1. Overview
Gela Zaalishvili, born on August 19, 1999, is a prominent Georgian judoka who competes in the heavyweight +100 kg category. Throughout his career, Zaalishvili has established himself as a formidable force in the sport, achieving significant success across various levels of international competition, from junior to senior circuits. His notable accomplishments include a gold medal at the 2018 World Judo Juniors Championships, multiple gold medals in prestigious Grand Slam tournaments, and bronze medals at the World Judo Championships (mixed team event) and the Judo World Masters. Zaalishvili's journey has been marked by impressive victories and resilient performances, though it also includes a notable incident concerning refereeing integrity that garnered international attention.
2. Judo Career
Gela Zaalishvili's judo career showcases a consistent progression from a promising junior athlete to a top-tier senior competitor, characterized by a series of significant achievements in major international tournaments.
2.1. Early and Junior Career
Zaalishvili began to make his mark in the judo world during his cadet and junior years. In 2015, he secured a bronze medal in the individual +90 kg category at the European Cadet Judo Championships in Sofia, while his team triumphed to win the gold medal in the team event. The same year, he earned a bronze medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival. At the World Cadet Judo Championships, he placed seventh individually in the +90 kg category and contributed to his team's bronze medal finish. His success in team events continued in 2016, when his team clinched their second consecutive gold medal at the European Cadet Team Championships.
In 2017, Zaalishvili competed in the European Junior Judo Championships in Maribor, taking home a bronze medal in the individual competition and a silver medal with the men's team. He further demonstrated his potential by securing a bronze medal at the European U23 Judo Championships. The following year, 2018, was particularly successful for Zaalishvili in the junior division. He won the gold medal at the European Junior Championships in Sofia. His breakout performance came at the 2018 World Judo Juniors Championships in Nassau, where he dominated the +100 kg category, winning all his matches by ippon. This included a significant victory over Japan's Ritsu Saito with a 小外刈kosoto-gariJapanese (minor outer reap) in the second round, and a decisive win over Stefan Hegyi of Austria in the final by awase-waza (combination of techniques). In the team event at the same championships, Zaalishvili again defeated Saito in the semifinals against Japan, although his team ultimately lost. He also secured a waza-ari victory against his opponent in the bronze medal match against Russia, but his team finished fifth overall.
In 2019, Zaalishvili achieved his second consecutive gold medal at the European Junior Championships in Vantaa. However, he was unable to defend his title at the 2019 World Judo Juniors Championships, losing to Sosuke Matsumura of Japan by a powerful 裏投げura-nageJapanese (rear throw) in the second round. In the mixed team event, his team secured a bronze medal after losing to Russia in a decisive representative match, where Lasha Bekauri (in the 90 kg category) was defeated by waza-ari. By 2020, he earned a silver medal at the European U23 Championships. His junior career concluded with strong performances into 2021, where he earned an individual bronze medal and a team gold at the European U23 Championships.
2.2. Senior Career Highlights
Zaalishvili's transition to the senior circuit was marked by immediate impact and consistent medal-winning performances. In 2019, he secured his first gold medal on the IJF World Judo Tour at the 2019 Judo Grand Slam Baku in the +100 kg category. He also earned a bronze medal at the 2019 Judo Grand Prix Budapest, where he lost to Japan's Kokoro Kageura by 大外刈osoto-gariJapanese (major outer reap) in the semifinals. Later that year, he won the 2019 Judo Grand Prix Zagreb gold medal, though this victory was later subject to controversy.
In 2020, Zaalishvili took home a bronze medal from the 2020 Judo Grand Slam Hungary in Budapest. The year 2021 saw him win two Grand Slam gold medals: first at the 2021 Judo Grand Slam Tel Aviv and then at his home tournament, the 2021 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi, both in the +100 kg division. He also placed fifth at the 2021 World Judo Championships. His success in Tbilisi continued into 2022, where he once again claimed the gold medal at the 2022 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi. He finished fifth at the 2022 Judo Grand Prix Zagreb.
The year 2023 was another strong period for Zaalishvili. He started with a bronze medal at the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tashkent. He then won his third consecutive gold medal at the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi, notably defeating the reigning World Champion, Andy Granda of Cuba, in the semifinals. Zaalishvili also secured a bronze medal with the mixed team at the 2023 World Judo Championships in Doha and a gold medal with the mixed team at the 2023 European Games in Kraków. He concluded the year with a bronze medal at the 2023 Judo World Masters in Budapest.
