Kapil Parmar claims gold at IBSA Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi 2024

Kapil Parmar of India cemented his place at the top of both IBSA world and Paralympic rankings in the J1 -60kg category by winning the gold medal at the IBSA Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi 2024, on Saturday.

In the final, Parmar defeated Brazil's Elielton De Oliveira with a perfectly executed tai-otoshi, securing victory in just 20 seconds. Parmar’s remarkable consistency and record suggest that his competitors will need to elevate their performances significantly if they hope to challenge him at the upcoming Summer Games in Paris.

The first day of the IBSA Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi 2024 was the last opportunity for lightweight visually impaired (VI) athletes to earn points towards qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Until the final block, athletes displayed composure, but emotions ran high during the medal bouts. The sense of relief was palpable as competitors celebrated not only their victories but also the culmination of a demanding Paralympic qualification cycle.

In the J2 -48kg category, the fight for qualification points was intense. India's Kokila faced Turkey's Cahide Eke in a critical bronze medal match. Eke dominated the bout, winning by armlock within the first minute. Her exuberant celebration underscored the significance of the victory and the hard-fought qualification points it secured. The final match set a high bar for the event, as China’s Li Liqing swiftly defeated France’s Paralympic medal hope, Sandrine Aurieres Martinet, with an armlock in just 24 seconds. Kokila finished fifth.

The second and final day of the IBSA Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi 2024 promises further excitement with competitions in the upper weight divisions. Preliminary rounds are set to begin at 10:00 local time and 11:30 AM IST, followed by the final block starting at 16:30 IST.