Diyora Keldiyorova comments on her defeat after a 2-year break

Paris 2024 Summer Olympic champion and Uzbek judo star Diyora Keldiyorova has returned to the international arena for the first time after a long hiatus. Following her participation in the Grand Slam, one of the world's most prestigious tournaments, the champion addressed her fans regarding her return to the mat and her unexpected defeat.

Stepping into an official International Judo Federation (IJF) competition after a long break of two years and three months, our athlete emphasized that this challenge will provide her with new strength and insights.

Chronicle of the Grand Slam bouts

During the tournament, Diyora Keldiyorova went through the following stages:

• A confident start: In the first round, the Olympic champion faced her Mexican opponent on the tatami and secured a victory through superior skill;

• Obstacle in the second round: In the next round of the competition, she faced one of the strong contenders — Gefen Primo from Israel. In a hard-fought match, Keldiyorova lost the opportunity and was forced to end her run in the tournament.

"I will learn from my mistakes": Diyora's sincere response

After the competition concluded, Diyora Keldiyorova openly expressed her thoughts through her social media channels:

"I am very happy to have returned to IJF tournaments after a two-year and three-month break! Unfortunately, the result this time was not what I expected. But there is still a lot of work and new goals ahead. I will learn the right lessons from today's mistakes and will definitely return even stronger!

I express my endless gratitude to my family, the Uzbekistan Judo Federation, and all my kind compatriots who have always supported me!"

The return to major sports of Diyora Keldiyorova, who won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's judo for Uzbekistan on the Paris tatami, is being hailed by the sports community as a great act of courage and an important step toward new victories.