Championship in 2011. The same decision was made about head coach of free style wrestlers. Zaza Turmanidze’s could not managed to win only golden medal, as for silver and bronze ones, they won it more than classical wrestlers and judokas. Giorgi Gogshelidze(96 kg) a leader of the team had distinguished year. He had chance to win European Chamoionshio second time but due to unfair referee he was awarded with silver medal. At World Championship he won bronze medal.
At European Championship Malkhaz Zarkua (60 kg) won silver medal and Otar Tushishvili (66 kg) bronze one. Levan Berianidze won the second bronze medal at World Championship.
In 2011 Georgian teams will wrestle with renovated members. Winner sportsmen at European and World championships, free style wrestler Davit Khutsishvili and judoka Avtandi Chrikashvili are the exact candidates of National Teams.
Judo
European Championship
Vena. April 22-25
90kg
Valram Liparteliani
Silver
Greco-Roman
European Championship
Baku. April 17-18
96 kg
Soso Jabadze
Bronze
Free style wrestling
European championship
Baku. April 13-14
60 kg
Malkhaz Zarkua
Silver
96 kg
Giorgi Gogshelidze
Silver
66 kg
Otar Tushashvili
Bronze
World Championship
Moscow. September 10-12
96 kg
Giorgi Gogshelidze
Bronze
120 kg
Levan Berianidze
Bronze
Otar Maglakelidze
