At the end of the battle for bronze, the winner and the vanquished lay on their backs in harmony with each other, holding both hands to their heads.
A synchronous gesture of not understanding.
The German Dominic Ressel could not believe that he had missed bronze in the class up to 81 kilograms.
The Austrian outsider Shamil Borchashvili was stunned that he had achieved the greatest success of his sporting life.
Achim Dreis
Sports editor.
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After the battle for gold there were also unusual scenes, because both camps cheered. The hosts were happy with their compatriot Takanori Nagase, who unexpectedly became Olympic champion. But the runner-up, Iranian-born Saeid Mollaei, who started for Mongolia, was carried through the hall by his trainer on his shoulders. “As a free person, you can achieve what you want,” said the 29-year-old after the award ceremony: “that's my message”.
The 2018 world champion fled his home country Iran after the 2019 World Cup because, despite political pressure, he refused to give up a possible fight against the Israeli Sagi Muki. A sporty folk hero became an alleged traitor because it is part of the raison d'être of the regime in Tehran not to compete against Israeli athletes. After his escape, the judoka lived and trained in Germany before receiving Mongolian citizenship.
Dominic Ressel had apparently been beaten on his back after 13 seconds of the small final after a throwing throw.
But according to video evidence, the Ippon was rededicated in Waza-Ari.
A medium rating as a wake-up call.
Nevertheless, Ressel did not get into the fight after that and got caught in a grip from which he could not free himself.
From the dream of the medal.
His conqueror then wept in the arms of his German trainer Yvonne Bönisch, who herself was an Olympic Judo Champion in 2004.
Originally from Chechnya, Shamil Borchashvili has lived in Upper Austria since childhood and, together with his brothers Wachid and Kimran, is the supporter of the local judo club Multikraft Wels.
He hadn't dared dream of an Olympic medal.
The 27-year-old Ressel, however, does.
He had the eventual Olympic champion Nagase in the quarterfinals on the verge of defeat, before he lost to the Japanese in the Golden Score according to video evidence.
He had defeated the third place in the World Cup, Frank de Wit (Netherlands), and fought his way back near the medal against the Russian Alan Chubezow over the consolation round - only to let them slip out of his hands against the apparently easiest opponent.
The height of fall at Mollaie was higher: "I have lost my country," said.
But he has also found a new home.
For Mongolia he won silver - and that "as a free person".