Guram Tushishvili confirms second Georgian gold

It was two regulars at major international events and collectors of medals who found themselves in the final of the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv. On one side, the Brazilian giant Rafael Silva, twice an Olympic medallist and multiple world medallist. On the other, strong and as fast as lightning, was Guram Tushishvili of Georgia, 2018 world champion and silver medallist in Tokyo last year. A clash of the Titans was in view.

Even if a match involving Rafael Silva always looks like David against Goliath, everyone knows that in this case David is incredibly powerful. Once again, Guram Tushishvili proved it by tiring his opponent until he was penalised for the third time, to win gold. 

Andy Granda (CUB), third in Tbilisi in 2021 and Temur Rakhimov (TJK), third in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2021, fought for the first bronze medal. After Andy Granda was penalised a third time, the medal went to Temur Rakhimov, the third one of this kind for Rakhimov.

Stephan Hegyi (AUT), bronze medallist in Antalya in 2021 and Onise Bughadze (GEO), 113th in the world, gave themselves the chance to climb on to the podium. To win his third medal in a grand slam, Stephan Hegyi had to drop under the his opponent and perform a left handed tai-otoshi for waza-ari and he did it.