Nice Britain declare their first medal of the Tokyo Olympics as Chelsie Giles takes bronze within the judo after seeing off Switzerland’s Fabienne Kocher
Hakuna matata. That phrase made well-known by the Lion King is what Chelsie Giles lives her life by. It means no worries and due to her bronze medal, Staff GB may lastly calm down, too.
This second day of motion at Tokyo 2020 had actually not gone to plan for Nice Britain, with the dethroning of Jade Jones and the withdrawal of Andy Murray.
However as a lot as champions can crash and burn at an Olympics, additionally they supply an opportunity for unheralded athletes to make a reputation for themselves.
Chelsie Giles gained Staff GB’s first medal of the Tokyo Olympics by taking bronze within the judo
Giles misplaced within the quarter-finals however needed to win her subsequent two bouts to say a bronze medal
And so it was that the little-known Giles sprung a shock by touchdown Britain’s first gong of those Video games.
Even the quantity crunchers at Staff GB towers wouldn’t have had the 24-year-old judoka down to do this.
‘I’m shocked,’ admitted the seventh seed and world No10, who held her head in her fingers in disbelief after defeating Fabienne Kocher by ippon in her bronze medal match.
‘Sporting this bronze medal round my neck is a really, very proud second. I am very comfortable to carry house the primary medal for Nice Britain.
The 24-year-old from Coventry beat Charline van Snick to place herself in a bronze medal match
‘Hakuna matata describes how I need to undergo life. It conjures up me in my life and sport.’
Giles first tried out the Japanese martial artwork after watching her youthful brother Josh – a GB Judo athlete and in Tokyo as her coaching associate – combat at Coventry Judo Membership and being inspired to affix in. How she should be glad she accepted that invitation.
‘My brother and I used to spar off once we had been little,’ stated Giles. ‘It was very aggressive and that has made us each higher.
‘It is particular to have him right here as a result of nobody else was in a position to come out and I used to be nonetheless in a position to have a member of my household with me. I hope I’ve made my household proud.’
Giles then beat Kocher with an Ippon end to say Staff GB’s first medal of the Video games
Japan’s Uta Abe, who beat Giles within the quarter-finals, went on to take the gold medal within the closing
Competing on the Nippon Budokan, thought-about judo’s religious house, Giles really misplaced to house favorite and eventual gold medallist Uta Abe within the quarter-finals.
However she was supplied a second path to the rostrum through the repechage and she or he took full benefit, beating Belgian Charline van Snick on golden rating, earlier than seeing off Swiss judoka Kocher.
‘It makes it further particular to win this in Japan, the place judo started,’ added Giles, who emulates Sally Conway, the one British judo medallist from Rio 2016.
‘Is that this the top? We’ll see. Perhaps it is the start.’
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