On this opening day of the European Championships Seniors Tbilisi 2026, the expected mix of confirmations and surprises filled the Olympic Palace in Georgia’s capital.
At -48 kg, the number one seed at the beginning of the day was none other than Olympic and world medallist, defending European champion Shirine Boukli. Aiming at a 5th continental title, following golds in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2025, the 27-year-old French judoka powered her way to yet another final.
In the final she was pitted against Sabina Giliazova (RUS), a new opponent for her in the context of a final but not new in terms of career head-to-heads. Thirty-one-year-old Giliazova is up, 2-1. The European championship statistics are in Boukli’s favour but the internal battle between these two fighters does not corroborate.
Boukli’s positional understanding and dominance in kumi-kata left her looking comfortable and confident even under heavy pressure from her opponent but in judo, anyone can be caught and no contest is over while there is still time on the clock. Giliazova gradually increased pace and met the defending champion in the middle of the tatami, unafraid or her resumé. The contest became more even and the penalties began to arrive. With a minute to go, it was all tied up at 2 penalties apiece.
As the pair entered the golden score phase, Giliazova seemed to take more control but the French star was able to level up and balance shifted back and forth for another 8 minutes until finally fatigue crept in the finesse was in short supply. Giliazova had one failed attempt too many and claimed the final shido of the contest, sending a 5th European gold to Shirine Boukli. This is a remarkable record!
In the first bronze medal contest, Marina Vorobeva (RUS) and Eva Perez Soler (ESP) stepped forward to fight in not only their first continental championship final block appearance but also their first head-to-head. For both it would be a test of adaptability.
For the first two and a half minutes the contest remained even, both attacking, both defending, both exercising caution. With a little under a minute a half left though, Vorobeva found space for an unorthodox ko-uchi-gake and registered a first yuko on the board. She followed up fast, holding Perez Soler for ippon. Vorobeva claims her first senior European championship medal at the end of a day characterised by hard work and persistence.
In the second bronze medal contest Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP), having been surprised by her lower-ranked teammate in the quarter-final, was lined up to face world number 94 Shafag Hamidova (AZE), a newcomer to this level of performance. The latter had a brilliant morning run, defeating world champion Assunta Scutto (ITA) and Olympic medallist Tara Babulfath (SWE) on her way to the final block.
The contest began at a pace, an aggressive style in play from the Azerbaijani athlete. It was the more refined style of Martinez Abelenda that proved to be more successful as the time ticked away. She caught Hamidova with a neat ko-uchi-gake with less than two minutes left on the clock and used the rest of the time expertly to protect the score. The Spanish judoka doubles her tally at this level with a bronze medal to add to the one she claimed in 2023.
Author: Jo Crowley