Georgia Wins Second Olympic Gold in Tokyo

Georgia’s Lasha Talakhadze won the men’s over 109kg weightlifting with world and Olympic records, clinching the second gold for his country in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Lasha Talakhadze lifted a combined total of 488kg, beating his own world record by three kilograms, after raising world record 223 kg in the snatch and 265 in the clean and jerk, with the latter two also improving his previous world records in the men’s over 109kg.

The 27-year-old Georgian defeated Iranian runner-up Ali Davoudi by 47kg.

This is the first time for a Georgian sportsman to become two times Olympic champion. Talakhadze won his first Olympic gold in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Talakhadze’s win brings Georgia’s overall medal tally at the Tokyo Olympics to 7 – two gold medals, four silver and one bronze.

Wrestler Iakob Kajaia, won Olympic silver in 130kg Greco-Roman wrestling on August 2. Weightlifter Anton Pliesnoi won bronze in men’s 96kg. Judoka Lasha Bekauri brought Georgia the first gold in Tokyo Olympic in men’s 90kg.

Judoka Tushishvili secured silver in men’s +100kg category, while judokas Vazha Margvelashvili and Lasha Shavdatuashvili have also won Olympic silver in men’s 66kg and 73 kg categories, respectively.

35 Georgian athletes competed in Tokyo, in 11 sports. The Government of Georgia has promised to award gold winners with GEL 1 million (USD 324,000). 

Related Stories:

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)