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Nick Tritton's Olympics end early
By Brad Kelly Nicholas Tritton had a feeling about his fate before it was even sealed.After losing his opening judo match to Joao Pina of Portugal in the Golden Score at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium on Monday morning, his instincts told him his Olympic Games were over. Had Pina advanced through to the semifinals in the 73-kilogram class, it would have put Tritton back into the competition through the repechage, but it didn’t unfold that way for the Lanark Highlands Township resident. Pina was eliminated in his next match by Iran’s Ali Malomat.It was one time when Tritton wished his premonition was wrong. "It’s just a crappy feeling right now," he said right after the match, knowing there was nothing more he could do but sit and cheer for an opponent who had just defeated him. "Now I just have to sit and wait and see if (Pina) can pull some magic and make that semifinal so I can get back in and try to win that bronze. "It’s tough losing that first one. You don’t normally get pulled through, and I don’t think I will get pulled through." He was right. The five-minute match ended tied at 100 points each, forcing the Golden Score, judo’s equivalent to sudden-death overtime. The extra time lasted 1:49 before Pina scored on a throw to win. "I felt like I had him. I thought I was going to score," said the 24-year-old, who qualified for these Games by winning bronze at the Pan Am Games earlier this year. "I went in for an attack. I thought I saw an opening and I didn’t get my arm all the way through. (Pina) countered me backwards." It was the first time in his career that Tritton had faced Pina, who finished seventh at the 2004 Games in Athens. "He was a tough player. I knew I was going to be in for a tough battle." Despite the disappointment, Tritton was optimistic about his future. He plans to get back training again next week for some tournaments in September, vowing to be a contender for a podium finish at next year’s worlds, and again at the 2012 Olympics in London. |
