Two Georgian judoka in polls for annual International Judo Federation awards
Lukhum Chkhvimiani (left) and young talent Tato Grigalashvili are featured in two of the five end-of-the-year honours IJF has drawn up. Photos via IJF.
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Two Georgian judo wrestlers, 2019 Tokyo World Championships winner Lukhum Chkhvimiani and rising talent Tato Grigalashvili, are in running to collect annual International Judo Federation awards in a public poll.
The two athletes have been picked for two of the five award categories drawn up by the international ruling body to recognise outstanding wrestlers of the past year in the sport, with judo enthusiasts able to cast votes for their favourites online.
NOMINEES FOR MALE JUDOKA OF THE YEAR ????????
— Judo (@Judo) December 16, 2020
@lukhumi_chkhvimiani @ono0203
@sagi_muki
@lukaskrpalek
@jorgefonsca
Vote for your favorites at ????????https://t.co/VgKHd3Cje6
Winner will be announced during JUDOFEST on ????DEC 27th ???? pic.twitter.com/HtQ9NcPKU2
Chkhvimiani, who triumphed at last year's Senior World Championships in the Japanese capital, is in running to win the Male Judoka of the Year title, with Shohei Ono, Jorge Fonseca, Sagi Muki and Lukas Krpalek also in contention.
Grigalashvili, a 21-year-old winner of this year's Düsseldorf Grand Slam, is vying for the Rising Star Award of the 2019-2020 season, with his competition featuring fellow wrestlers Patricia Sampaio, Andrea Stojadinov, Manuel Lombardo and Shirine Boukli.
The IJF poll will be open for the public through December 21, with each registered user of the governing body's official website able to cast a vote every 24 hours. Winners of the end-of-the-year poll will be unveiled on December 27.
Georgia's capital Tbilisi will not host the 2020 Judo Grand Prix between March 27-29 after the International Judo Federation cancelled the tournament due to a "heightened risk" of coronavirus.
Georgian judoka Tato Grigalashvili has claimed historic gold at the Düsseldorf Grand Slam on Saturday. Grigalashvili, 20, handed a defeat to his Russian rival, Olympic champion Khasan Khalmurzaev in the under 81kg category yesterday.
Georgian judo wrestlers earned two of five prizes in the annual International Judo Federation public poll, with Lukhum Chkhvimiani and Tato Grigalashvili claiming honours from a shortlist of athletes.
The International Judo Federation has named Georgia's young athlete Lasha Bekauri as the newcomer of the year in its unofficial end of year awards.
Georgian judoka Lukhum Chkhvetiani has made a history by winning the World Championships Senior 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. Watch Chkhvetiani defeate an Uzbek Sharafuddin Lutfillaev in -60kg category.
Young Georgian wrestler Tato Grigalashvili was named the best male athlete at the Doha World Judo Masters, capping a competition where Georgian competitors earned five medals - including a gold for the young judoka.
Georgia's Shmagi Bolkvadze left the mat at the European Wrestling Championship in Warsaw with the gold medal and pushed the team up to the third spot in the final rankings as the competition came to a close on Sunday.