Helios Latchoumanaya wins silver medal in judo

French para-judoka Hélios Latchoumanaya was beaten in the final of the -90 kg J2 category by Ukrainian Oleksandr Nazarenko and ends his Paralympic Games with a silver medal.

The Tarbes native was the favourite for the competition, having won the last two world championships and won the bronze medal in Tokyo.

Also readLIVE – Paralympic Games: Latchoumanaya wins silver in judo, French fencers just off the podium

But the Ukrainian right-hander surprised him at the start of the match with a waza-ari. The Frenchman tried hard and almost placed a hold to at least get back to equality. The Ukrainian, waiting, was awarded two penalties. But a third had to be dropped for the Frenchman to win.

He had eliminated Georgian Lasha Kizilashvili in the quarter-finals and then Brazilian Marcelo Casanova just before the four-minute limit.

He had beaten the Ukrainian right-hander in their last encounter, but Nazarenko had won the one before that.

The French judo delegation already brought home two medals on Saturday, bronze for Cyril Jonard (-90 kg J1) and Jason Grandry (+90 kg J1).

Judo at the Paralympic Games is practiced in two categories: blind judokas (J1) and partially sighted judokas (J2). The rules are the same with one exception: the combat sequences only begin when the kumikata of both athletes are in place, which means a grip with one hand on the sleeve and the other on the opponent’s lapel.