GB medal hopefuls Eccles & Giles suffer heartbreak

British medal hopefuls Rosie Eccles and Chelsie Giles suffered shock early defeats on the second day of the Paris Olympics.

Boxer Eccles lost to Poland's Aneta Rygielska in the women's 66kg boxing on a controversial split decision that drew some boos in the arena.

"I knew I'd won the fight. I'm really, really shocked," a tearful Eccles said afterwards.

"I've given my whole life for a gold medal in the Olympics, or at least an Olympic medal to take home. I really would have been proud of that."

That came shortly after judoka Giles, the -52kg bronze medallist in Tokyo three years ago, was left visibly devastated after a second-round defeat.

Giles lost in the Golden Score round - where the first score decides the result - to Brazil's Larissa Pimenta.

Welshwoman Eccles appeared bewildered when it was announced she had lost 3-2 on points.

The 28-year-old narrowly won the first round, was edged out in the second, and then lost the final round despite her opponent being docked a point for failing to keep her head up.

Only one of the five judges had Rygielska ahead on the scores - two had Eccles in front, while two scored it even.

However, in those circumstances, judges who give level scores then vote for who they think won, and both decided in favour of the Pole.

BBC boxing commentator Steve Bunce, who called the bout live, said he was "shocked and stunned".

"That was a brutal outcome. I really did think she'd [Rosie Eccles] get it," he said.

"We've got independent judges here. They went with the one who got deducted a point and she actually fouled.

"The two judges who had it even voted for the woman who had an infringement. I'm really annoyed. It's a bad decision."

Three years ago, Giles was Britain's first medallist of the Tokyo Games, but it is a different story this time around.

The fifth seed had been bidding to become the first Briton to win a judo gold, having won European gold and world silver in the past two years.

She was given a first-round bye but picked up two penalties against Pimenta for non combativity, before losing in the Golden Score.

"You put in a lot of work and it can be done in a second - that's how judo works, you only get one chance," the tearful 27-year-old told BBC TV afterwards.

"I thought I was getting a bit better in the fight and I just got caught, so there is not much I can do."

Britain still have four judokas in Paris, with Lele Nairne competing in the women's -57kg on Monday.