Mansur Isaev of Russia captured the gold medal in men’s lightweight judo (73kg - approximately 161 lbs), defeating defending world champion Riki Nakaya of Japan in a close final match scoring by way of yuko.
In addition to defeating the defending world champion, Isaev also beat the world top-ranked fighter, Wang Ki-Chun of South Korea, in the semifinals. Top-ranked Wang lost his bronze medal final to Ugo Legrand of France. In the second bronze medal final Mongolia’s Nyam-Ochir Sainjargal defeated Dex Elmonth of the Netherlands. The top finisher from the United States was Nick Delpopolo, who lost to Sainjargal in the repechage (of which the winner advances to a bronze medal match against a semifinal loser).
Isaev won Russia its fifth medal of these games, while Japan moved up to seven and Netherlands two. The bronze was Mongolia’s first medal of the London Olympics. View the complete medal count table here.
For more on the Olympics, check out SB Nation's London 2012 Olympics Hub. For more on Olympic Judo, follow the 2012 Olympic Judo section.
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