I want to share my experience and what I’ve learned over the years with Indian judokas: Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili
TNN | Dec 3, 2024, 09.38 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Lasha Shavdatuashvili is a renowned Georgian judoka who has made significant contributions to the sport. Born on Jan 31, 1992, in Gori, he has consistently showcased exceptional skill and determination on the international stage.
Shavdatuashvili’s career is highlighted by his impressive Olympic achievements, having won medals at three consecutive Summer Games – London 2012 (gold, men’s 66kg), Rio de Janeiro 2016 (-73 kg, bronze) and Tokyo 2020 (-73 kg, silver).
Beyond his Olympic success, Shavdatuashvili has also excelled in the World and European Championships, further solidifying his position as one of the top judokas in the world. His dynamic style, coupled with his technical prowess, has made him a formidable opponent for any competitor. TOI caught up with him for an exclusive interaction. Excerpts…
How has moving from the -66 kg to -73 kg weight category worked out for you? What was your plan and what challenges did you face?
Shavdatuashvili: Switching weight categories was tough. You have to adjust to new situations, use different strategies, and face new opponents. It makes you think a lot about how things will change and whether you’ll manage to adapt. The main thing is to keep pushing yourself and asking if you can succeed. You need to stay focused and believe in your efforts and that is how I finally achieved success, but it took a lot. It was a hard but rewarding journey.
What’s the purpose of your visit and how do you feel about working with the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS)?
Shavdatuashvili: I’m very happy to be here and share my experiences with IIS. I’m excited about the masterclass and looking forward to it. I’m also enjoying my trip to India and hope to learn something from IIS as well during my visit.
Is your role here only for the masterclass, or could you return to India for a longer-term role?
Shavdatuashvili: I’m still active in my sports career and preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics. My focus right now is on staying in top form, competing in as many events as possible, and continuing to enjoy judo. As for coaching, I haven’t made a decision yet. Being a coach means spending almost all your time with athletes. I love judo and would like to stay involved after my career ends, but I think I might become a manager rather than a coach. I’d love to share my experience with the next generation, but I’m not sure yet in what capacity.
What do you plan to teach Indian Judokas during the masterclass?
Shavdatuashvili: The main focus will be on technique, but I also want to share my experience and what I’ve learned over the years. Once I understand their skills and techniques, I’ll be able to guide them better.
What do you think of Indian judoka Linthoi, having seen her train in Georgia? What advice would you give her?
Shavdatuashvili: Linthoi is in great shape right now and has the potential to succeed at the senior level. However, if she only competes in India, her chances will be limited. She needs to participate in international events organized by the International Judo Federation. Training in Japan would also help, as it’s a hub for judo knowledge and techniques. I’ve spent a lot of time in training camps around the world, and if I’d only trained in Georgia, achieving my goals would have been much harder. I’m not sure about her daily training, but a judoka needs to fight at least 20 hours a day to stay in top condition. Training camps can help her find more sparring partners.
Why hasn’t judo seen the same success in India as boxing or wrestling?
Shavdatuashvili: The main issue is the lack of strong internal competition and enough high-level athletes. Without competition, athletes don’t grow and improve together, making it hard to reach the top level. Athletes need regular competitions, ideally at least 12 a year, with a focus on international events. Competing against experienced Judokas is crucial for improvement. However, this requires financial support. It’s not about where an athlete comes from, it’s about what they do to succeed. To progress, you have to work every day to become a better version of yourself.
Manisha Malhotra, President of IIS, also spoke about the institute’s role in developing judo talent in India.
Manisha: Well, we’ve been doing judo now for 8 years, right. And judo is a sport, where we don't have so much culture in India, so we had to start from literally zero. right and of course, we have taken kids, who have been 12, 13, and 14 years old, and have been developing them for 8 years. Now those kids are in positions where they have been achieving success on the Asian and World Stages.
What is next in terms of developing the program and the athletes involved?
Manisha: We’re focusing on expanding internationally and plan to base the athletes in Georgia. Additionally, we aim to bring in mentors from different countries to guide them. Right now, India doesn’t have a strong judo culture compared to other sports, but I truly believe it’s a sport where we can excel, much like wrestling. To achieve this, it’s crucial to grow and solidify the judo community across India. At the moment, it’s concentrated in pockets like Haryana and the Northeast, but we need to take it further. Introducing judo in schools and establishing more clubs nationwide will be key to creating a broader appeal for the sport.
What is the potential for the growth of Judo in India?
Manisha: Globally, judo is far more popular than wrestling in terms of the number of participants and tournaments. There are three times as many judo tournaments as wrestling events worldwide. However, we haven’t yet been able to replicate that level of interest and participation in India. There are various reasons for this, and that’s okay—it’s not necessarily a bad thing. My point is that judo has immense potential to grow here. It’s similar to how air rifle shooting gained popularity. Once you have a couple of champions, everyone gets inspired and starts pursuing the sport. I believe the same can happen with judo in India.
