Controversial Tong wins judo world title on return

Olympic champion Tong Wen won a sixth world title on her controversial return to top-level competition at the Judo World Championships here on Saturday. China's Tong pinned compatriot Qin Qian in the final to secure the gold medal but was met with a mixed reception of cheers and jeers at the Palais Omnisport de Bercy. She tested positive for clenbuterol following her victory at the worlds in Rio de Janeiro in 2009. Tong was initially banned for two years but was let off and reinstated over a technicality regarding her tested B sample, despite having already published an open letter admitting her responsibility. She missed the whole of last season but had she served her two-year ban, she would not be fighting here. What she did prove, though, is that she is undoubtedly the best in her division, and she was unrepentant about her positive test. "Because of the accident in Rotterdam last year I regret that I wasn't able to compete these last two years but now the queen of judo is back," she said. In the quarter-final she easily pinned world number one Megumi Tachimoto of Japan after turning a failed winding throw (maki-komi) attack into a successful hold down. It was the same move that did for Cuba's Idalys Ortiz in the semi-finals and Qin in the final. She now has four over-78kg world titles and two in the open division. The 2010 over-78kg and open weight world champion Mika Sugimoto of Japan edged out world number one compatriot Tachimoto by a penalty in a dull bronze medal fight, with the other medal going to Russia's Elena Ivashchenko, who armlocked Ortiz. The highlight for the home fans, and indeed most neutrals, was heavyweight Teddy Riner winning a record fifth men's title. The 22-year-old faced Germany's Andreas Toelzer in the over-100kg final for the second year in a row and planted him firmly on his back with an inner reap (ouchi-gari) for the maximum ippon to send the home crowd into rapturous applause. "We talked a lot about making history and now I've got the medal. It wasn't easy but I'm very happy because it was hard work," said Riner. "This does leave a special taste. A day like this is amazing, it's a dream." However, there is still something missing from Riner's medal collection, with his best Olympic performance being the bronze medal he earned in Beijing in 2008. "The most beautiful Olympic medal (gold) is the aim. That's the dream and I always think about it," he said. "I'll savour this but then I'll start over." Riner was head and shoulders above the competition, literally as well as figuratively. His quarter-final opponent Barna Bor of Hungary lasted just 30 seconds while South Korea's Kim Sung-Min managed only 15 seconds more. Former three-time world champion Alexander Mikhaylin from Russia rolled back the years to edge out Cuba's Oscar Brayson for bronze by a penalty. Kim took the other medal as he beat Mohammad Rodaki of Iran with a combination sweeping winding throw (harai-maki-komi) into a hold, in which his opponent submitted. The men's under-100kg division produced a host of shocks before world number five Tagir Khaybulaev of Russia stunned 2009 world champion Maxim Rakov of Kazakhstan in the final. Khaybulaev capped a wonderful day by throwing Rakov for ippon with a stunning standing double-sleeve hip throw (sode-tsuri-komi-goshi). Georgia's under-90kg Olympic champion Irakli Tsirekidze claimed a bronze in beating Egypt's Ramadan Darwish with a low rear throw (ura-nage), while Lukas Krpalek of the Czech Republic snatched the other podium slot from Belgium's Elco van der Geest with uchi-mata.