The Olympic Games are the leading international sports events, inspiring people through the Olympic values of friendship, respect, and excellence. The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens and were heavily inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, held in Olympia, Greece from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.
The Olympic Games are held every four years. Since 1896, competition has seen numerous changes, including the creation of the Winter Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Youth Olympic Games and more.
Medea Jugheli. Photo Source: Netgazeti.ge
Georgian athletes have been participating in the Olympic Games since 1952. At first, it was as a part of the Soviet Union team. Eventually, Soviet Olympic history ended in 1992 with the Barcelona Olympic Games, and therefore Georgia has been participating in the Summer Olympic Games as an independent country since Atlanta 1996, held in the United States. Since the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Georgia has had 37 Olympic champions. Traditionally, along with the successes achieved in wrestling, they were able to win gold medals in such sports as gymnastics, athletics, volleyball, and fencing.
The 1988 Olympics in Seoul became the most successful for Georgian athletes, where they collected 12 medals, from which five were gold ones. The best result recorded during the independence period was the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games with three gold, one silver and one bronze medals.
Zviad Zviadauri. Photo Source: Heretifm.com
Judoka Zurab Zviadauri became the first Olympic champion on behalf of independent Georgia at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. His success was followed by Georgian weightlifter Giorgi Asanidze’s gold medal in the same competition.
The most successful Olympic discipline for Georgia according to the quantity of medals obtained is wrestling. Georgian athletes have won a total of 17 medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestling, three of which are gold.
Lasha Bekauri. Photo Source: Interpressnews.ge
At this year’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games we have 28 participants representing Georgia in Judo, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Boxing, Shooting, Athletics, Swimming, Trampoline Gymnastics and Fencing.
Nino Salukvadze. Photo Source: Georgiatoday.ge
Paris 2024 is the 10th Olympic Games participation for Georgian gold medalist Nino Salukvadze making her the only woman in the world with this achievement.
