Georgia’s national judo team crowned World Champions

Georgia’s national judo team has been crowned world champions in the mixed team event at the Judo World Championships in Budapest, defeating South Korea in the final with an impressive score of 4:1.

This is a historic moment for Georgian judo, as it marks the first time the country has won a world title in the mixed team format, which includes three male and three female competitors per team. Since the introduction of this format, Japan has won the championship seven times in a row, never relinquishing the top spot—until now. Georgia had previously earned two bronze medals in the event, but this victory secures their place at the top of the podium.

The road to the championship was no less remarkable. In the round of 16, the Georgian team defeated China 4:1. In the quarterfinals, they swept Italy 4:0. Then came the most stunning result of all: in the semifinals, Georgia triumphed over the seven-time world champions Japan with a score of 4:2. In the final, the team delivered a dominant performance against South Korea to seal the title.

The team had already shown its strength earlier this year by winning the mixed team competition at the European Championships in April, indicating their readiness to challenge the world’s best.

Georgia also celebrated success in the individual competitions at the Budapest World Championships. Eteri Liparteliani became world champion in the 57 kg category. Tato Grigalashvili (81 kg) and Guram Tushishvili (+100 kg) both earned silver medals, while Luka Maisuradze took home bronze in the 90 kg division. In total, Georgia finishes the championship with four individual medals and a historic team title.