Judo: Frenchman Luka Mkheidze wins European under-60kg title in Tbilisi
Luka Mkheidze secured his second European judo championship title in the men’s 60kg division on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the Olympic Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. The French judoka defeated his Georgian rival Giorgi Sardalashvili in the final to claim gold, marking France’s second medal of the day following Shirine Boukli’s victory in the women’s 48kg category.
The victory was particularly meaningful for Mkheidze, who was born in Tbilisi thirty years ago before moving to France as a teenager. Speaking after his win, he described Georgia as his “second home” and expressed deep appreciation for the support from family and friends in attendance.
“Georgia is my second home and I’m extremely happy to fight here in the final with a Georgian judoka,” Mkheidze said. “Giorgi [Sardalashvili] is very strong. When I saw him this morning, he told me that it would be very good if we fight in the final today and this is what we did. I respect him a lot.”
The 30-year-old athlete acknowledged the emotional significance of competing in his birthplace, noting the presence of his first judo coach from Georgia, who was unable to attend due to illness but planned to meet Mkheidze after the competition.
“I knew that I had a lot of family and friends at my side, I heard them and that helped me a lot during the day,” Mkheidze explained. “My first judo coach from Georgia is here [in Tbilisi], too. Unfortunately, he was sick and unable to come today. But I will go and see him after the competition to thank him for guiding me and getting me started in judo.”
Mkheidze’s triumph continued a strong start for the French team at the championships, following teammate Shirine Boukli’s gold medal in the women’s 48kg division earlier in the day.
“I am so happy for Shirine. We are in the same club in the Paris region. I signed with this club last September and I’m very proud of winning this first medal, this first title for my new club,” he said. “We have been competing together for many years now and she [Boukli] is always the first one to fight and to secure a medal. And then it’s always me coming after her, so I follow her all the time. I am very happy for her and for the French team.”
The men’s 60kg event featured 26 competitors from 18 nations. Mkheidze’s path to gold included victories over various opponents before facing Sardalashvili in the final match. The Georgian judoka, who entered the competition as the reigning European champion and 2024 world champion in the division, proved a formidable opponent but ultimately fell to Mkheidze’s skill and determination.
Bronze medals were awarded to Izhak Ashpiz of Israel and Ahmad Yusifov of Azerbaijan, who both secured third-place finishes in their respective repechage brackets.
The competition took place at the Olympic Palace in Tbilisi, with events commencing on April 16, 2026. The venue, located in the Georgian capital, provided a fitting backdrop for Mkheidze’s emotional victory on familiar soil.
This victory marks Mkheidze’s second European title, following his first championship win in 2023 on home soil in France. The judoka has now established himself as one of the dominant figures in the men’s 60kg division, combining technical excellence with a deep personal connection to the sport’s international community.
As the European Judo Championships continue through the week, Mkheidze’s performance serves as an early highlight for the French delegation and underscores the competitive depth of the nation’s judo program across multiple weight categories.
The next major checkpoint for the judo calendar will be the upcoming World Championships later this year, where Mkheidze will aim to build on his European success against the global elite in his weight class.
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