Does India have potential in Judo at the Olympics?
Manisha: The reason I’m pushing for judo is that I genuinely believe we have the potential to deliver strong performances, particularly in women’s categories, at the Los Angeles Olympics. I see judo as a sport where India can excel and even dominate in certain weight categories. With the right focus and preparation, it could become a field where we consistently achieve success.
What inspired IIS to focus on Judo in India?
Manisha: The thing is, as a corporate, I truly believe that when we were advising and setting up programs, we realized that if everyone only focuses on sports like boxing, wrestling, shooting, and archery, where do we go from there? You have to explore new areas. If we want India to grow as a sporting nation, we must start supporting sports that aren’t getting much attention. So, a detailed study was conducted, and we decided to focus on weight-based sports. In these sports, it’s easier to make a breakthrough because athletes compete against opponents of the same weight and similar body types. We did a big study, and we thought why don't we do weight-based sports because it's easier to crack because you're fighting against someone who is in the same weight as you and in the same body type as you. So, we went and did a very in-depth study on karate, Wushu, or Taekwondo. Then we came out with judo, and what we found is that basically what was happening in judo was, especially in Haryana, all the people who didn’t make it in wrestling were going to judo. Then it became a no-brainer, and it’s very similar to what happens across the world. People go between judo and wrestling. Many talents are chosen for judo but become better wrestlers, and many talents chosen for wrestling move to judo. It’s a very similar sport, and if we can be successful in wrestling, why can we not be successful in judo?
Can you share more about the Judo masterclass with Lasha?
Manisha: This is going to be something that is happening across all sports in IIS. Because IIS now has a group of athletes who are youth and they are getting ready for both the Indian and international calendars. The point of all this is to mentor them and help them grow with the best in the world, showing them what it takes. In judo especially, we do not have role models in India. So Lasha was that, but we are going to do this across the board in all sports. Whether it’s Neeraj coming and doing a masterclass, Sakshi doing a masterclass, or in some cases international athletes doing one, it’s going to be a regular feature. The idea is for people to come and do masterclasses with our athletes, trying to teach them, give them different techniques, provide new ideas, and grow their mindset.
How did you rope in a stalwart like Lasha for the masterclass?
Manisha: It began with Lasha because he’s essentially the Federer of the sport. Since our coach is Georgian and knows him, it was a natural connection. He spent two days in Delhi and six days at IIS. When we plan any of the workshops, the focus is not just on IIS—it will always be India-centric.
Shavdatuashvili’s career is highlighted by his impressive Olympic achievements, having won medals at three consecutive Summer Games – London 2012 (gold, men’s 66kg), Rio de Janeiro 2016 (-73 kg, bronze) and Tokyo 2020 (-73 kg, silver).
Beyond his Olympic success, Shavdatuashvili has also excelled in the World and European Championships, further solidifying his position as one of the top judokas in the world. His dynamic style, coupled with his technical prowess, has made him a formidable opponent for any competitor. TOI caught up with him for an exclusive interaction. Excerpts…
How has moving from the -66 kg to -73 kg weight category worked out for you? What was your plan and what challenges did you face?
Shavdatuashvili: Switching weight categories was tough. You have to adjust to new situations, use different strategies, and face new opponents. It makes you think a lot about how things will change and whether you’ll manage to adapt. The main thing is to keep pushing yourself and asking if you can succeed. You need to stay focused and believe in your efforts and that is how I finally achieved success, but it took a lot. It was a hard but rewarding journey.
What’s the purpose of your visit and how do you feel about working with the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS)?
Shavdatuashvili: I’m very happy to be here and share my experiences with IIS. I’m excited about the masterclass and looking forward to it. I’m also enjoying my trip to India and hope to learn something from IIS as well during my visit.
Is your role here only for the masterclass, or could you return to India for a longer-term role?
Shavdatuashvili: I’m still active in my sports career and preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics. My focus right now is on staying in top form, competing in as many events as possible, and continuing to enjoy judo. As for coaching, I haven’t made a decision yet. Being a coach means spending almost all your time with athletes. I love judo and would like to stay involved after my career ends, but I think I might become a manager rather than a coach. I’d love to share my experience with the next generation, but I’m not sure yet in what capacity.
What do you plan to teach Indian Judokas during the masterclass?
Shavdatuashvili: The main focus will be on technique, but I also want to share my experience and what I’ve learned over the years. Once I understand their skills and techniques, I’ll be able to guide them better.
What do you think of Indian judoka Linthoi, having seen her train in Georgia? What advice would you give her?
