Tokyo Olympics: Martyna Trajdos defends coach over slapping pre-fight 'ritual'
- Published
Martyna Trajdos (wearing white) says the pre-match 'ritual' fires her up
Tokyo Olympic Games on the 大象传媒 |
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Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8 |
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A German judoka who was shaken and slapped by her coach before a fight at the Tokyo Olympics says it was all part of her pre-competition ritual.
Television footage of Martyna Trajdos being grabbed by her judo uniform and being struck across both cheeks raised eyebrows on social media.
But she said: "My coach is just doing what I want him to do to fire me up."
Trajdos, who lost her -63kg bout to Hungary's Szofi Ozbas, "Look's like this was not hard enough."
The 32-year-old, who is a former world championships bronze medallist, was eliminated in the round of 32.
"I wish I could have made a different headline today," she said. "That's the ritual which I chose pre-competition."
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