South Caucasian Countries at the Paris Olympics: A Retrospective on Key Performances

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At the 2024 Paris Olympics performances, the South Caucasian countries fared impressively for their relatively modest sizes with four medals for Armenia, seven for Azerbaijan and nine for Georgia including Lasha Talakhadze’s historic third gold in weightlifting.

Armenia

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Armenia recorded three silver and one bronze medal in weightlifting, gymnastics, and Greco-Roman wrestling, scoring 66^th place alongside Colombia in the Medal Table. Armenia improved the results of Tokyo  2020 (one silver and three bronze).

The first medallist from Armenia was Artur Davtyan, who qualified for the Olympic Games as the highest eligible athlete in all-around gymnastics. He was one of the favourites to win the gold medal. However, he was unable to outscore Carlos Yulo from the Philippines, who was in phenomenal form, winning two gold medals at the Olympics in men’s vault and floor.

Artur "White Bear" Aleksanyan participated in his fourth Olympic Games at the age of 32 and won his fourth medal in 97 kg category. He is one of the most decorated Greco-Roman wrestlers in the history of Armenia. He made his debut at the London Olympic Games in 2012 and won a bronze medal. Four years later, he became the Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro. Similar to the Tokyo Olympics, Aleksanyan lost in the final in Paris and missed another chance to become a two-time Olympic champion.

Malkhas Amoyan, a Greco-Roman wrestler, earned a medal at the Paris Olympic Games. He was defeated in the semi-finals of the 77kg category by the Japanese wrestler Nao Kusaka. He went on to compete for the bronze medal, where he succeeded in defeating Aram Vardanyan, a wrestler of Armenian descent who was representing Uzbekistan.

Armenia won its fourth and final medal when Varazdat Lalayan, a heavyweight weightlifter, closely competed against Lasha Talakhadze, a three-time Olympic gold medallist from Georgia. Unfortunately, Varazdat Lalayan secured only second place. It's worth noting that Gor Minasyan, another weightlifter of Armenian descent representing Bahrain, won the bronze medal and shared stage with Lalayan.

Azerbaijan

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Azerbaijan recorded two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in weightlifting, gymnastics, and Greco-Roman wrestling, scoring 30^th place alongside Croatia in the Medal Table. Azerbaijan improved the results of Tokyo 2020 (3 silver, 4 bronze).

The rise of Azerbaijan in Judo was solidified at the Paris Olympic Games, with the country clinching two gold medals in the 73 kg and 100 kg weight classes. Hidayet Heydarov, at the age of 27, emerged as a legendary figure in the sport by achieving a remarkable feat in 2024, winning the European Championship, World Championship, and Olympic Games.

In another impressive display, Zelym Kotsoiev secured victory over Georgian Ilia Sulamanidze in the final, becoming the reigning World and Olympic champion in 2024. Notably, Sulamanidze seemed to have the upper hand during the match, but Kotsoev managed to snatch victory away from him in the end due to the third shido.

Gashim Magomedov won a silver medal for Azerbaijan in Taekwondo. He delivered a performance worthy of a gold medal, but an early injury plagued him as Tae-Joon Park dominated him on his way to winning the gold medal in the men's flyweight taekwondo event for South Korea.

Loren Alfonso, the Cuban-Azerbaijani heavyweight boxer, enjoyed an impressive winning streak throughout the competition. However, in the final, he faced Mullojonov and was narrowly defeated with a 5-0 decision, earning him a well-deserved silver medal and a second-place finish.

Twenty-one-year-old Azerbaijani Greco-Roman wrestler Hasrat Jafarov secured a bronze medal in the 67 kg division at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In the semi-finals, Jafarov was on the verge of victory but narrowly lost to Ukrainian wrestler Parviz Nasibov, with the match ending in a 3-3 draw. According to the rules, in the event of a tie, the wrestler who scores the last point is declared the winner, allowing Nasibov to advance. Jafarov then competed for the bronze medal, delivering a dominant performance by defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Amantur Ismailov 8-0. Considering his young age, Jafarov is expected to have many more opportunities to pursue Olympic gold in future games.

Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers made a strong showing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, earning two bronze medals. In the 97 kg division, Magomedkhan Magomedov reached the semi-finals but was defeated by Georgian wrestler Givi Matcharashvili. Magomedov then faced Ukrainian wrestler Bohdan Mchedlidze in the bronze medal match, where he emerged victorious.

