These nine years can seem like an eternity when you consider how difficult it is to remain efficient at the highest level over all these years. Congratulations to Yeldos Smetov, who wins a fully deserved medal, the fruit of hard work and hours of training.
The final, however, seemed well underway for Luka Mkheidze, who did what was necessary to ensure that his opponent was penalised twice. One more penalty or a score could have tipped him into another world, that of the Olympic champions but that was without taking into account the opportunism and experience of Smetov, who from an attack that was perhaps not too incisive, threw Mkheidze for a waza-ari.
Could the Frenchman still turn the tide? He tried, that's for sure, he gave his all, but Smetov was stronger today. With this Olympic title, he adds one more star to the firmament of a long and particularly prolific career.
Bronze Medal Contests: Nagayama and Garrigos on the Podium
There was still a good chance for Salih Yildiz (TUR) to step on to the podium but for that he had to pass Ryuju Nagayama (JPN), which was not announced as an easy task. In fact, the Japanese judoka took the lead with a first waza-ari with a circling uchi-mata and concluded with a counter-attack and a second waza-ari a little later, winning his first Olympic medal.
The last two world champions, Giorgi Sardalashvili (GEO) in 2024, and Francisco Garrigos (ESP) in 2023, faced off to have a chance to win an Olympic medal, which in an athlete's career always has a special taste. The contest was closed as neither of the judoka wanted to lose. In the golden score period Garrigos eventually found an opportunity. Going under the centre of gravity of his opponent, he executed a yoko-tomoe-nage, perfectly driven with the second leg, for a waza-ari. This is the first Olympic medal for Garrigos.
Semi-finals
The first semi-final was tense and stressful for the crowd and for their national hero Luka Mkheidze (FRA), who faced Salih Yildiz (TUR). If on paper Mkheidze seemed the stronger athlete and had more experience, it was still necessary to be wary of Yildiz who had been making waves since the morning. The first part of the contest was to the advantage of the Frenchman, forcing his opponent to be penalised twice, but a little drop in form later and it was Mkheidze who was also penalised twice, aligning the judoka in perfect equality in a stressful golden score period. It was at this precise moment that Mkheidze chose to launch a rolling kata-guruma during which he never released the pressure, throwing his opponent to the side for a waza-ari that freed him and made the crowd explode with joy.
The French campaign started well, as even before the final, Mkheidze was assured of climbing at least one step higher than his bronze medal won in Tokyo in 2021.
The previous semi-final had barely finished when it was time to refocus on the match between Yeldos Smetov (KAZ) and Francisco Garrigos (ESP). Who of the two men would join Luka Mkheidze in the final? At the end of normal time, the indecision was still total, since each had two penalties to their name. A trifle could still change the course of history. With 1:23 gone in golden score, Smetov exploited the only mistake from Garrigos, to apply a shime-waza for ippon.
The final was set to be between Luka Mkheidze (FRA) and Yeldos Smetov (KAZ).
Repechage
In the first repechage bout, the world number one and number one seed in the Olympic tournament, Yung Wei Yang (TPE), was up against Ryuju Nagayama (JPN). Both judoka had come to France for the gold but this close contest could at best only offer them access to the bronze medal contest. The fight remained undecided for a long time, Nagayama receiving two penalties while his opponent only had one to his name. The last minute was however fatal for Yang, who was thrown twice, the first with a seoi-nage from which Yang landed on the other side for a first waza-ari, and the second from a distant o-soto-gari.
After one minute and a half in the second repechage contest, Giorgi Sardalashvili (GEO) produced a beautiful ashi-waza that propelled Won Jin Kim (KOR) on to his back. The landing was not fully there and therefore Sardalashvili concluded with an immobilisation for ippon.
Final (-60 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-60 kg)
Final Results (-60 kg)
