Irakli Chochua (Georgian: ირაკლი ჭოჭუა; born September 15, 1979, in Poti) is a retired amateur Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler, who competed in the men's featherweight category.[1] He claimed a silver medal in the 54-kg division at the 2001 European Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, and later represented his nation Georgia at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Chochua also trained for Tshevardani Wrestling Club in Tbilisi, under his personal coach Villiam Kharazov.

Irakli Chochua
Personal information
Full nameIrakli Chochua
Nationality Georgia
Born (1979-09-15) 15 September 1979 (age 44)
Poti, Georgian SSR,
Soviet Union
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
SportWrestling
StyleGreco-Roman
ClubTshevardani Tbilisi
CoachVilliam Kharazov
Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing  Georgia
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2001 Istanbul 54 kg

Chochua qualified for the Georgian wrestling squad in the men's 55 kg class at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by receiving a berth and placing fourth from the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro.[2][3] He upset Turkish wrestler and two-time Olympian Ercan Yıldız with a striking 4–1 decision on his opening bout, and then overpowered Lithuania's Svajūnas Adomaitis to earn a coveted spot in the quarterfinals.[4] Fighting against Ukraine's Oleksiy Vakulenko in his knockout match, Chochua could not score two more points to push him off the mat with a score 12–14, before he faced a fifth-place battle with Cuba's Lázaro Rivas and then fell short from the ring by a technical superiority rule.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Irakli Chochua". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  2. ^ Abbott, Gary (13 July 2004). "Olympic Games preview at 55 kg/121 lbs. in men's Greco-Roman". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ^ "ქართული სპორტის ოლიმპიური პროფილი" [Georgian Olympic Profile] (in Georgian). Radio Tavisupleba. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Minderde iki yarı final" [On the mat, only two made the semifinals] (in Turkish). Hürriyet. 24 August 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Wrestling: Men's Greco-Roman 55kg". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2013.

External links edit