2024-07-31 17:06:40
Ivaylo Ivanov has not decided whether he will continue his career until the Los Angeles Games in 2008, where he can record a fourth Olympic appearance.
The 30-year-old Ivanov lost in the round of 16 in the category up to 90 kilograms to the leader of the scheme and the defending champion from the Tokyo 2020 Games Lasha Bekauri (Georgia) at the Olympic judo tournament in Paris.
“Certainly this fight could have gone another way. Already in the first seconds, I assumed if it was a mistake, if it was supposed to happen this way. I do not know. He took my assessment and then he already started supporting. The refereeing here is adequate. They don’t give punishments very easily. I couldn’t crack it. The counterattack that brought him “vadzari” decided the match. When you take an advantage with a score and you are a class competitor, especially at the Olympics, it is very difficult to come back,” commented Ivanov after the match.
Ivanov had previously kicked off the competition with a prestigious victory over Lebanon-competing naturalized Russian of Chechen origin Karamnob Sagaypov, fifth at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi in May this year.
“My draw was not easy. In the very first match I had to meet an opponent who two months ago was fifth in the world championship. He is not an easy opponent, flexible, routine. I managed to beat him, but then it didn’t work out,” he added Ivanov.
He is adamant that he does not intend to end his racing career after his third Olympic appearance in Paris.
“I have not decided whether I will pursue my Olympic dream for the fourth time. I certainly won’t give up, there are more races I want to enter and win. But the body will show in the coming years how I am, because this sport is hard, and I already have three Olympics. I’ve had minor injuries in recent years, we’ll see. However, I also have a family and that is the most important thing to me. I want to pay attention to him,” said Ivanov.