On Sunday 15th June, Eteri Liparteliani gave the performance of her life to win the -57 kg world title at the Papp Laszlo Arena in Hungary. The house was full and a large section of the spectator seating was draped in Georgian flags, so many had made the journey to watch their judo heroes compete. Her win in the final against Japan’s Momo Tamaoki gave rise to an eruption in the venue, pure joy among the Georgian fans and the delegation.
As the week of individual competitions came to a close, Eteri, unexpectedly, was the only member of the team to win gold. Several other medals followed, but no-one else from the team stood on the top step of the podium. This seemed to highlight her extraordinary achievement even more.
“It’s an important moment, to became the first ever in the history of Georgia in judo.” Eteri hadn’t realised that this result wasn’t just about judo but about all sports in Georgia. “Really? I didn’t know?” She stood for a few seconds absorbing the enormity of it, “Because we have never had a woman be a world champion before, I am the person who is writing this history. I was first woman to be a European medallist, the first to win a grand prix gold, to be a grand slam medallist, a junior world champion, so I’m continuing to write the history of Georgian sport and judo."
"Of course we have been working towards this specific result, especially since I lost the European final in Montenegro. After that, I wanted to show my maximum effort. Because of my dedication and what I did before, I was thinking it was possible for me to finally achieve this top result. The silver at the Europeans was not the maximum for me; an added motivation on the way to the worlds. I wanted to be the world champion and that result was an additional push. I thought I could have been European champion but I lost. Then I had to bring more and I did.”
In Budapest, just like all other categories, the -57 kg cohort was peppered with world, continental and Olympic medallists, from Cysique to Tamaoki, Huh to Nelson Levy, but Liparteliani had no intention of second guessing it and chose to impose an information blackout.
“I didn’t look at the list of entries or the draw beforehand, not who I might have in my quarter, nothing. I only saw the draw on the morning of the competition. I didn’t even think about who would be there because it doesn’t matter. The most important thing was for me to realise that I have to beat them all, everybody, no matter which round and no matter who.
Mostly I’m not nervous before I fight because I’m always thinking that I have to be ready to win; I have to receive positive energy all the time. My main goal is to put in maximum energy and receive it back, throwing away all possible bad feelings.”
Two Olympic 5th places must have brought a huge challenge mentally, really hard moments to manage. How did you recover to come to this incredible level?
“Of course it was very difficult for me, a big and challenging issue. Even speaking about this is hard for me, still now. When I remember these bronze medal fights, I so wanted to be the champion at both Games and to have no medal, these defeats were so painful. But every loss gives me more belief in the future. If you don’t really feel the pain of loss, maybe you never fully understand the joy that comes with the best moments. It’s the reality of sport.”
At only 25 years old, you are already building an amazing career for yourself but you are also opening the way for girls in sport in Georgia. How do you envision the years ahead for yourself but also for girls in Georgia who want to do sport?
Of course I will do everything to compete again at the Olympic Games and to win more European and world medals. The main target is LA28; I want to have a medal there. The new generation are already following my results and I will be happy if they can grow up havig success too. I will do all I can for them and motivate them to keep working. I am very happy to be the first world champion and want to be the first Olympic champion too. The next girls will remember that I was first and will know that they can do it too.”
Eteri Liparteliani’s victory was emotional, historic and entirely unique; she’s a true pioneer. Bravo!