Maylín del Toro from Cuba was eliminated this Tuesday in her debut at the judo competition of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, after losing by ippon to Japan's Miku Takaichi.
Competing on Tatami 2 at the Champ de Mars Arena, the venue for the event, the athlete from Santiago failed to advance in the 63 kg category in a bout where she showed too much passivity against the world's eighth-ranked judoka.
"She needed to attack more; she allowed her opponent to grab and move her hand to close in, which gave the Japanese judoka the upper hand," said her coach Yordanis Arencibia to the digital site JIT after the match.
The ippon was achieved through immobilization. "Everyone knows that the Japanese are very skilled in that area, and that's why she needed to be more offensive earlier," added the former athlete.
Thus, the Cuban judoka, a multi-medalist in Pan-American and Central American competitions, exited the tournament early, mirroring her performance three years ago at Tokyo 2020, where she finished 20th.
However, Cuba still has medal prospects in Olympic judo. This Wednesday, world-renowned judoka Iván Felipe Silva (90 kg) will compete, followed by Andy Granda (over 100 kg) and the stellar Idalys Ortiz (over 78 kg), a four-time Olympic medalist, including her gold in London 2012, on Thursday.
Insights on Cuba's Judo Performance at Paris 2024
Here are some key questions and answers regarding Cuba's judo performance and prospects at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
What caused Maylín del Toro's early exit in Paris 2024?
Maylín del Toro's early exit was due to her passivity and the effective immobilization technique employed by Japan's Miku Takaichi.
Who are the other Cuban judokas competing in Paris 2024?
Other Cuban judokas competing include Iván Felipe Silva (90 kg), Andy Granda (over 100 kg), and Idalys Ortiz (over 78 kg).