Georgian coach ‘adopts’ Indian judoka amid lockdown

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, June 19

A top Georgian coach, who guided compatriot Zurab Zviadauri to a gold medal win in the 2004 Athens Olympics, has ‘adopted’ Indian judoka Jasleen Saini, currently ranked 56th in the world, during the ongoing lockdown period. Apart from giving him work and accommodation in his native village in Georgia, coach Mamuka Kizilashvili, is also acting as his trainer.

Had the Tokyo Olympics been held on time, Saini would have qualified by virtue of having secured a place in the continental quota from Asia. The International Judo Federation (IJF) was to announce his name on June 29, but has now decided to keep it on hold following the postponement of the Quadrennial games.

He would have been the second Olympian from Gurdaspur, the first being Avtar Singh, who took part in the Rio games. Just four Indian judokas have taken part in the Olympics in its 124-year history. Saini, who has won gold medals in the 66-kg weight class in the Commonwealth championships, World Police Games and South Asian championships, all held in 2019, arrived in Georgia on March 8 to train for the international grand prix judo championships scheduled to be held in the capital city of Tbilisi. The tourney, which was to commence from March 25, was cancelled following which the Punjab Police constable found himself stranded in a foreign land with not much money in his pocket. Mamuka, one of the highest paid coaches of his country, offered the youngster work, board and lodging at his native village of Akhmeta, from where Zviadauri is the incumbent Member Parliament (MP).

“Once Georgia announced the shutdown, training halls across the country were closed. The coach asked me if I was willing to train with him. Left with not many options, I replied in the affirmative and both of us travelled to his village, a two-hour drive from Tbilisi,” said Saini while speaking to The Tribune.

He is in touch with Indian embassy officials. “They have told me they cannot do much in the absence of International flights. They have assured me they would make efforts to ensure I board the first available flight whenever air travel resumes. Akhmeta is the native place of two other judokas training for the Olympics,” Saini said.