Home tatami, huge target: Gujejiani’s Georgia braces for the Tbilisi test

Georgian judo doesn’t really do quiet, and neither does the build-up to Tbilisi. With the continent arriving in Georgia, head coach Lasha Gujejiani is the steady voice behind a team known for force, unity and that unmistakable national pulse. He isn’t selling a miracle plan—he’s talking about managing pride, pressure and the reality of a home European Championship.

A home Europeans can squeeze you—or lift you.

The Senior European Judo Championships return to Tbilisi from 16–19 April, the first time in 17 years. Gujejiani calls it both a challenge and a motivation, and he’s clear that the balance will only be judged after the competition. Interestingly, he admits the responsibility can feel heavier on the coach than on the athletes, even if the team’s routine preparation stays largely unchanged.

One theme keeps coming back: preservation. In a season that can drain bodies fast, Gujejiani says the key focus has been keeping the squad healthy and making sure all leading judoka can actually compete. The recent Tbilisi Grand Slam 2026 offered a kind of dress rehearsal, but his priority remains long-term readiness as Olympic qualification events begin this year and the World Championships sit later in the calendar.

Inside the camp, he resists separating the group into isolated projects. Different weight categories may need different approaches, but he describes Georgian judo as a unified team that doesn’t look divided in training. When it comes to in-house rivalry, he insists on honesty and objectivity—no bias, no hidden hierarchy.

Asked about the biggest threat, he answered: Georgians.

Gujejiani also points to the depth and diversity of European judo as a defining strength, and he expects the home crowd to matter—maybe even decisively. Then he sets a headline goal: for Georgia, success at these championships would mean winning seven gold medals. And when the moment comes to step on the tatami, his message won’t start with tactics—it starts with belief.

Source: EJU_News