Khasan Khalmurzaev of Russia maintained his perfect record this year by winning Olympic under-81kg judo gold in Rio on Tuesday, AFP reports.
Khalmurzaev has won all 20 bouts he’s had in 2016, taking his victory streak to 23 in total. He beat American Travis Stevens in the final with an inner leg throw for a perfect ippon score.
European champion Khalmurzaev secured a vice-like sleeve grip and then countered a desperate lunge from Stevens with a slick rotation to turn his opponent onto his back.
Sergiu Toma, a world and European medallist in 2011 for his native Moldova, won only the second ever Olympic medal for the United Arab Emirates as he took bronze alongside world champion Takanori Nagase of Japan.
Toma is one of three Moldovan judoka representing the Emirates at the Olympics.
“In Moldova it is not so possible like in the Emirates — a sport career is short,” said Toma of his choice to represent the UAE.
“I want to say thank you to the UAE because they give our guys a chance to represent the UAE.
“We always believe and always did all possible to be in the top level.”
Victor Scvortov reached the last 16 of the under-73kg category on Monday while Ivan Remarenco will fight in the under-100kg division on Thursday. Both won bronze medals for the UAE at the 2014 world championships.
