Youth Olympics, Singapore 2010, Belgium's Big Day

The -78kg final was between Kubin (GER) and Mansour (BEL) the latter coming into the final sporting a nasty bruise under her left eye that she’d picked up earlier in the day. It was an edgy, tentative affair with neither fighter prepared to unleash big attacks. There was just enough action to ensure that both fighters entered the golden score period without being penalized. Kubin began to step her attacks and with just over a minute gone in golden score Mansour was given a shido for passivity after which Kubin was unlucky to have a yuko awarded against her when Mansour caught her with a drop seio-nage that ended the contest and the gold medal went to Belgium.

Belgium had a second chance for a gold medal, this time with Nikiforov (BEL) in the men’s -100kg. He was up against the dangerous Igarashi (JPN) who’d entertained the crowd all day with his exciting throwing skills. Igarashi was first to score with his trademark uchi-mata. Luckily for Nikiforov it was only a yuko. But with Nikiforov’s shoulder injury causing him some discomfort the Belgian was limited to attempted counters to Igarashi’s attacks. The single yuko was the winning score.