Day six of the Women's Judo at Paris Olympics 2024 tournament saw unexpected and dramatic turns in the 78 kg category, where world champions and top athletes faced off in a pool of intense competition.
The French crowd was left in disbelief as Portugal's Patricia Sampaio delivered a stunning blow by defeating French favorite and former world champion Madeleine Malonga. Malonga, a silver medalist from the 2021 Games, was unexpectedly overpowered by Sampaio in her first match.
Sampaio now advances to the semifinals to battle the determined Italian Alice Bellandi. Bellandi, with her eyes set on gold, seized the opportunity of a lifetime by swiftly dispatching Brazilian legend Mayra Aguiar, a former world champion with three Olympic medals, thus ending Aguiar’s fairy tale run.
Bellandi then sent the talented Ukrainian Lytvynenko to the repechage.
Meanwhile, two-time world champion Anna-Maria Wagner confidently secured her semifinal spot with ease. She began her journey by overcoming her former compatriot Branser and then defeated the formidable Japanese contender Rika Takayama. Wagner’s next challenge comes from Israel’s 2023 world champion Inbar Lanir, who displayed remarkable prowess by winning her match against the experienced Guusje Steenhuis in just 23 seconds.
Despite having defeated Steenhuis three times previously, the Olympics bring a unique set of challenges governed by hunger, form, and mental resilience.
Among the semifinalists, Wagner appears to have the strongest prospects, but at this high level of competition, past statistics hold little sway.