Vazha Margvelashvili (66 kg), member of the Georgian judo team, became champion of Tbilisi Grand Prix, earned 300 ranking points and Rio Olympics license. Irakli Uznadze’s team finished the first day of Tbilisi Grand Prix with two medals. Amiran Papinashvili (60 kg) took the third place and earned 120 points.

Vazha Margvelashvili beat Sulaiman Hamad of Saudi Arabia and Georgii Zantaraia of Ukraine.

In ¼ final Margvelashvili defeated Sinan Sandal of Turkey. In semifinal he won over Tal Flicker of Israel. In final the Georgian judoka beat Fabio Basile of Italy and won Grand Prix medal for the first time in his career.

No.2 seed Amiran Papinashvili started participating from the second round. He defeated Denys Bilichenko of Ukraine by waza-ari and two yukos. In ¼ final Papinashvili lost to Otar Bestaev of Kyrgyzstan.

In repechage semifinal Amiran won over Yanislav Gerchev of Bulgaria. In “bronze final” Papinashvili beat Bekir Ozlu of Turkey.

Besides Papinashvili and Margvelashvili, other three-three Georgian judokas wrestled in 60 and 66 kg but all of them lost the first round.

Ivane Javakhishvili (60 kg) failed to Aram Grigoryan of Russia. Irakli Kupatadze fell to Juho Reinvall of Finland and Lukhum Chkhvimiani – to Amartuvshin Dashdavaa of Mongolia.

In 66 kg Beka Shavdatuashvili lost to Tal Flicker of Israel, Giorgi Gugulashvili – to Kenneth Van Gansbeke of Belgium and Gela Kelikhashvili – to Zhansay Smagulov of Kazakhstan.

Champions and prize winners were revealed in three women’s weight categories. Georgia had only two representatives. Mariam Janashvili (52 kg) lacked only one win to the pedestal.

Mariam beat Gaukhar Turmakhanova of Kazakhstan, Darya Skrypnik of Ukriane, Erika Miranda of Brazil but then she lost to Gili Cohen of Israel.

In repechage final Janashvili fell to Mi-Ri Kim of South Korea.

Mariam Tsikhelashvili (57 kg) lost the first round to Shushana Hevondian of Ukraine.

Tomorrow men champions and prize winners will be revealed in 73 and 81 kg and women champions and prize winners – in 63 and 70 kg. The following judokas will wrestle in the name of Georgia: Nugzar Tatalashvili, Lasha Shavdatuashvili, Phridon Gigani, Giorgi Katsiashvili (all 73 kg), Ushangi Margiani, Giorgi Papunashvili, Zebeda Rekhviashvili, Levan Gugava (all 81 kg) and Esther Stam (70 kg).

The preliminary stage will start at 10:00.