Judo trailblazer Irakli Goginashvili crowned winner of SportsAid’s One-to-Watch Award 2025

The teenager, who has lived and breathed judo since the age of two, now adds SportsAid’s most prestigious development accolade to his rapidly growing list of achievements.

Irakli said:

“Being selected as the winner of the 2025 SportsAid One-to-Watch award is a great feeling. It was so unexpected.

“I looked at the list of athletes who have won it in the past, some incredible names. I thought ‘Imagine if I’m the first judo athlete on that list’.

“Being the first for judo is a huge step for me, for our club and for the sport.”

Irakli’s journey in judo began almost as soon as he could walk. Born into the sport through his father, he competed as a toddler and was already standing on the podium by the age of three.

A talented all-round sportsperson, he also played rugby before making the decision around the age of nine to fully commit to judo, a choice that has since proven pivotal.

His recent success has been driven by a combination of elite competition experience and improved training environments, including a move to the Peacock Gym, which has given him consistent access to mats, strength facilities and a professional set-up.

But Irakli is clear that SportsAid has been a cornerstone of his rise.

He said:

“SportsAid has been massive for me.

“Competing abroad is really expensive and without that support, I would have missed out on so many competitions and training camps.

“Those experiences are what lead to results. Knowing that SportsAid believed in me gave me even more motivation to train harder and push myself.”

That backing proved particularly important as Irakli navigated one of the toughest challenges of his career, returning from knee surgery.

Through smart, disciplined training and continued access to camps and competitions, he rebuilt his form and went on to deliver the biggest results of his young career.

Now shortlisted as the number one athlete to watch and crowned overall winner, Irakli has his sights firmly set on the future.

His ultimate ambition is to become Great Britain’s first male Olympic judo champion, continuing his pattern of breaking new ground for the sport.

“That’s the dream,” Irakli said.

“To write history again. I know it will take dedication, discipline and hard work, but that’s what I love about judo. And one day, I’d love to give back to the sport as a coach and help the next generation.”

The One-to-Watch Award, supported by Aldi, SportsAid’s Official Supermarket Partner, celebrates Britain’s brightest young sporting prospects and has been running since 2006. Previous winners include Olympic champions Tom Daley and Alex Yee and Paralympic gold medallist Hollie Arnold.

Irakli now joins that distinguished list, selected as the standout athlete from more than 800 emerging talents supported by SportsAid across a wide range of sports in 2025.

Each of the athletes shortlisted in the top 10 for SportsAid’s One-to-Watch Award 2025 will receive financial support and recognition for their achievements, with Irakli receiving a £1,000 award as the overall winner.

For him, however, the impact of SportsAid goes far beyond.

“When you know you have the support to go to camps and competitions, you can fully focus on your training.

“There’s no uncertainty. You can give everything. SportsAid has allowed me to do that, and I wouldn’t be where I am now without them.”