Judo silver for Schmutz
Switzerland's Isabelle Schmutz is celebrating the greatest success of her judo career, after winning a silver medal at the European Championships in Paris.
Schmutz, a 30-year-old psychology student from Lausanne, reached the final in the under-52-kilogram category before finally succumbing to Belgium’s Inge Clément, just 20 seconds from the end of the four-minute bout.
Earlier on Sunday, Schmutz had beaten a former junior world champion, Britain’s Georgina Singleton, to guarantee the Swiss judoka the second European podium place of her career. In 1998, Schmutz won bronze at the Oviedo championships.
The latest medal win also gives a boost to the national judo association following the disappointment of the Sydney Olympics, which saw three first round exits for the Swiss team (including Schmutz).
Schmutz’s compatriot, Lena Göldi, also left Paris with something to smile about. The 22-year-old from Biel finished seventh in the under-57-kilogram category to secure herself a place at July’s world championship in Munich.
Dominique Hischier and Christoph Keller were less fortunate, both managing just one win each before being eliminated.
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