This coming Sunday, July 13, Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi will host an evening that feels more like a gathering of family than just another competition. It’s the Kakhi Cup, a celebration of Kakhi Kakhiashvili—the Georgian boy who dreamed of lifting the world on his shoulders and became a three-time Olympic champion.
There will be no stiff announcements, just the hum of memories: worn-out sneakers in dusty gyms of Tskhinvali, the roar of a crowd when he cleaned 235 kg, the pride that lifted a nation. Now, a new generation of Georgian lifters many coached in gyms Kakhi helped build will step onto the platform, inspired by his legacy.
Q: Kakhi, when you walk into this hall, and your name is on the banner… what do you feel?
“To be honest, it’s strange. I still feel like that kid from Tskhinvali… I can still smell the chalk and hear the cold floor under my feet. I didn’t imagine anything like this. Back then, all I wanted was to make it through one more set.”
Q: Kakhi, you’ve won everything. Why does this Cup matter to you?
“Because it’s not about me lifting anymore. It’s about the kids watching. I was one of them once. If one boy or girl walks out of this hall dreaming of becoming a champion, then we’ve done something meaningful.”
Q: What do you feel when you walk into a Georgian training gym today?
“Hope. Honestly, I see more talent today than when I was lifting. They just need belief, support, and somewhere to train.
Q: What do you want young Georgian lifters to know about your journey?
A: “They need to know it wasn’t always medals and glory. I failed more than I succeeded. But every failure taught me one thing: don’t give up. That lesson is more valuable than any trophy.”
A New Chapter: Lasha Leads, Kakhi Supports
Earlier this year, Lasha Talakhadze, the beloved Olympic champion and record-breaker, was elected President of the Georgian Weightlifting Federation — taking over from Kakhi, who now serves as Vice-President. New Era for GEOWF.
Their relationship is one of deep mutual respect — champion to champion, lifter to lifter.
Lasha Talakhadze:
“Everything I became started with the legacy from Rafael Chimishkiani, Kakhi Kakhiashvili , and George Asanidze. Just as I carried the sportsmanship with dignity, I will carry on leadership with the same integrity — leaving behind a standard even higher for those who follow.
Q: What do you hope people take away from this year’s Kakhi Cup?
“That weightlifting isn’t just about muscle. It’s about heart. About never forgetting where you started. Kakhi’s story is proof of that. And maybe, if we do our job right, his story will become someone else’s beginning.”
Q: If someone walks into the Kakhi Cup for the first time — what do you hope they feel?
“That they’re part of something. Whether they’re from Tbilisi, Zugdidi, or anywhere else — this stage belongs to all of us. It’s Georgia’s story told through strength, effort, and heart.”
A Moment with Rusudan Muradashvili – General Secretary, Georgian Weightlifting Federation
We also sat with Rusudan Muradashvili, who quietly runs so much of what makes these events possible.
Q: Rusudan, you’ve worked on so many competitions — what makes organizing the Kakhi Cup different?
“This one carries deeper meaning. It’s more than just sport — it’s memory, it’s respect. It’s Georgia saying thank you to those who lifted for all of us. I am happy to do my part — easing the weight they carry, in my own way.
Words from Europe’s Weightlifting Leaders
Dr Astrit Hasani, President of the European Weightlifting Federation:
“The Kakhi Cup is about more than sport – it’s about memory, identity, and respect.
Kakhi Kakhiashvili, a true legend, continues to inspire generations, not only by what he lifted, but by how he carries himself: with pride, discipline, and unwavering dedication. His legacy lives on in champions like Lasha Talakhadze, the legendary three-time Olympic gold medalist whose strength and dignity have made him a national icon, and Giorgi Asanidze, another Olympic great whose dedication continues to shape Georgian weightlifting. Their stories are not just Georgian triumphs, but proud chapters in the history of the European sporting tradition!”
“To see Kakhi and Lasha standing side by side — mentor and athlete, past and future — it says everything. Georgia is not just producing champions; it’s raising people with courage and soul. That’s the real success.”
There will be medals. There will be cheering. But above all, there will be something deeper — a shared moment between generations, a passing of the torch, and a celebration of everything it means to be Georgian.
This Sunday, 13th July, as lifters take the stage, they won’t just be lifting bar. Before that a Georgian U20 Championships will be held.
They’ll be lifting memory, pride, and the quiet echo of a boy from Tskhinvali who once dreamed of something bigger and made it real.
Attached you can find all results from Georgia Weightlifting since 1993 to the present day.