Zelym Kotsoiev World and Olympic Champion, Sulamanidze forgets to win

The men's U100kg final at the Paris 2024 Olympics was a technically, tactically, and emotionally charged match between Ilia Sulamanidze of Georgia and Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan. From the start, Sulamanidze appeared to be the more dangerous competitor, finding ways to unbalance world champion Kotsoiev with relative ease. Sulamanidze scored the first waza-ari and shifted to a defensive strategy to maintain his lead.

However, his attempts to save time by attacking without proper preparation led to false attacks. This resulted in three penalties, with the final one coming just seconds before the end of the match. This gave Kotsoiev the victory and the gold medal, marking Azerbaijan's second gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

Israel had been chasing their first judo medal of the week, and Peter Paltchik had the chance to secure it against Daniel Eich of Switzerland. The match was tense and closely contested. Paltchik appeared to have the upper hand and scored a waza-ari. Despite this lead, he had to manage his penalties carefully. There was some uncertainty about the penalty count at the end, but it was confirmed that Paltchik had only two penalties, allowing him to win his first Olympic medal. The two judokas shared a long hug in a show of sportsmanship.

The second bronze medal contest was shorter, with Muzaffarbek Turoboyev of Uzbekistan quickly defeating Nikoloz Sherazadishvili of Spain. Turoboyev threw Sherazadishvili twice in quick succession, first with a uchi-mata and then with a massive makikomi, securing his first Olympic medal.

Ilia Sulamanidze wasted no time in his semifinal match against Daniel Eich, countering a ko-soto-gake attempt by Eich and pinning him flat on his back in just twelve seconds. This quick victory sent Sulamanidze to the final.

In a rematch of the Abu Dhabi World Championships final, Zelym Kotsoiev faced Muzaffarbek Turoboyev. Kotsoiev won with a backward movement, the same technique that secured his world title in Abu Dhabi, earning his place in the Olympic final.

The first repechage bout between Peter Paltchik and Michael Korrel of the Netherlands was tightly contested, with neither judoka able to gain an advantage during the regular four minutes. In golden score, Paltchik executed a masterful o-soto-otoshi, sending Korrel to the mat for ippon and securing his place in the bronze medal match.

The second repechage bout was between Aaron Wolf of Japan and Nikoloz Sherazadishvili. The match was intense, with high stakes for both judokas. In golden score, Wolf attempted a uchi-mata, which Sherazadishvili anticipated. Sherazadishvili countered with his own uchi-mata, rolling Wolf onto his back and eliminating the reigning Olympic champion from the podium.

The men's judo final and bronze medal matches at the Paris 2024 Olympics showcased the highest levels of skill, strategy, and determination. Zelym Kotsoiev’s victory over Ilia Sulamanidze was a testament to his resilience and tactical prowess, while the bronze medalists demonstrated their excellence in judo through fierce and strategic battles. The excitement and drama of these contests added another rich chapter to the history of Olympic judo.