Judoka Diyora Keldiyorova from Uzbekistan became an Olympic champion at the Paris Games in -52 kg weight category, defeating Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo in the final. This victory is historic, as it marks Uzbekistan’s first Olympic gold medal in judo and the country’s first female Olympic judo medalist. This is also the first medal of Uzbekistan at current Games.
Diyora Keldiyorova is an Asian champion, a two-time silver medalist at the world championships and the current No. 1 in the global judo rankings. She is trained by former German judoka Marko Spittka, who is a bronze medalist of Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
In the 1/8 finals, she met Abe Uta of Japan, Tokyo-2020 Olympic champion and four-time world champion, who had been unbeaten at world championships for five years (since 2019).
In quarterfinals, Keldiyorova faced Mascha Ballhaus of Germany, bronze medalist from the 2024 world championship and 2023 European champion.
In semifinals, Keldiyorova defeated Amandine Buchard, 2021 European champion, four-time world champion and silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In the final, the Uzbekistani athlete met Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo, 2020 Olympic champion in -48 kg category, two-time European champion (2021 and 2024) and medalist at both European and world championships.
Diyora Keldiyorova became the first female athlete from Uzbekistan to win at Summer Olympucs. Before this victory, Uzbekistan’s sole Olympic gold medal was won by freestyle skier Lina Cheryazova at 1994 Winter Games. The last time a female athlete from Uzbekistan ascended on the Olympic podium was in Beijing in 2008, when jumper Ekaterina Khilko won a bronze medal.
President of Uzbekistan called Diyora Keldiyorova to congratulate her, his press service said late Sunday evening.
Photos
Photos by Anvar Ilyasov / National Olympic Committee.
