Split is ablaze with excitement as their hometown hero, Barbara Matic, clinches gold, marking the first-ever gold for Croatian judo. The two-time world champion rose to the occasion, expertly managing the pressure and expectations. Matic, the world's top-ranked judoka, kept Germany's Miriam Butkereit in check. Butkereit, reminiscent of Kerstin Thiele in 2012, had to settle for silver despite a stellar performance.
Barbara Matic, who struggled without a medal in Rio De Janeiro 2016 and finished 5th in Tokyo five years later, finally delivered on her promise. With two world titles under her belt and entering Paris as the number one seed, Matic's triumph secures her legendary status in Croatia.
In the first bronze medal contest, Tsunoda Roustant started strong, but Polleres was ready, countering with an ippon as the Spaniard completed a full bridge. This marks Polleres' second Olympic medal.
The second bronze match saw Gabriella Willems face off against Sanne Van Dijke. Willems, undeterred by fierce competition, skillfully threw for a waza-ari mid-match and maintained control to secure the bronze. Overcoming numerous injuries, Willems' remarkable comeback secured Belgium's first medal of the event, leaving the Dutch team without a podium finish.
In a thrilling final, Matic nearly achieved ippon within the first 20 seconds, but Butkereit managed to escape. However, Matic's waza-ari was enough to clinch victory, making her Croatia's first-ever Olympic judo medallist and a proud Olympic champion.
Matic expressed her joy after the final, saying, “After placing fifth in Tokyo, I knew I had to stay motivated to win here in Paris. With my parents and boyfriend cheering me on, I’m so glad I could achieve this dream in front of them.”
In the afternoon's first repechage contest, Ai Tsunoda Roustant of Spain attacked vigorously, outperforming world champion Saki Niizoe and earning a spot in the bronze medal contest. The second repechage was quicker, with Marie-Eve Gahie struggling while Willems dominated, securing an ippon with a well-executed juji-gatame, silencing the French crowd.
The first semi-final between Butkereit (GER) and Polleres (AUT) was action-packed, with both judokas showing aggression. A third shido in golden score sent Polleres to the bronze match, while Butkereit advanced to the final.
In the second semi-final, Matic clashed with Sanne Van Dijke (NED). Both were aggressive and aimed for ippon, but Matic's resilience and skillful uchi-mata secured her a spot in the final, guaranteeing Croatia's first-ever Olympic judo medal.
Former Croatian President and current IOC member Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović presented Matic with her medal, celebrating the historic achievement.