Shavdatuashvili: Linthoi is in great shape right now and has the potential to succeed at the senior level. However, if she only competes in India, her chances will be limited. She needs to participate in international events organized by the International Judo Federation. Training in Japan would also help, as it’s a hub for judo knowledge and techniques. I’ve spent a lot of time in training camps around the world, and if I’d only trained in Georgia, achieving my goals would have been much harder. I’m not sure about her daily training, but a judoka needs to fight at least 20 hours a day to stay in top condition. Training camps can help her find more sparring partners.
Why hasn’t judo seen the same success in India as boxing or wrestling?
Shavdatuashvili: The main issue is the lack of strong internal competition and enough high-level athletes. Without competition, athletes don’t grow and improve together, making it hard to reach the top level. Athletes need regular competitions, ideally at least 12 a year, with a focus on international events. Competing against experienced Judokas is crucial for improvement. However, this requires financial support. It’s not about where an athlete comes from, it’s about what they do to succeed. To progress, you have to work every day to become a better version of yourself.
Manisha Malhotra, President of IIS, also spoke about the institute’s role in developing judo talent in India.
Manisha: Well, we’ve been doing judo now for 8 years, right. And judo is a sport, where we don't have so much culture in India, so we had to start from literally zero. right and of course, we have taken kids, who have been 12, 13, and 14 years old, and have been developing them for 8 years. Now those kids are in positions where they have been achieving success on the Asian and World Stages.
What is next in terms of developing the program and the athletes involved?
Manisha: We’re focusing on expanding internationally and plan to base the athletes in Georgia. Additionally, we aim to bring in mentors from different countries to guide them. Right now, India doesn’t have a strong judo culture compared to other sports, but I truly believe it’s a sport where we can excel, much like wrestling. To achieve this, it’s crucial to grow and solidify the judo community across India. At the moment, it’s concentrated in pockets like Haryana and the Northeast, but we need to take it further. Introducing judo in schools and establishing more clubs nationwide will be key to creating a broader appeal for the sport.
What is the potential for the growth of Judo in India?
Manisha: Globally, judo is far more popular than wrestling in terms of the number of participants and tournaments. There are three times as many judo tournaments as wrestling events worldwide. However, we haven’t yet been able to replicate that level of interest and participation in India. There are various reasons for this, and that’s okay—it’s not necessarily a bad thing. My point is that judo has immense potential to grow here. It’s similar to how air rifle shooting gained popularity. Once you have a couple of champions, everyone gets inspired and starts pursuing the sport. I believe the same can happen with judo in India.
Does India have potential in Judo at the Olympics?
Manisha: The reason I’m pushing for judo is that I genuinely believe we have the potential to deliver strong performances, particularly in women’s categories, at the Los Angeles Olympics. I see judo as a sport where India can excel and even dominate in certain weight categories. With the right focus and preparation, it could become a field where we consistently achieve success.
What inspired IIS to focus on Judo in India?
Manisha: The thing is, as a corporate, I truly believe that when we were advising and setting up programs, we realized that if everyone only focuses on sports like boxing, wrestling, shooting, and archery, where do we go from there? You have to explore new areas. If we want India to grow as a sporting nation, we must start supporting sports that aren’t getting much attention. So, a detailed study was conducted, and we decided to focus on weight-based sports. In these sports, it’s easier to make a breakthrough because athletes compete against opponents of the same weight and similar body types. We did a big study, and we thought why don't we do weight-based sports because it's easier to crack because you're fighting against someone who is in the same weight as you and in the same body type as you. So, we went and did a very in-depth study on karate, Wushu, or Taekwondo. Then we came out with judo, and what we found is that basically what was happening in judo was, especially in Haryana, all the people who didn’t make it in wrestling were going to judo. Then it became a no-brainer, and it’s very similar to what happens across the world. People go between judo and wrestling. Many talents are chosen for judo but become better wrestlers, and many talents chosen for wrestling move to judo. It’s a very similar sport, and if we can be successful in wrestling, why can we not be successful in judo?
Can you share more about the Judo masterclass with Lasha?
Manisha: This is going to be something that is happening across all sports in IIS. Because IIS now has a group of athletes who are youth and they are getting ready for both the Indian and international calendars. The point of all this is to mentor them and help them grow with the best in the world, showing them what it takes. In judo especially, we do not have role models in India. So Lasha was that, but we are going to do this across the board in all sports. Whether it’s Neeraj coming and doing a masterclass, Sakshi doing a masterclass, or in some cases international athletes doing one, it’s going to be a regular feature. The idea is for people to come and do masterclasses with our athletes, trying to teach them, give them different techniques, provide new ideas, and grow their mindset.
How did you rope in a stalwart like Lasha for the masterclass?
Manisha: It began with Lasha because he’s essentially the Federer of the sport. Since our coach is Georgian and knows him, it was a natural connection. He spent two days in Delhi and six days at IIS. When we plan any of the workshops, the focus is not just on IIS—it will always be India-centric.