Nikoloz Sherazadishvili Targets Gold at Budapest Judo Grand Slam Under Strict COVID-19 Protocols
World champion Nikoloz Sherazadishvili leads a seven-member Spanish delegation into the opening elite competition of the post-pandemic calendar at the Hungary Judo Grand Slam in Budapest, Telemadrid reported. The tournament runs from Friday through Sunday under strict sanitary measures that include hourly cleaning of the tatamis with a special solution described by organizers as safe for athletes yet lethal to germs and viruses.
Seventy nations have answered the International Judo Federation’s call for the Budapest event. Sherazadishvili enters the tournament as the top-seeded competitor in the -90kg division, a category he previously conquered to claim the world title in 2018. The Spanish squad also features Francisco Garrigós seeded second at -60kg, Alberto Gaitero second at -66kg, Ana Pérez fourth at -52kg, Laura Martínez third at -48kg, María Bernabéu fourth at -70kg, and Sara Álvarez competing in the +78kg division.
Preparation and Mindset Heading Into Budapest
Reflecting on his training block through the summer months, Sherazadishvili stated his intention to test his limits in the Hungarian capital. The objective is to go for gold giving one hundred percent,
Sherazadishvili told Eurosport, which holds the broadcast rights for the competition. I have trained all summer with a lot of desire to do well. We will see how the tournament shapes up and the state of the rivals, but I always demand the maximum of myself, which is to fight for the gold.
The 2018 world champion acknowledged that evaluating the opposition remains difficult following the prolonged break in international competition. There are top people who we hope will not be in the state they should be and people who a priori are not favorites who can give a surprise,
Sherazadishvili said. He added that physical preparations had gone according to plan: At the moment I feel really good.
I have had a lot of time to train and be in good conditions to compete.
Strict Health Protocols and Olympic Ranking Implications
All participants arriving in Budapest face rigorous health screenings, including mandatory negative coronavirus tests upon arrival followed by secondary testing at their team hotels. The Hungarian event carries significant weight for the Olympic qualification ranking, which is scheduled to close on June 28, 2021. Current qualification rules send the top 18 athletes in each weight category to the Tokyo Games—capped at one representative per country—alongside additional continental quota places and host-nation provisions. Alongside Sherazadishvili, Spanish competitors currently positioned inside the provisional Olympic qualification zones include Garrigós, Gaitero, Julia Figueroa or Martínez, Pérez, Bernabéu, and Álvarez.
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