Tacoma's Travis Stevens wins silver medal in Judo at Rio Olympics



RIO DE JANEIRO -- American Travis Stevens, of Tacoma, has won a silver medal in the men's 81-kilogram division in judo, losing to Russia's Khasan Khalmurzaev in the final.

Stevens, 30, was in top form on Tuesday, winning most of his fights by the maximum score in judo, including a hard-fought semifinal where he caught his opponent in a stranglehold, forcing him to tap out in submission.

Khalmurzaev had not been beaten all year.

This is the first time the US has won a medal in men's judo since 2004.

Stevens finished fifth at the London Games and was determined not to leave Rio empty-handed.

The men's bronze medals were won by Sergiu Toma of the United Arab Emirates and Takanori Nagase of Japan.

Men's 81kg results

Gold: Khasan Khalmurzaev (RUS)

Silver: Travis Stevens (USA)

Bronze: Sergiu Toma (UAE)

Bronze: Takanori Nagase (JPN)