Diyora Keldiyorova gives Uzbekistan its first champion in Judo with a surprising upset of four-time champion Abe Uta of Japan in the -52kg division.
Diyora Keldiyorova made history at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 by winning the gold medal in the -52kg judo category, becoming the first Olympic champion for Uzbekistan in judo and the first female medalist in the sport for her country.
Keldiyorova's journey to gold was marked by a significant upset when she defeated Tokyo 2020 -52kg Olympic champion and four-time world champion Abe Uta in the preliminaries.
Reflecting on her victory, Keldiyorova expressed immense pride and joy, acknowledging Abe Uta's prowess while celebrating her own achievement. "It's an amazing feeling — the first gold medal for Uzbekistan, and also from a woman. I'm so happy," she said.