Emirati Sergiu Toma gets UAE’s second-ever Olympic medal

Emirati judoka Sergiu Toma made history on Tuesday when he won his bronze medal, giving the UAE its second-ever Olympic award after beating Italian Matteo Marconcini in the 81kg weight class in Rio.

The 29-year-old Toma together with Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher became the only two Emirates so far who won medals at the Olympics.

Bin Hasher won a gold medal in the double trap shooting in Athens in 2004.

Earlier, the Moldovan born-Emirati judoka defeated Japan’s Takanori Nagase to enter the semi-finals.

Russian Khasan Khalmurzaev won the gold while US Travis Stevens took home the silver.

2016 Rio Olympics – Judo – Semifinal – Men -81 kg Semifinal Contests – Carioca Arena 2 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 09/08/2016. Sergiu Toma (UAE) of United Arab Emirates and Khasan Khalmurzaev (RUS) of Russia react. REUTERS/Toru Hanai