OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Gibbons guaranteed silver after stunning semi-final

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By Sean-Paul Doran, Sportsbeat, London 2012

GREAT Britain’s Gemma Gibbons produced a stunning performance to guarantee herself a London 2012 medal after a sensational win over the current world champion.

Gibbons, competing in the -78kg category, ignited the ExCel crowd as she beat France’s Audrey Tcheumeo by ippon after a scoreless five-minute period, and now faces USA’s Kayla Harrison in the final at 4pm.

Gibbons defeated Yahima Ramirez of Portugal, the 2011 European bronze medallist, by an ippon score to win her opening bout before dispatching Mongolia's seventh seed Lkhamdegd Purevjargal to reach the quarter finals.

And the 25-year-old British judoka produced a fantastic performance as she defeated Marhinde Verkerk, who had beaten Japan’s number two seed Akari Ogata, to book her place in the semi-finals.

The Brit wasn’t guaranteed a medal from her semi-final bout due to the rules of the judo competition, unlike in boxing where both defeated semi-finalists receive bronze medals.

With the two winners of the semi-finals competing for gold, each of the defeated semi-finalists compete against a winner of a repechage contest between two of the beaten quarter finalists to battle it out for bronze.

But Gibbon’s famous win ensured she is guaranteed at least a silver medal as she faces just one more bout in her quest for Olympic gold on home soil.

© Sportsbeat 2012