Madagascar’s flag bearer Bryan Tokiniaina Antonio Minoharintsoa won two of his four bouts in the under-100 kg judo competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, the best individual performance by a Malagasy athlete at the fifth day of the Games, which run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13 in the Senegalese capital, L’Express de Madagascar reported.
The 17-year-old, who is Madagascar’s junior and cadet champion at -90 kg, opened with a win over Nepal’s Shubhram Timelsina before losing in the quarterfinals to Angola’s Joao Agostino. Relegated to the repechage, he defeated Gabon’s Ndong Ghislain in the first repechage bout, then fell to Tajikistan’s Sharif Asmas, ending his tournament.
Bronze in Rugby Sevens Caps a Historic Team Debut
Minoharintsoa’s run came days after Madagascar’s rugby sevens team delivered a double milestone: the squad became the first team sport to qualify for the Youth Olympics, and the first Malagasy discipline of any kind, team or individual, to win an Olympic medal, taking bronze in rugby sevens, L’Express de Madagascar reported. Most of the country’s representatives, competing in five of the seven disciplines on the program, had already completed their campaigns by day five.
Swimmers Log Personal-Best Times in Dakar
In swimming, Tendry Tiavina Rakotobe finished 10th overall in the 50 m butterfly in 25.62 seconds and 14th in the 100 m butterfly in 58.06 seconds, a new under-17 best for Madagascar. He is scheduled for his third and final event, the 50 m freestyle, on Friday. Océane Rakotonanahary, the team’s second flag bearer, placed 13th in the 100 m breaststroke in 1:17.47 and 34th in the 100 m freestyle in 1:02.02, and will close her Games in the 50 m breaststroke on Thursday.
Table Tennis Campaign Ends Without a Win
Gracia Tina Andriatahiana lost all three of her pool matches: 0-3 to Puerto Rico’s Valentina Davilla (5-11, 9-11, 5-11), 0-3 to Thailand’s Kulapassr Vijitviyagul (3-11, 2-11, 3-11) and 0-3 to France’s Nina Guo Zheng (4-11, 2-11, 4-11), according to L’Express de Madagascar.
Three More Malagasy Athletes Take the Stage This Weekend
Madagascar’s remaining hopes rest with three athletes entering competition this weekend: weightlifter Tsiky Mahay Tia Tendry, a six-time gold medalist at the African youth and junior championships, in the -46 kg class; wrestler Francia Randriatiana, a double gold medalist in Olympic wrestling and beach wrestling at the regional education and development tournament in Mauritius, in the -45 kg class; and sprinter Anjara Laura Jauslin, based in Geneva, Switzerland, in the 200 m.
The Youth Olympic Games conclude Nov. 13 in Dakar, with Madagascar’s delegation looking to add to the rugby sevens bronze before the closing ceremony.
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