Paris Olympics on channels 26.7.–11.8. Go to the competition website here. You can find the entire program of the games here.
The Paris Olympics really got going on Saturday. Among the highlights of the day was Sweden’s historic judo medal. On Sunday, Finland may have the same seams.
Who squealed?
Sweden got off to a flying start to the Games when the 18-year-old judoka Tara Babulfath fought for Olympic bronze. He defeated Kazakhstan in the 48-kilogram bronze medal match Abila Abuzhakynova 10 to 0.
At the same time, we saw judo history, because it is our western neighbor’s first judo medal in Olympic history.
– It’s pretty amazing that the first Olympic medal and even for an 18-year-old. He is clearly a superstar of the future. I dare say that this will not be his only Olympic medal, Urheilu’s judo expert Tommi Valtonen wow
In Finland, judo has been on the rise in recent years, among other things Martti Puumalainen and Luukas Sahan with. At the same time, Sweden has also done good work with martial arts.
– Swedish judo has been on the rise for a long time. They have won World Cup medals, but no Olympic medals before. In the past, the best place has been fifth. An Olympic medal certainly guarantees a better leverage and also more funding.
Babulfath is a true super talent with the right genes. His father has competed in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Olympic level. Mother is also a multiple World Cup medalist.
Babulfath already achieved World Championship bronze earlier this year.
– He has toured the world a lot with his father outside of the Swedish system. Tara has been able to move to this level very quickly. Last year he was in the under-18 league, but he hasn’t been able to compete in the youth championships yet (U21). However, now he is a World Cup medalist and an Olympic bronze medalist, Valtonen states.
What next?
On Sunday, there is Finnish hope in the air, when judoka Luukas Saha competes in the 66 kg category. The 26-year-old Finn made a splash earlier this year by winning the World Championship bronze in his weight class.
The condition of the sawmill has been on the rise for a long time.
– He has had the skills for a long time, but his condition has not always been the best at important moments. Now it has been managed to be tuned to a really good condition. Errors have been eliminated. With a sure match, he can go really far, Valtonen says.
The Finn’s opening opponent is Turkey Muhammed Demirel. In the possible fourth quarter, the opponent is Moldova Denis Vieru. The challenge is tough, because Vieru is ranked number one in the tournament.
– Demirel should be taken care of. He is second in the European Championship, but Luukas is third in the World Championship. The odds are on Saha’s side. However, Demirel is more of a first- or second-round guy.
– Vieru has previously had problems with match weight. Maybe he’s not at his best. It is realistic that on a good day Saha will advance past Vieru.
His Turkish opponent Saha has won once. He has also lost to this once.
Saha himself has expressed that he is aiming for an Olympic medal in Paris. According to Valtonen, it is not just a dream, but also realism. If he wins Vieru, everything is open.
Valtonen sees that the toughest challenge for all judokas is Japan, which is defending its Olympic victory Hifumi Abe.
– It would be the biggest blow of the Games if Abe can’t beat Luukas.
Frustration?
Olympic fans have been disappointed with the performance of the Canadian women’s national soccer team. Canada was caught in drone spying before the opening ceremony.
Assistant coaches by Joseph Lombard mixed Jasmine Manerin was seen flying a drone above the New Zealand team training. For them and the head coach To Bev Priestman was handed a one-year ban by the International Football Association on Saturday.
Fifa punished the team by giving a six-point penalty in the Olympic tournament. Thus, the chances of the reigning Olympic champion to repeat his victory three years ago were greatly reduced.
What about the Finns?
On Sunday, you will see plenty of Finns in action. In addition to Saha, there are eight other Finns involved.
Ida Hulkko compete in the 100-meter breaststroke, Sanna Siltakorpi and Veera Manninen in the cross-country riding test, Aleksi Leppä in air rifle shooting, Jakob Eklund and a double sled Ronja Grönblom & and Veera Hokka in sailing and Pihla Kaivo-oja in boxing.
One of the most interesting international shots of the day is British by Adam Peaty and China Qi Haiyang’s meeting in the 100m breaststroke final.
Haiyang, in the middle of Dopingkohu, won the world championship of the trip a year ago. Peaty, who won the two previous Olympic gold medals in the trip and holds the ME time, did not compete in that race.
The experienced British swimmer has struggled with mental health problems since his last Olympic gold. However, in Paris he has shown that he is fit at the right time.
Peaty was the fastest of the semi-finals swam on Saturday evening with a good time of 58.86. Haiyang, who swam in the second heat, was the second fastest overall, but the Chinese didn’t seem to be in the same draw as last year based on the opening day.
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