29-year-old Lasha Shavdatuashvili has become the first Georgian judoka to secure three major titles of World and Europe championships and the Olympics after winning the Judo World Championship yesterday in Budapest, the Hungarian capital.
Shavdatuashvili claimed victory in the -73 kg competition, defeating Swedish opponent Tommy Macias. On his path to the finals, the Georgian Judoka secured five consecutive wins in the Hungarian capital, defeating Alonso Wong (Peru), Eduardo Barbosa (Brazil), Yehonatan Elbaz (Israel), Miklos Ungvari (Hungary), and Bilal Ciloglu (Turkey).
-73kg Podium!!
🥇 SHAVDATUASHVILI Lasha (GEO)
🥈 MACIAS Tommy (SWE)
🥉 CILOGLU Bilal (TUR)
🥉 HASHIMOTO Soichi (JPN)
#JudoWorlds #Judo #Hungary #Budapest #Sport #Olympics©️ IJF Media Team – Emanuele Di Feliciantonio pic.twitter.com/PQ1qvZUkKf
— Judo (@Judo) June 8, 2021
The most decorated Georgian judoka in history Shavdatuashvili is also the fifth Georgian ever to secure a World judo title.
“Now that I have the three major titles in the world of judo, I hope that the young generation in Georgia will get inspired by my career and understand that without hard work you cannot win,” the International Judo Federation quoted Shavdatuashvili as saying following his finals victory.
Dubbed “one of the most decorated judo players on the planet” by the International Judo Federation, Shavdatuashvili won the gold medal in the 66 kg category during the 2012 London summer Olympics, and the European title in 2013 in the same weight group.
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