Judoka Tulika Mann’s campaign ends with opening round loss

PARIS: Indian judoka Tulika Mann crashed out of the women’s +78kg event at the Paris Olympics after going down in the opening round to London Games champion Idalys Ortiz of Cuba here on Friday.

The 25-year-old from Delhi, a silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, lost to the Cuban, who has four Olympic medals including two silver and a bronze, 0-10 by ippon at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

The contest between Tulika, who lost her father when she was a two-year-old and is a single child of a widowed mother, and Ortiz lasted just 28 seconds as the decorated Cuban trapped the Indian in a chokehold.

With the defeat, India’s judo campaign ended as Tulika was the lone judoka from the country competing at the Games.

Ippon is a move in which judokas throw their opponents to the mat with considerable force and speed so that the rivals land on their back.

An ippon is also awarded when a contestant immobilizes the opponent with a grappling hold-down for 20 seconds or when an opposite judoka gives up.