Israeli Judo Team loses quarterfinals, match ends 4:3 to France

Israel’s Olympic Judo team lost the quarterfinals of the mixed team competition after a tense 4:3 tie-breaking match in which Gili Sharir lost to Margaux Pinot on Saturday morning.In the first battle of the match, Timna Nelson-Levy gave Israel an early 1:0 win against France’s Sarah-Léonie Cysique.France managed to equalize in the second round, however, and Guillaume Chaine scored a victory against Tohar Butbul bringing the score to 1:1.Sharir then won in a match against Pinot, giving Israel a 2:1 lead in an impressive round lasting more than seven minutes.Israel’s success continued when Li Kochman won his battle against Axel Clerget, bringing the score to 3:1 in Israel’s favor.

France gained ground in their fifth match-up, however, and Raz Hershko lost her match to Romane Dicko, bringing the overall score to 3:2.France continued to make up lost ground with a win from Teddy Riner against Team Israel’s Or Sasson, equalizing at 3:3, taking the match to a tie-breaker.Sharir, who won her previous tie-breaker against Italy, fought Pinot in a 4:25 minute match of which Pinot was declared the winner.The Israeli team will move to the consolation bracket where they will play a match against the Brazilian team which will determine if they still have a chance to take home a bronze medal.The Israeli team had advanced to the quarterfinals of the mixed team competition after defeating Italy in a 4:3 tie-breaking match, with two impressive wins by Sharir against bronze medalist Maria Centracchio giving Israel the edge.

In the first battle, Peter Paltchik won the first match-up with a quick Ippon against Nicholas Mungai after a few seconds and raised the Israeli team to 1:0. 

Timna Nelson Levy lost a long battle with a Waza-ari from Odette Giuffrida deep within the Golden Score and the Italian team equalized to 1:1.

The Italian team continued to turn the tide, as Fabio Basile defeated Tohar Butbul with a Waza-ari within the final minute of the match, running out the clock, and his team went up 2:1.

Gili Sharir brought Team Israel back into the mix with an impressive win against recent bronze medalist Maria Centracchio, pinning her to bring Israel back to a score of 2:2.

Li Kochman was next up for Team Israel, losing to Christian Parlati with an Ippon after each of them scored a Waza-ari against the other, bringing Italy to a 3:2 lead.

Raz Hershko again levelled the score for Team Israel, defeating Alice Bellandi with a Waza-ari in the Golden score after a long match to force a 3:3 tie and an additional, tie-breaking match.

Sharir was selected by lottery to take on Centracchio again in the tie-breaker, this time winning by forcing 3 penalties at the end of a tense 6 minute match.Israel will meet France in the quarterfinals. However, even if they lose to France they still have a chance of winning a bronze in the repechage tournament, as one would in the individual competitions.