Georgian judo team finished the first day of Dusseldorf “Grand Prix” with two medals. Amiran Papinashvili (60kg) and Shalva Kardava (66kg) won bronze medals.

Papinashvili beat Senne Wyns of Belgium, Yerkebulan Kossayev of Kazakhstan and Matjaz Trbovc of Slovenia. The Georgian lost gold-silver chance in semifinal where he lost to Boldbaatar Ganbat of Mongolia. In repechage final Papinashvili defeated Askhat Telmanov of Kazakhstan by 2 yukos. Besides Papinashvili, Betkil Shukvani also wrestled in 60kg. He lost to Francisco Garrigos of Spain in the first round.

Lasha Shavdatuashvili and Shalva Kardava wrestled in 66kg. They had to wrestle against each other for bronze medal but Kardava won without fight.

Shavdatuashvili lost to Masashi Ebinuma of Japan in semifinal. Before that, the Olympic champion won over Jasper De Jong of Holland, Jun-Hyun Cho of South Korea and Tarlan Karimov of Azerbaijan.

Kardava beat Hevorh Hevorhyan of Ukraine and Laszlo Szoke of Romania. In ¼ final the Georgian lost to Masaaki Fukuoka of Japan. In repechage Kardava defeated Sugoi Uriarte of Spain by yuko.

Zurab Nozadze and Ambako Avaliani (both 73kg) also wrestled on the German tatami. Both of them lost in the first round. Nozadze lost to Javier Ramirez of Spain by waza-ari. Avaliani lost to Sagi Muki of Israel.

Today champions and prize winners will be found out in 81, 90, 100 and +100kg. The following judokas will wrestle in the name of Georgia: Avtanchil Chrikishvili, Levan Tsiklauri (both 81kg), Varlam Liparteliani, Zviad Gogochuri (both 90kg), Aleksandre Mskhaladze, Giorgi Nozadze (both 100kg), Adam Okruashvili and Levan Matiashvili (both +100kg).

Otar Maglakelidze