Chelsie Giles wins Team GB's first medal of Tokyo 2020

By Jully Bird

Chelsie Giles won Team GB's first medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after securing bronze in the women's -52kg judo. The 24-year-old from Coventry twice threw Swiss Fabienne Kocher for waza'ari to get her nation off the medal mark, all on her first appearance at an Olympic Games. For an athlete who only made her senior international debut in 2017, it was a dream come true. Giles dabbles in amateur photography away from the mat and couldn't have staged the scene of her triumph any better; coming at the Nippon Budokan, the spiritual home of her sport. "I felt really good in the warm-up, and I was taking each fight as it came. Today went really well," said Giles. "I believed I could do it, my coach has always believed I could and it showed in today's performance. "It feels very special to do it in Japan. It's an amazing arena and the atmosphere was amazing. To do it where Japan started it, it makes it extra special. "I never underestimate any of my fights, that's where mistakes are made. I go into the fight knowing what they do, and knowing what I'm capable of doing. With my best performance, I know I can beat some of the top players and today showed that." Giles had earlier lost out to Japan's Uta Abe in the quarter-finals but bounced back in style to beat Charline van Snick of Belgium on Golden Score. That victory took her through to the bronze medal match at the Nippon Budokan, with Team GB now winning a judo medal in each of the past three Games. Giles added: "A small mistake cost me the match [in the quarter-final], but I was happy with the rest of the performance. She's a great fighter and well done to her for the final. "Firstly, I'll take a break and take a few weeks' rest. I'm sure we'll be back to training in no time. "It's been really important to have the support of friends and family. When I've had not so good days, or it's been hard to motivate myself, they've always had my back. Especially British Judo, UK Sport, these are people I couldn't get here without."