France may end up sweeping judo’s heavyweight divisions on the final day of competition at the Rio Games.
With eight-time world champion Teddy Riner due to fight in the men’s heavyweight final shortly, his compatriot Emilie Andeol has earned gold in the women’s division.
Andeol, a surprise finalist who upset the reigning world champion in the semifinals, faced Idalys Ortiz, the reigning Olympic champion, in a final round that went into a golden score period, judo’s version of sudden-death overtime. The judoka battled for an extra three minutes of golden score time before Andeol earned the win by holding Ortiz down. After 10 seconds, the point at which a yuko gets awarded, Andeol had secured her victory, but she was able to pin Ortiz for another 10 seconds, thus attaining an ippon.
With the loss, Ortiz now holds an Olympic medal of every color. The three-time Olympian earned bronze in 2008, gold in 2012, and now silver in 2016.
Kanae Yamabe defeated Turkey’s Kayra Sayit in the first Bronze Medal Match to win Japan’s eighth bronze medal — and 11th total medal — in judo at these Games. Chinese judoka Yu Song, the world No. 1, rebounded from an upset in the semifinal round to throw South Korea’s Kim Min-Jeong for an ippon and secure the other bronze medal.
Women’s heavyweight results
Gold: Emilie Andeol (FRA)
Silver: Idalys Ortiz (CUB)
Bronze: Kanae Yamabe (JPN)
Bronze: Yu Song (CHN)