Meanwhile, Giorgi Meshvildishvili, a heavyweight wrestler of Georgian descent representing Azerbaijan, also claimed a bronze medal. After losing to Georgian Olympic champion Geno Petriashvili in the semi-finals, Meshvildishvili bounced back to defeat Poland’s Robert Baran. In a poignant moment following Petriashvili’s gold medal win and the playing of the Georgian national anthem, Meshvildishvili placed his hand over his heart and joined in singing the anthem alongside Petriashvili, showcasing a deep connection to his roots.

Georgia

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Georgia recorded three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals in weightlifting, gymnastics, and Greco-Roman wrestling, scoring 24^th place in the Medal Table. Georgia improved the results of Tokyo 2020 although it received one medalless (2 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze).

As expected, Georgia delivered a strong performance in Judo at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Tato Grigalashvili (81kg), the reigning European and World Champion, secured a silver medal, though many had anticipated he would claim the top prize. In the final, Grigalashvili faced off against Japan’s Takanori Nagase, who once again demonstrated his Olympic prowess by defeating Grigalashvili to become a two-time Olympic champion.

Lasha Bekauri (90kg) made history in Paris by becoming a two-time Olympic champion, showcasing his resilience and skill on the mat. In the final against Japan’s Sanshiro Murao, Bekauri faced an early setback, conceding a Waza-ari. However, he demonstrated remarkable composure and tactical brilliance, striking back with two Waza-aris to secure the gold. This victory not only cemented his status as a dominant force in judo but also made him the first Georgian judoka to win two Olympic gold medals.

Ilia Sulamanidze’s silver medal in the 100kg category was particularly disappointing. Despite leading with a Waza-ari against Azerbaijani competitor Kotsoiev, Sulamanidze’s performance faltered under the immense pressure of the Olympic Games. With just eight seconds remaining, he made a crucial mistake, falling and receiving a third Shido, which handed the gold medal to Kotsoiev. Reflecting on the loss, Sulamanidze acknowledged it as a significant life lesson and vowed to use the experience as motivation to return stronger in the future.

Georgian lightweight boxer Lasha Guruli had promised to bring a gold medal back to his homeland but fell short in the semi-finals against Cuba’s future Olympic champion, Erislandy Álvarez. Guruli had initially intended to transition to professional boxing following the Olympic Games. With his Olympic dream unfulfilled, it remains uncertain whether he will aim for the 2028 Olympics or pursue a professional career.

Heavyweight wrestler Geno Petriashvili finally clinched the gold medal at the Olympic Games, a long-awaited achievement following near misses in previous years. A three-time World Champion and two-time European Champion, Petriashvili had come close to victory in Tokyo, where he lost a match just two seconds before the end. In Rio de Janeiro, he won a bronze medal, and in Paris, despite leading with a significant advantage against Iranian Amir Hossein Zare, Zare nearly turned the fight around until the final moments. Petriashvili, having learned from his past experiences, maintained control and secured the gold this time.

Petriashvili is also one of Georgia’s most beloved athletes. His story gained national attention when, at just 11 years old in 2005, he was abducted by South Ossetian militia and held captive for 99 days. Nearly 20 years later, Geno Petriashvili stands as one of the most decorated Georgian freestyle wrestlers, bringing immense pride to his homeland.

Another freestyle wrestler, Givi Matcharashvili (97kg), came close to securing a historic fourth gold medal for Georgia, a feat the country had never achieved in a single Olympic Games. However, he was outmanoeuvred by the exceptional 21-year-old Akhmed Tazhudinov, a Russian-born Bahraini wrestler. Despite Matcharashvili’s strong performance, Tazhudinov capitalized on a crucial mistake, preventing Matcharashvili from adding to Georgia’s gold medal count.

Legendary Georgian heavyweight weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze made history as the first Georgian to win three gold medals at the Olympic Games. Notably, Talakhadze did not surpass Gor Minasyan in the Snatch for the first time and equaled the record set by Lalayan. Despite this, Talakhadze needed only three attempts to secure the gold medal in the Clean & Jerk. Both Lalayan and Minasyan failed their third attempts, while Talakhadze had already secured victory with his second attempt, leading him to forgo the third. At just 30 years old, Talakhadze is expected to target a fourth gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in four years.