Tokyo Olympics: Team GB claim first medal of the Games as Chelsie Giles takes bronze in the judo

Great Britain claim their first medal of the Tokyo Olympics as Chelsie Giles takes bronze in the judo after seeing off Switzerland’s Fabienne Kocher

Chelsie Giles claimed Team GB‘s first medal of the Tokyo Olympics after she took bronze in the women’s judo -52kg repechage.

The 24-year-old from Coventry saw off Switzerland’s Fabienne Kocher with an ippon finish to claim her first Olympic medal.

After overcoming Macedonia’s Arbresha Rexhepi and Morocco’s Soumiya Iraoui, she lost her chance of taking gold in the quarter-finals where she was beaten by Japan’s Uta Abe. 

Chelsie Giles won Team GB’s first medal of the Tokyo Olympics by taking bronze in the judo

Giles lost in the quarter-finals but had to win her next two bouts to claim a bronze medal

Giles lost in the quarter-finals but had to win her next two bouts to claim a bronze medal

However, Giles was presented with another route to a podium place and had to win her next two matches to take bronze.

After defeating Belgium’s Charline van Snick with an ippon finish, she put herself in the medal match with Kocher who took bronze in the World Judo Championships last month.

Giles who is ranked 10th in the world, showed remarkable composure as she produced an excellent counter waza-ari to throw Kocher to the ground to take the lead.

She then capitalised on a mistake by her opponent to get an Ippon finish to take Team GB’s first medal.  

The 24-year-old from Coventry beat Charline van Snick to put herself in a bronze medal match

The 24-year-old from Coventry beat Charline van Snick to put herself in a bronze medal match

Until Giles it had been a tough start for Team GB with swimmer Max Litchfield coming closest in the men’s 400 metres individual medley final by finishing just outside of the podium places in fourth.

Jade Jones was expected to get Britain up and running but the taekwondo star and two-time defending champion in her -57kg category, fell to a shock loss in her opening bout with Refugee Team athlete Kimia Alizadeh. 

Giles’ bronze medal follows the bronze won in the sport by Sally Conway at Rio 2016 and the silver and bronze which Gemma Gibbons and Karina Bryant picked up at London 2012.

Abe of Japan who saw off Giles in the quarter-finals, took the gold by defeating Amandine Buchard of France in the final. 

Giles then beat Kocher with an Ippon finish to claim Team GB's first medal of the Games

Giles then beat Kocher with an Ippon finish to claim Team GB’s first medal of the Games

Japan's Uta Abe who beat Giles in the quarter-finals went on to take the gold medal in the final

Japan’s Uta Abe who beat Giles in the quarter-finals went on to take the gold medal in the final

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