Barrier Breaker from The Mountains
"I am a little star, but I want to become a big one," said Liparteliani, giggling while talking about her achievements.
The atmosphere changes when she climbs on the judo mat. Her face brightens up with a big smile. But she is always focused, measures each movement with care, observes the hand positions, and calculates the squeeze pressure on an opponent's kimono belt.
“I need to be smart because if I miss my opponents one footstep or a gaze, I lose," said Liparteliani talking about her technics. "People say being quick and flexible is the crucial part of judo, but I think you need to be intelligent about your next movements."
Liparteliani is the first Georgian female judoka to win European and World Championships and the first Georgian to qualify and compete in the Olympics. In addition, she is the first woman to raise the bar of expectations from female judokas in Georgia.
"It was always frustrating to see how my male colleagues were treated. They would see a man in judo and push away a woman in that very moment," said Liparteliani. "I remember nobody believing in me or other female judokas, but I changed it for all of us."
Being brought up in a misogynist and extremely traditional northern Georgia, it was less likely that a father or an uncle would be among the supporters. Her family was an exception.
"My mother made me quit judo three times; she would tell me it was not a woman's sport," said Liparteliani. "But my dad and, especially, my uncle were the ones who encouraged me all the way."
The stubborn northern character worked for her. She was ten years old when she was forced to leave her home, parents, and siblings and move to the city closer to the capital.
“There were no girls training in judo in Svaneti,” said Liparteliani. "I was training with boys, and if a not that slight glimmer of further perspective of training in the capital, I would not be able to succeed in this sport."
Judo is one of those sports Georgians take pride in. Not even a year passes without a medal from various competitions, especially from the Olympics. But the male-dominated sport in a relatively sexist environment, where women are meant to be thin and classy rather than fit and strong, is a brutal battlefield to enter.
"They would look at me at the training center, cynically smile at me, like I was not capable of winning," said Liparteliani. "You are too small, too young, too fit – why would a woman want to be a judoka, they would ask – and it would give me more courage."
Training requires a decent environment, and before Liparteliani's worldwide fame, the Georgian Judo Federation would allocate the financial resources in a disproportional manner. For example, they did not heat women's training halls during winter, fix the showers, and even clean judo mats.
"Sometimes I would sit there, so content with my training, but I could not enjoy," said Liparteliani. "I was forced so many times to go home right away not to catch a cold."
Liparteliani says she had to win the highest prizes to prove she was worth attention, but she says her achievements changed the narrative within the federation.
"It is wonderful to witness that I contributed to equal treatment within the federation," said Liparteliani. "But female judokas need more opportunities."
Her contribution to the community is outstanding. Liparteliani travels to northern Georgia every month for a week, taking an almost nine-hour drive to get to the village and train the young girls of Lentekhi region for free. No matter the weather or her training sessions, Liparteliani does all of that voluntarily, taking no salary from the municipality.
"I was so lucky that I had people who pushed me to exceed my abilities," said Liparteliani. "But there are so many young girls who are told they are no good in this sport. I want to change that for them."
Sportswomen need to work ten times harder in Georgia. The poor media coverage, lack of professional attitude, and relatively smaller fan base are minor complications female judokas face. It is a mental challenge that either forges sportswoman’s spirit or discourages her for a lifetime.
"The excitement I feel on the judo mat is nothing I would compare with," said Liparteliani. "I do not think about anything else but to learn something new once I compete."
Liparteliani says that she has set a goal to be the first Georgian female judoka to bring the Olympic gold to Georgia. Although Georgians on social media platforms have cheered for her success, commentators and sports journalists have praised her technics, Lipartialiani's dreams reach further, unknown shores for Georgian female judokas.
"There are plenty of barriers that need to be broken," said Liparteliani. "But I know, once I get the Olympic gold, Georgians will see an ultimate female potential that needs to be nourished within our society."
It is certain, she will win again, raise her finger in the air, cross herself, and run back to her coach with a smile shining brighter than her medal.
"I know, I have deserved every bit of it, and I allow myself to enjoy," said Liparteliani. "But I am also aware that I have bigger goals to pursue."