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| THE SMILES SAY IT ALL: Gold medallist Cuba’s Idalys Ortiz celebrates at the victory ceremony for the women’s +78kg judo event |
Ortiz took a narrow judges’ decision over Japan’s Maki Sugimoto following a war of attrition. Beijing champion Tong Wen of China had to settle for bronze this time, armlocking Brazil’s Maria Altheman.
British veteran Karina Bryant finally landed an Olympic medal at her fourth Games, beating Iryna Kindzerska of Ukraine to bring her 14-year career to a perfect close.
On a day that was initially dominated by a complete outsider, Ortiz helped put the formerly dominant Cubans back on the map. Teenager Wojdan Shaherkani had made the headlines in the morning session as she became the first ever Saudi Arabian woman Olympian.
The 16-year-old took on Melissa Mojica of Puerto Rico in the first round and although she was beaten in 82-seconds, her very participation meant so much more than sporting success or failure.
After Shaherkani’s exit, it was all about the fight for gold. In the early part of the day it seemed as if seven-time world champion Tong would march almost unopposed to a second straight Olympic crown.
She had despatched her first three opponents in double-quick time, the last, Kindzerska, with a brutal armlock.
But in the last four she came unstuck against an inspired Ortiz. The Cuban had upset Russian fourth seed Elena Ivashchenko in the quarter-finals on a penalty and she took another scalp in the last four. Countering a Tong attack she rolled the Chinese fighter onto her side for a decisive yuko score.
Teddy Bear knocks stuffing out of rivals
London: France’s Teddy Riner won the men’s Olympic heavyweight judo title to deafening roars from a huge French contingent in the crowd yesterday, cementing his status as the best judoka in the world.
He beat Russia’s Alexander Mikhaylin in a fairly uneventful final on accumulated penalties but had looked superior to the rest of the opposition throughout.
The gold medal adds to the 23-year-old’s five individual world titles and the bronze Riner took in Beijing four years ago. It was also the second gold for France on the tatami (judo mat) in London after Lucie Decosse’s on Wednesday.
“It’s a dream, I’m very happy. I’m also happy for my family, friends and all my supporters,” Riner told reporters.
“I do not depend on the referees. I have trained for this and I earned this medal.”
Despite his huge 6ft 8ins (2.04m) frame, he was fast on his feet, constantly looking for a chance to throw his opponents who adopted a far more defensive stance.
At the end of his semi-final while his South Korean opponent Kim Sung-min looked ready to drop, the shaven-headed Riner, nicknamed “Teddy Bear”, bounced around the mat, looking as though he had barely broken sweat.
“I just decided to remain aggressive and to try to catch my opponent as quickly as possible,” said Riner who had looked focused and determined from the start.