Young judoka Lasha Shavdatuashvili added bronze medal of World Championship to European gold one which he won one month and half ago. Georgians judoka (66 kg) defeated 4 opponents from 5 in the capital of South Africa, Cape Town. In ¼ final, Shavdatuashvili received such absurd shido that commentator could not hide his astonishment. As a result of it, Dongkyo Lee of South Korea continued fighting for gold-silver medals. Lasha wrestled in semifinal of repechage.

Before this match, Shavdatuashvili won over two opponents – Mohamed Otman Armaz of Morocco by ippon and Evgeny Tirskikh of Russia by yuko. In repechage Lasha beat Everet Desilets of America and Arthur Clerget of France.

66 kg is the only weight class where Gia Gugava, head coach of the youth team, did not want to fill quota fully. Champion of Europe did not disappoint him but he could have won better medal for sure…

Mikheil Chokheli and Pridon Gigani wrestled in 73 kg. Both of them had Iranian opponents. Chokheli defeated Malek Mohammadi Memar within 82 seconds. Gigani could not win over Saeid Mollaei.

Chokheli overcame other two rounds – he defeated Benjamin Darville of Denmark and Massimiliano Carollo of Italy. In ¼ final, 5 seconds before the final sirena, Chokheli lost to

Sagi Muki of Israel. He did not have enough solidity. Max Stewart of Great Britain beat Georgian judoka in semifinal of repechage.

The second day of World Championship ended up with triumph of Japanese judokas. Besides men, women champions and prize winners were found out in two weight classes. All four gold medals went to the home country of judo.

Tomorrow, men champions and prize winners will be found out in 81 and 90 kg. Beka Gviniashvili, Shalva Ninidze (both 81 kg), Giorgi Mermanishvili and Giorgi Kavtaradze (90 kg) will wrestle in the name of Georgia. Debut of Gviniashvili causes a special interest. This boy won everything this year – except European, World and Olympic festival.

 

Otar Maglakelidze