Vladimir Putin, a black belt, watches Olympic judo

Russian president & judo enthusiast watched Tagir Khaibulaev win 100-kilogram gold medal

I / London August 03, 2012, 9:27 IST

He clenched his fists at times, leaned back nervously at others. And when his compatriots won Olympic gold, he leaped from his seat and thrust his arms skyward.

A common fan reaction -- from an uncommon fan.

Vladimir Putin was one thrilled Russian president yesterday.

The longtime judo enthusiast had a VIP seat to watch Tagir Khaibulaev win the 100-kilogram gold medal. When the match ended, Putin led the celebration.

He slipped back into his suit jacket, met Khaibulaev moments after he walked off the mat, wrapped him in a warm embrace, and tousled his hair.

"You should be proud," Putin was heard telling Khaibulaev.

Later, Khaibulaev acknowledged the obvious, saying he was "honored."

"The president congratulated me," Khaibulaev said. "He said, 'Well done.' He was very pleased, especially since he was with us these past four years. He came to us and trained with us. He was very nervous for us."

Putin arrived yesterday in London under the guise of diplomacy, heading first to No. 10 Downing Street for a talk with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The heads of state met for about 45 minutes before heading out to the Olympic judo venue, taking second-row seats just after the 78-kilogram women's semifinals.

Putin spent time appearing to educate Cameron on the finer points of judo -- after all, Putin is a black belt, serves as the honorary president of the International Judo Federation and even wrote a book about the sport called "Judo: History, Theory, Practice."