Bosch: I hit bottle-thrower from emotion

Judoka Edith Bosch revealed she had struck the man who threw the bottle
6 August 2012

The Dutch world judo champion who hit a man after he threw a bottle on to the track at the start of the men's 100m final on Sunday night said it was an emotional reaction.

Edith Bosch said she had acted out of disappointment and disbelief when the incident unfolded in the Olympic Stadium. The 32-year-old was standing close by when a green plastic drink bottle was thrown from the stands behind the start line.

She later told Dutch television station NOS TV: "I had seen the man walking around earlier and said to people around me that he was a peculiar bloke. Then he threw that bottle and in my emotion I hit him on the back with the flat of my hand."

She added: "Then he was scooped up by the security. However, he did make me miss the final, and I am very sad about that. I just cannot understand how someone can do something like that."

Bosch's involvement was brought to public attention on Twitter, where she wrote: "A drunken spectator threw a bottle onto the track! I HAVE BEATEN HIM... unbelievable."

A man remained in custody at an east London police station on Monday on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.

A police spokesman said a man had been heard shouting abuse and was then seen throwing the bottle immediately before the race, which was won by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. He said nobody was injured during the incident and the event was not disrupted.

Speaking after the race, US sprinter Justin Gatlin, who won bronze, said: "It was a little distraction and I didn't know what it was. But when you're in those blocks and the whole stadium's quiet you can hear a pin drop."

Bolt told reporters he had been unaware of the incident, adding: "No, I keep hearing that. I don't know who would have done that." Fellow Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake said: "I was so focused I didn't see anything. I was so focused on just running to the line."

Locog chairman Lord Coe said: "I'm not suggesting vigilantism but it was actually poetic justice that they happened to be sitting next to a judo player. Throwing a bottle on to the field of play is unacceptable, it's not just unacceptable at an Olympic Games but at any sporting event and anybody who does that will be removed."

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