Legendary Swimmer, Professor Henry Kuprashvili, Competing on Behalf of GTU, Became the Owner of the World Winter Swimming Champion Title

Researcher and teacher of the Faculty of Law and International Relations of the Georgian Technical University, 9-time world champion, veteran athlete – Professor Henry Kuprashvili returned to Georgia from the 2026 Winter Swimming World Championships held in Oulu, Finland, with the title of champion (gold) and 2 silver medals.

The legendary swimmer, with the financial and organizational support of the Ministry of Sports of Georgia, the Georgian National Federation – “Sport for All”, as well as GTU, competed on behalf of the Georgian Technical University at the Oulu Winter Swimming World Championships in the 80+ age category and brought new international victories to the university and the country.

At the Oulu World Championships, which drew more than 2,000 athletes from various countries, Henry Kuprashvili secured the title of world champion in the 25-meter butterfly and earned silver medals in the 25- and 50-meter freestyle events. The water temperature at the championship was 0.2 degrees.

On behalf of the Georgian Technical University, Rector, Academician David Gurgenidze, congratulates the legendary swimmer on another significant victory at this year’s Winter Swimming World Championships. As the Rector notes, the veteran athlete, Professor Henry Kuprashvili, who is over 80 years old, has once again amazed the world.

“It is a joy and a source of pride that the legendary athlete, swimmer – professor of our Faculty of Law and International Relations, famous researcher and extraordinary teacher, educator of many generations of specialists and researchers, beloved and respected colleague of all – Mr. Henry Kuprashvili, who competed on behalf of the Georgian Technical University, won a gold medal and the title of world champion at this year’s World Winter Swimming Championships in Oulu, Finland, and twice took second place and won silver medals in freestyle swimming.

We congratulate Mr. Henry on this great victory, which he brought not only to the Georgian Technical University, but also to the whole of Georgia. The fact that at such a respectable age he continues to work with amazing energy, perseverance and professionalism is particularly impressive. The sports world and the global sports community once again remind us that a person can be strong, courageous, and purposeful at any age.

Professor Henry Kuprashvili has been representing our university with dignity for many years in both science and sports. He is an outstanding researcher, an excellent teacher, and an example for the younger generation of how knowledge, hard work, and strong will can be combined to achieve great goals.

On behalf of the Georgian Technical University, I would like to congratulate our senior colleague, Professor Henry Kuprashvili, on his gold and silver medals at the World Championship. I wish him health, strength, and new victories both in the sports arena and in his scientific and academic activities. I am sure that Mr. Henry Kuprashvili will name our university and country many times,” says Rector, Academician David Gurgenidze.

For information, a historian, journalist and political scientist by profession, Honored Worker of Sports of Georgia, President of the Georgian National Swimming Federation, holder of the Vakhtang Gorgasali Order of the 2nd degree, the Medal for Military Courage and the George Byron Gold Medal, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor of GTU, Henry Kuprashvili is a world champion in biathlon and triathlon (modern pentathlon), and is also a seven-time world champion in winter swimming. In 2002, Henry Kuprashvili swam the Dardanelles Strait (12 km) in 3 hours and 15 minutes with his “Mkhedruli Kolkhuri” (hands and feet tied). He authored the “First Georgian Handbook for the Study of National Swimming Types”. Leading world media refer to Henry Kuprashvili with various nicknames: “Human Dolphin”, “Hero of the Dardanelles”, “Water Prometheus”, “Lord of the Straits”, “Legendary Man”, and others.