Interview taken from the site СЕГОДНЯ.ua
Our athlete told us why he took fourth place at the Olympic games.
Ukrainian judoka Artem Bloshenko, in the weight category up to 100 kg, took fourth place at the 2016 Olympics. In the semifinals, Artem lost to Elmar Gasimov from Azerbaijan for the sixth time in his career, and the world champion Ryunosuke Hage of Japan lost the bronze medal match.
– The plan was to turn the opponent to the right side, press and try to throw. In the rack, everything was more or less formed. We were fighting. And in the stalls I missed the reception and lost – – Artem tells about the bronze fight. – Judo is an unpredictable sport. If the competition had been held a day earlier or a day later, everything would have been different. There are a lot of equal rivals.
Twenty people can compete for medals.
– You were not lucky with the grid-inconvenient Gasimov and champion Haga.
– I wouldn’t say that. I just don’t understand why the judges don’t punish Gasimov at all. He stands to himself, resists, does not fight. Yes, the guy is well developed physically. Makes counter-moves and wins. But at the beginning of the match, he should be punished for this. It stops the fight, it doesn’t let you fight. And the same with everyone, not just with me.
I used to fight with Haga at training camps. But no one shows everything there.
– From judo and in London-2012 there were very high hopes, it didn’t turn out. And now without a medal.
– Let’s believe that tomorrow Yakov Hammo will show himself. If there is one medal – it is already good. I’m not ashamed of my job. I’m sorry that I don’t have a medal, but this is a sport.
– Do you feel that the Olympic games are very different from other competitions?
– Very different. Everything is very exciting. Many people just burn out. I kind of approached it normally. But I was still very worried when I was fighting for the final. I was under the pressure because people came to cheer for me, and I made a mistake.
– Nevertheless, the fourth place is still the highest result of our judoists in Rio.
– Yes, it’s not a bad result, but it’s not a medal. I was near. Like in a fairy tale: “And I was there and drank beer.” So am I. I was in Rio, but I didn’t take a medal.
– You had an injury before.
– Yes, I still can’t cure my shoulder. I have it for a long time, but in the Olympic cycle you need to fight, train, and not just to sit. It’s a good thing my shoulder didn’t bother me today. I have a rest ahead, everything will be fine. And there, maybe, I will change the weight category, because it is too heavy for me to drive the weight. I’m also thinking about coaching.