Judo bronze medallist belted by phone thief

Belgian judo player Dirk Van Tichelt's Olympic medal celebrations were thrown out of kilter when he was punched in the face by a thief who stole his mobile phone on Copacabana beach.

The Belgian Olympic Committee said Van Tichelt, 32, who won a bronze medal in the men's 73kg event at the Rio Games, was hit as he chased the thief on the popular strip late on Monday.