The Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist has been in direct competition with London 2012 men’s under 66kg champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili for the place with both men looking to stake their claims in the country’s capital.

Shavdatuashvili’s challenge faltered at the semi-final stage of the competition as the 24-year-old fell to a shido penalty defeat to Mongolia’s Odbayar Ganbaatar, whereas his compatriot claimed an ippon victory over Greece’s Georgios Azoidis.

Tatalashvili dealt another blow to his team-mate’s Olympic hopes, defeating the man who had beaten Shavdatuashvili in the semi-finals.

The Georgian secured a waza-ari in the opening stages of the gold medal bout, before trapping Ganbaatar with an osaekomi to claim an ippon win.

An ippon proved enough for Shavdatuashvili to claim the bronze medal against Brazil’s Marcelo Contini, while Georgia’s strength in depth in the division was confirmed when Phridon Gigani overcame Azoidis with a waza-ari for the second minor medal.

The hosts, though, were left frustrated in the men’s under 81kg event after Levan Gugava fell to defeat in the gold medal bout.

His challenge was ended by the impressive Russian Alan Khubetsov, who successfully defended his Tbilisi Grand Prix title when the IJF Refereeing Commission upgraded a waza-ari to a match winning ippon.

Greece’s Roman Moustopoulos also prevailed against Georgian opposition by beating Zebeda Rekhviashvili with a waza-ari to reach the podium.

Mongolia’s Uuganbaatar Otgonbaatar edged out Alexander Wieczerzak to earn the second bronze medal after the German judoka received a shido penalty.

In the under 70kg women’s event, The Netherlands’ Kim Polling returned to form by throwing France’s Fanny Estelle Posvite for an ippon in the gold medal contest.

It secured the world number on her first title since she won the gold medal at the European Games in Baku last year. 

Morocco’s Assmaa Niang received three shido penalties but scored with a yuko to defeat Mongolia’s Naranjargal Tsend Ayush in the first bronze medal contest,.

Greece’s Elisavet Teltsidou secured an ippon after 50 seconds of her bout with Poland’s Katarzyna Klys to secure the other bronze medal.

Kathrin Unterwurzacher underlined her status as the top seed in the women’s under 63kg division, the Austrian prevailing through an ippon against Britain’s Gemma Howell.

France’s Marielle Pruvost defeated Russia’s Marta Labazina in the same manner to secure the first bronze medal before Italy’s Edwige Gwend earned a shido penalty win over South Korea’s Jiyun Bak in the other playoff. 

The final day of competition is due to be held tomorrow with the women’s over and under 78kg events set to be contested.

The men’s under 90kg, 100kg and over 100kg divisions are also scheduled to take place.

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