Judo medal resists

Fran Garrigos and Laura Martinez They had the opportunity to open Spain’s medal table in judo, and both still have options, although it should be bronze. The semi-finals in this discipline were held early on Saturday afternoon, with Martinez compete in a category -48 kg against Mongolian Bavuudorj and Madrid Fran Garrigos V -60kg, against Kazakh Eldos SmetovSpain has been there since Sydney 2000. without receiving medals in this sport.

The Spaniard’s pulse did not waver in the semi-final against Kazakhstan’s Yeldos Smetov, who finished 22nd. At 31, he has stood on the Olympic podium twice after winning silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2021. Garrigos had good control over the sleeves of the Kazakh, a very explosive judoka. There was a penalty for both, so he made a mistake and was left without gold. We had to go back to Golden Score. Garrigos was almost millimeters away from the Kazakh turning over. In the elimination match, he was superior and deserved it, although the Kazakh defended well. The Kazakh eventually achieved ippon with a choke and three touches from the Spaniard, who had to be slapped. Go for bronze.

Laura Martinez fights for bronze

In the first fight, the Madrid native, ranked thirteenth, was unable to overcome her demanding opponent. second place in the ranking. The fight ended on the maximum parity, with two shidos each and very good and colorful attacks. The winner had to be determined in golden technique. Ippon went to Mongolia’s Baasank Bavuudorj, the world champion, and Laura Martinez after a superb fight. failed to reach the final.

Of course, the Madrid native still has a chance to win a medal for Spain. Madrid I will fight for bronze against the winner of the repechage, Frenchwoman Shirin Boukli, who beat Italian Assuna Scatto. This fight will be after Garrigos.

Laura Martinez worked hard to reach the semifinals and is not going to give up until she gets a medal, at least a bronze. If in the 1/16 she beat the Chilean Mary Dee Vargas Ley, and in the 1/16 she beat the sixth in the world in accumulation of shido, the Serbian Milica Nikolic (0-10), then in the quarterfinals she did not fail. against the main rival, the Kazakh Abiba Abuzhakinova, whom he also surpassed in the golden technique. Whatever happened during the repechage, Martinez had an outstanding fight.