2.3. Notable Matches and Controversies
Gela Zaalishvili's career includes several memorable matches, with one particular contest at the 2019 Judo Grand Prix Zagreb attracting significant scrutiny regarding refereeing decisions. In the +100 kg final, Zaalishvili faced Hisayoshi Harasawa of Japan. During the golden score period, Harasawa initially appeared to win by a waza-ari from a 小内刈kouchi-gariJapanese (minor inner reap). However, this initial decision was overturned. Shortly after, Zaalishvili executed a throw identified by the IJF as a 引込返hikomi-gaeshiJapanese (pulling-in throw) for ippon, securing him the gold medal. The All Japan Judo Federation, however, identified the technique as a 帯取返obi-otoshiJapanese (belt drop).
The controversy surrounding this match was addressed in the IJF Refereeing, Sport and Education Seminar in Doha in January 2020. During the seminar, officials reviewed the specific sequence of events, particularly Zaalishvili's grip. The IJF determined that Zaalishvili's grip, described as a one-sided grip or a cross-grip (holding the opponent's back or belt over their shoulder), should have resulted in a shido (penalty) against him. This clarification implied that the initial decision to award Harasawa a waza-ari should have stood, and Zaalishvili's subsequent ippon should have been invalidated due to the prior penalty. Had this judgment been applied correctly in the match, Zaalishvili would have received three shidos, leading to a hansoku-make (disqualification) victory for Harasawa, and Zaalishvili would have been placed second. This ruling highlighted important discussions within the judo community about consistency and integrity in refereeing.
Beyond this controversial bout, Zaalishvili has been involved in other significant contests. At the 2018 World Judo Juniors Championships, his victory over then-rising Japanese prospect Ritsu Saito in the second round, and his subsequent victory over Saito again in the team event, demonstrated his strength against top junior competitors. His defeat by Sosuke Matsumura via 裏投げura-nageJapanese at the 2019 World Judo Juniors Championships prevented him from securing a second consecutive junior world title. More recently, his impressive win against World Champion Andy Granda at the 2023 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi highlighted his continued ability to challenge and defeat the sport's elite.
3. Competitive Record
Gela Zaalishvili has achieved numerous medals and significant placements throughout his competitive judo career.
| Year | Competition | Category | Medal/Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | European Cadet Championships | +90 kg | Bronze |
| 2015 | European Cadet Championships | Team | Gold |
| 2015 | European Youth Olympic Festival | +90 kg | Bronze |
| 2015 | World Cadet Championships | +90 kg | 7th Place |
| 2015 | World Cadet Championships | Team | Bronze |
| 2016 | European Cadet Championships | Team | Gold |
| 2017 | European Junior Championships | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2017 | European Junior Championships | Men's team | Silver |
| 2017 | European U23 Championships | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2018 | European Junior Championships | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2018 | World Junior Championships | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2018 | World Junior Championships | Team | 5th Place |
| 2019 | Grand Slam Baku | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2019 | Grand Prix Budapest | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2019 | Grand Prix Zagreb | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2019 | European Junior Championships | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2019 | World Junior Championships | Mixed team | Bronze |
| 2020 | Grand Slam Hungary | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2020 | European U23 Championships | +100 kg | Silver |
| 2021 | Grand Slam Tel Aviv | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2021 | Grand Slam Tbilisi | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2021 | World Championships | +100 kg | 5th Place |
| 2021 | European U23 Championships | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2021 | European U23 Championships | Team | Gold |
| 2021 | European Championships | Mixed team | Gold |
| 2022 | Grand Slam Tbilisi | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2022 | Grand Prix Zagreb | +100 kg | 5th Place |
| 2023 | Grand Slam Tashkent | +100 kg | Bronze |
| 2023 | Grand Slam Tbilisi | +100 kg | Gold |
| 2023 | World Judo Championships | Mixed team | Bronze |
| 2023 | European Games | Mixed team | Gold |
| 2023 | World Masters | +100 kg | Bronze |
4. IJF World Ranking
As of March 18, 2024, Gela Zaalishvili holds the 14th position in the IJF World Ranking with a total of 2099 points. His consistent performances in Grand Slams and other major tournaments have contributed to his steady presence within the top echelons of the heavyweight judo division.