Slovenia’s Tina Trstenjak defeated Clarisse Agbegnenou of France in the women’s -63kg category at the Rio Games on Tuesday, becoming her country’s second Olympic champion in judo.
After breaking Brazilian fans’ hearts by topping Mariana Silva in the semifinals, top seed Trstenjak handily beat Agbegnenou by ippon less than two minutes into the final.
Israel’s Yarden Gerbi and Anicka van Emden of the Netherlands won bronze.
Agbegnenou’s silver snapped a medal drought for France, seen as a top contender in Rio but which had come up short in the first three days of judo action.
France is one of just three countries fielding a full team of 14 judokas in Rio and was hoping for a repeat of its strong performance in London four years ago, when it claimed seven medals - tied for the most with Japan.
Men's 81kg
Khasan Khalmurzaev earned Russia's second judo gold medal of the Rio Games on Tuesday, beating Travis Stevens of the United States for the top prize in the men's -81kg category.
Ending his campaign with a bang, the Russian won his final two matches by ippon -- judo's equivalent of a knockout -- over Sergiu Toma of the United Arab Emirates in the semifinal and then Stevens.
Stevens had been vying to become the first man from the United States to win gold in judo.
Despite settling for silver, it was third time lucky for the American after he had come home without a medal from the Beijing and London Olympics.
Takanori Nagase won Japan's sixth judo bronze medal so far in Rio. Toma won the other bronze. (Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Alison Williams)
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