Dicko’s streak and Krpálek’s experience set the tone in Tbilisi’s heavyweight spotlight

With the official draw approaching and the first hajime almost here, attention in Tbilisi is shifting to the final two divisions on the program: women’s +78kg and men’s +100kg. These are categories full of medals, history and pressure, and they could deliver some of the most intense moments of the European Championships.

In women’s +78kg, Romane Dicko arrives as the athlete everyone will measure themselves against. The French star is the reigning European champion and owns a remarkable continental record: five appearances, five titles and no defeats at the event. Her résumé also includes Olympic bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris, plus a world title from 2022.

Still, this is far from a one-woman story. Raz Hershko, Olympic silver medallist in Paris, returns alongside 2025 European bronze medallists Asya Tavano and Elis Startseva. Lea Fontaine and Helena Vukovic are also part of a field that gives the category real depth and a strong European flavour.

Dicko enters Tbilisi with one of the strongest European records in the field.

That European angle matters here. France looks especially powerful through Dicko and Fontaine, while Italy and Croatia also have athletes capable of pushing deep into the bracket. Even so, Dicko remains the clear reference point, and the main question is whether anyone can finally slow her down on this stage.

The men’s +100kg division has a very different mood. Reigning European and world champion Inal Tasoev will not compete, and that instantly changes the picture. Suddenly, one of the most decorated groups in the tournament sees the door open wider for experienced contenders.

Lukáš Krpálek stands out immediately. The Czech heavyweight is a double Olympic champion, a multiple world champion and a three-time European champion. At 35, he is preparing for his 15th senior European Championships, a level of longevity that adds serious weight to his challenge in Tbilisi.

There is also strong European interest around Jur Spijkers and Martti Puumalainen, both former continental champions, while home favourite Guram Tushishvili adds extra energy to the draw. The Georgian has already won two European titles and now has a chance to chase another one in front of his own crowd.

His rivalry with Tamerlan Bashaev gives the division another edge. Their international series stands at 11 contests, with Tushishvili narrowly ahead 6–5, and that balance says a lot about how fine the margins could be again.

In +100kg, the absence of the defending champion changes everything.

So while the women’s heavyweight class centres on Dicko’s attempt to extend an extraordinary run, the men’s side feels much more open. For Europe’s biggest judoka, Tbilisi is ready to test legacy, nerve and timing all at once.

Source: EJU_News