Reliving the Triumphs and Challenges of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games was a thrilling display of athletic prowess, strategy, and determination by every Judoka who took the tatami. There may be no better city or venue than the Champ de Mars Arena in Paris, France to enjoy judo.
On day 1 of competition we saw early success for Team USA with Maria Laborde (-48kg) picking up two waza-ari against Zongying Guo (CHN). In the following round she faced off against Assunta Scutto (ITA) in the round of 16, which would be as far as Maria would come. Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN) comes away with her first Olympic Gold Medal and the first of many medals for Japan. The -60kg division was business as usual with no real big upsets coming forth.
On day 2 of competition we saw perhaps the biggest upset of the entire Paris Olympics, when the -52kg Women took the tatami. Defending Olympic Champion, Uta Abe (JPN), was thrown by World Number 1 Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB) during the round of 16. That would mark the first loss for Abe in almost 5 years. Keldiyorova would go on to win her first Olympic Gold Medal. In the -66kg, World Number 1 Hifumi Abe, showed his dominance, determination, and skill to back up his ranking. He would go on to claim his 2nd Olympic Gold Medal in a row!
Heading into the -57kg, Christa Deguchi of Canada, made history becoming the first Judoka from Canada to claim Olympic Gold. It was no easy route for Deguchi as she defeated Mimi Huh (WRL #2), Sarah Leonie Cysique (WRL #4), and Marica Perisic (WRL #8). In the -73kg we saw another first time Olympic Gold Medalist in Hidayet Heydarov (AZE).
When the -73kg division took the mat, our eyes were locked on to 21 year old Jack Yonezuka making his olympic debut. He was met with a tough match in the first round against the WRL #5 Adil Osmanov (MDA). Jack would unfortunately lose this match, however, it is back to training. As he moves forward, he can only go up from here. Osmanov (MDA) would go on to win a Bronze Medal, with Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) bringing back the Gold Medal.
The -63kg gave us another big upset for the female judoka. Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA) has been so dominant and was heavily favored to take home her second straight Olympic Gold Medal. She was defeated by the eventual Gold Medalist, Andreja Leski (SLO), with Agbegnenou battling back in the repechage for a Bronze Medal.
Next up, the -81kg division was absolutely stacked. The draw featured Tato Grigalashvili (WRL #1), Casse Matthias (WRL #2), Joonhwan Lee (WRL #3), Takanori Nagase (WRL #4), Somon Makhmadbekov (WRL #5), and Guilherme Schimidt (WRL #7). In the end, it would be Nagase (JPN) and Grigalashvili (GEO) who would be fighting for the Gold Medal, with Nagase taking home his second straight Olympic Gold in the -81kg division. It also marked his third straight Olympics where he stood on the podium, beginning with his Bronze Medal performance during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
There were no surprises in the -70kg bracket for the women. Barbara Matic of Croatia takes home the Gold Medal. Over the past four years, we’ve seen her rise through the rankings, with two World Championship Gold Medals, she has been primed to shine on the biggest stages.
Lasha Bekauri (GEO) has also been dominant. He took home his second straight Olympic Gold Medal in the -90kg bracket, defeating Shanshiro Murao (JPN). Alice Berlandi (ITA) takes home her first ever Olympic Gold Medal as well. The -100kg final was a hard fought battle between WRL #2 Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO) and WRL #1 Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE). The Gold Medal would be held by Kotsoiev and the Silver Medal goes to Sulamanidze, the first for each of them.
Another upset within the female divisions +78kg bracket. Romane Dicko (FRA) would take home the Bronze Medal after being defeated by the eventual Gold Medalist, Beatriz Souza (BRA). Nonetheless, Dicko takes her second straight Olympic Bronze, and Souza makes it to the podium for a second straight Olympic Games, this time with a Gold Medal.
Teddy Riner (FRA) as always shines above the rest with a dominant performance. This was his fifth Olympic Games, medaling in all five. After taking home the Bronze Medal in the 2020 games after a huge upset, Teddy showed he is still the cream of the crop on the IJF Tour, this time with an Olympic Gold Medal around his neck.
Check out the full results down from the 2024 Olympic Games down below!
2024 Paris Olympic Games Medal Count:
- Japan - 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze
- Azerbaijan - 2 Gold
- France - 1 Gold, 2 Silver,
- Georgia - 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
2024 Paris Olympic Games Results:
Mens Divisions
-60kg
- Yeldos Smetov (KAZ)
- Luka Mkheidze (FRA)
- Ryuju Nagayam (JPN)
- Francisco Garrigos (ESP)
-66kg
- Hifumi Abe (JPN)
- Willian Lima (BRA)
- Gusman Kyrgyzbayev (KAZ)
- Denis Vieru (MDA)
-73kg
- Hidayat Heydarov (AZE)
- Joan-Benjamin Gaba (FRA)
- Adil Osmanov (MDA)
- Soichi Hashimoto (JPN)
-81kg
- Takanori Nagase (JPN)
- Tato Grigalashvili (GEO)
- Joonhwan Lee (KOR)
- Somon Makhmadbekov (TJK)
-90kg
- Lasha Bekauri (GEO)
- Sanshiro Murao (JPN)
- Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou (JPN)
- Theodoros Tselidis (GRE)
-100kg
- Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE)
- Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO)
- Peter Paltchik (ISR)
- Muzaffarbek Turoboyev (UZB)
+100kg
- Teddy Riner (FRA)
- Minjong Kim (KOR)
- Temur Rakhimov (TJK)
- Alisher Yusupov (UZB)
Womens Divisions
- 48kg
- Natsumi Tsnoda (JPN)
- Baasankhuu Bavuudorj (MGL)
- Shirine Boukli (FRA)
- Tara Babulfath (SWE)
-52kg
- Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB)
- Distria Krazniqi (KOS)
- Larissa Pimenta (BRA)
- Amandine Buchard (FRA)
-57kg
- Christa Deguchi (CAN)
- Mimi Huh (KOR)
- Haruka Funakubo (JPN)
- Sarah Leonie Cysique (FRA)
-63kg
- Andreja Leski (SLO)
- Prisca Awiti Alcaraz (MEX)
- Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)
- Laura Faziliu (KOS)
-70kg
- Barbara Matic (CRO)
- Miriam Butkereit (GER)
- Michaela Polleres (AUT)
- Gabriella Willems (BEL)
-78kg
- Alice Bellandi (ITA)
- Inbar Lanir (ISR)
- Zhenzhao Ma (CHN)
- Patricia Sampaio (POR)
+78kg
- Beatriz Souza (BRA)
- Raz Hershko (ISR)
- Hayun Kim (KOR)
- Romane Dicko (FRA)
It was an outstanding event, Paris never disappoints Judo fans around the world. From the biggest winners and the smallest losers, the Olympic Games always proves to be a celebration of the pursuit of excellence and resilience.
