Georgia Takes Judo Silver at Rio Olympics

Georgia won its second medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after Varlam Liparteliani had to settle for silver in men’s 90 kg judo as he lost the final to Japanese judoka Mashu Baker.

Liparteliani made his way to the final after defeating 2015 world champion Gwak Donghan of South Korea in semifinal.

This is Georgia’s second medal at the Rio 2016; Lasha Shavdatuashvili won bronze in men’s 73-kilogram category in judo on August 8.

Georgia initially sent 39 athletes to Rio, the largest ever Olympic team for the country.

But after Russia’s weightlifting team was banned from competing at the Rio Olympics because of doping offences, available quota was reallocated to eight countries, including Georgia, which increased number of its athletes in Rio to 40.