Georgian Parataekwondo athlete Ana Japaridze has made her country proud by winning a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics. At just 19 years old, she is the youngest Georgian athlete at the Games and has become the first Georgian to win a medal at this year’s Paralympics.
In her first match, Japaridze defeated Ariana Paola Aguila Ramos from the United States, securing her spot in the quarterfinals. She then went on to defeat Meryem Betül Çavdar from Turkey, who was the vice champion at the 2020 Paralympic Games. Although she lost to Zahra Rahimi from Iran in the semifinals, Japaridze still claimed the bronze medal.
Georgia has a total of 14 athletes competing in six different sports at the Paris Paralympics. Japaridze is the third female Georgian athlete to win a Paralympic medal, following in the footsteps of Nina Tibilashvili, a wheelchair fencer, and Ina Kaldani, a visually impaired Paralympic judoka, who both won silver medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Despite being a small country, Georgia has shown great success at the Paralympic Games. In fact, the country finished the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a total of seven medals, securing 24th place in the overall team standings. This is a remarkable achievement for a country with a relatively small number of athletes.
It is clear that Georgia has a bright future in the world of Paralympic sports, and Ana Japaridze’s bronze medal is just the beginning of what is to come. The government should continue to support and invest in these talented athletes, as they have proven to be a source of pride and inspiration for the entire nation.
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