Ilia Sulamanidze Triumphs in Men's -100 kg Judo Quarterfinal at Paris 2024

On August 1, 2024, the Men's -100 kg Quarterfinals in judo showcased a remarkable contest at the Champ-de-Mars Arena. Ilia Sulamanidze of Georgia faced off against Aaron Wolf from Japan in what turned out to be an exhilarating match, culminating in Sulamanidze's victory.

The match began with a tense atmosphere as both athletes entered the arena, each carrying the weight of their national pride. Sulamanidze, ranked 2nd in the world, had previously secured a gold medal at the Jerusalem Masters 2022, setting high expectations for his performance. Meanwhile, Wolf, a formidable competitor ranked 13th globally, was also a gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, adding to the stakes of this encounter.

The contest kicked off at 11:54 AM local time, with Sulamanidze quickly establishing control. Within the first minute, he executed a successful Sumi-gaeshi (sweeping throw) technique, earning him a Waza-ari point, which is a significant advantage in judo scoring. The match continued with both athletes exchanging penalties, and by the end of the first four minutes, Sulamanidze had accumulated enough points to secure a victory, thus progressing to the semifinals.

Notably, the match was officiated by Brazilian referee Mariano dos Santos, ensuring the integrity and fairness of the competition. The event concluded with the official status marked as ‘Finished’, and Sulamanidze celebrated his hard-fought win, ready to advance further in his quest for Olympic glory. This match not only highlighted the skill and determination of the athletes but also set the stage for an electrifying continuation of the judo events at Paris 2024.