Keldiyorova marked her historic victory, the first Olympic medal for an Uzbek woman in any summer Olympic sport and the country’s first medal of Paris 2024, by making a donation to the Olympic Museum of the complete judogi that she wore to win her gold medal, celebrated in a ceremony in Paris on 1st August.
“Beyond her impressive athletic achievements, including two world championship silver medals, Keldiyorova embodies the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect,” said Yasmin Meichtry, Associate Director of the Olympic Museum. “She is a role model, inspiring countless women and girls, showing them the power of determination and the possibilities that lie ahead. It is through the generosity of Olympians like her that the museum can tell the inspiring stories of athletes, now and for the future.”
“Uzbekistan is full of strong fighters, well known for their courage and passion for judo, but to have Diyora, the first Uzbek Olympic champion, is so impressive,” said Sabrina Filzmoser, International Judo Federation (IJF) Executive Committee member and the chair of the IJF Athletes’ Commission. “I have deep respect for her as a role model; she has such a strong mindset, and we want to show other countries and athletes around the world what is possible.”
“We are very proud of this historic moment in Uzbekistan,” said Adkham Ikramov, Minister of Sport of Uzbekistan. “Friendship and respect form the basis of both the Olympic Movement and the judo family. Through her determination, passion and hard work, Diyora Keldiyorova demonstrates these values to the world, physically and mentally. She has already inspired thousands of girls across her country to start practising judo, giving us new opportunities to bring the sport into schools and sports clubs across Uzbekistan. It is of great pride to us that her judogi will take its place at the Olympic Museum, where millions of sports fans have come to visit.”
“I am so happy, so proud to give my judogi to the Olympic Museum,” said Olympic judo champion Diyora Keldiyorova. “Thank you to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, our Minister of Sport and our National Olympic Committee, who opened the way for women and girls in sports. It was so hard; sometimes we lost, sometimes we won, but every time they believed in me and all our female athletes. I’m so happy I did it! It was my dream, not only for me, but for my family, for our judo family and for all our doctors, athletic coaches, mental coaches and athletes.”
Keldiyorova also credited her late grandmother, who passed away 10 years ago, for introducing her to sports.
In the spirit of friendship, Clarisse Agbegnenou– French judoka, individual and mixed team Olympic champion and Keldiyorova’s idol – surprised the Uzbek athlete with an appearance and heartfelt congratulations. Agbegnenou’s Tokyo 2020 judogi is currently on display at the Olympic Museum.
“I really want to congratulate Diyora, because she was just amazing, she was really tough, and it is a real pleasure to be here for her. When they asked me to come, I said of course I had to come for her, because she is someone who will bring a lot of medals to the judo world. She is a young woman with a lot of passion in this sport and we really need to have more girls like her.
I could never imagine that I would be a role model. I could not imagine that Diyora is a fan of me, that because of me, she is inspired. I think judo is even more than sport, it is a spirit. This spirit is passed on through generations, from my generation, given to Diyora, who will give it to girls in Uzbekistan and all over the world,” said Agbegnenou.
Keldiyorova’s judogi will enter the permanent collection of the Olympic Museum and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will be “not only preserved for posterity, but shown to and shared with the world” through our exhibitions and loans, said Meichtry.
About the International Judo Federation
The International Judo Federation (IJF) is the world governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of judo and was founded in 1951. With more than 200 national member federations, five continental unions and an annual World Judo Tour of world-class events, judo is a martial art, an educational tool and is one of the world’s most widely practised sports.
The IJF World Judo Tour, composed of world class events - grand prix, grand slam, World Judo Masters and the flagship event the IJF, the world championships for individuals & teams, takes place across Europe, Asia & the Americas annually.
The IJF is leading life-changing programmes on the five continents, including, Judo for Children, Judo in Schools, Judo for Peace, Judo for All, based on gender equity and non-discriminatory principles and on a strong moral code.
About the Olympic Museum
The Olympic Museum is the official home of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Olympic heritage items, featuring artefacts, archives, images, books and films. Situated in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, Switzerland, the museum’s international exhibitions and programmes connect people of all ages with the diverse stories, art, history and culture of the global phenomenon that is the Olympic Games. Through educational initiatives inspired by the Olympic values, the Olympic Museum unites athletes, visitors, students, artists and an affiliated network of museums worldwide. For more information, please visit olympics.com/museum.