Vazha Margvelashvili going for home gold in Tbilisi

Five finals today at the Grand Prix of Tbilisi where first seeded Boldbaatar Ganbat (MGL) lost to Bekir Ozlu (TUR) in the quarter final. Ganbat goes for bronze but his compatriot Amartuvshin Dashdavaa will fight Diyorbek Urozboev (UZB). In head2heads 1-1, the last victory was for Urozboev in Tbilisi in 2015.

U66kg Giorgii Zantaraia was surprised by the strong Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO) and didn’t even get a repechage match. Vazha Margvelashvili  continued and will fight strong Italian Fabio Basile (ITA) in the final. Basile is in a good shape but lost to Vazha Margvelashvili at the GP in Düsseldorf this year. Margvelashvili is the favourite to win gold.

In the women’s division Irina Dolgova of Russia was among the favourites for gold but she stranded in the semi final against Monica Ungureanu (ROU) who will now fight Taciana Lima (GBS) in the final. Lima defeated Ebru Sahin who is still going for bronze against Kazach hope Otgontsetseg Galbadrakh. If Sahin wins, she may even pass Dilara Lokmanhekim in the ranking, juicy match. The finallists know each other well and Lima vs Ungureanu is 2-2 in head2heads, Ungureanu won the last bout in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

The final U52 will be between Gili Cohen (ISR) and Odette Giuffrida (ITA). A battle who will become the best, the last two bouts were for Giuffrida, but the score is now 3-3. At the World Championships in 2015 Giuffrida defeated Cohen, as well as in Tbilisi last year for bronze.

Rafaela Silva (BRA) will meet Kosovarian Nora Gjakova (KOS). At the World Championships in 2013 Silva found Gjakova on her way, but Gjakova couldn’t stop Silva from winning the gold. Since then Gjakova got better, so this can be an interesting final.