We are talking here about the contest between Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB), the world number one, and Uta Abe (JPN), the reigning Olympic champion, already promised a new coronation. This match could have been a final, the final of these Paris 2024 Games, but the draw decided otherwise. Abe not being among the top 8 in the category, despite her domination and her impressive results, she could have fallen against any athlete in the first rounds.
On 25th July, we were fixed! The clash would take place in the round of 16 between the two champions. After a perfectly mastered first round against Kelly Deguchi (CAN), Uta Abe seemed well on her way to winning. The start of the contest against Diyora Keldiyorova seemed to confirm her great form and her mastery of the situation. It was without counting on the quality of the judo and the explosive capacity of the Uzbek judoka who, although trailing by a score, suddenly produced a lightning fast movement that literally nailed the Japanese champion to the ground. Ippon! This was the end of the competition for Uta Abe, the end of the dream of an Olympic double, the end of the hope of repeating her Tokyo feat from three years ago, where she became Olympic champion on the same day as her brother Hifumi Abe.
All this is just sport, nothing but sport. On the one hand, we had the restrained joy of Keldiyorova because she still has a long competition ahead of her, and on the other we had the distress of Abe who totally collapsed, could no longer walk and had to be supported by her coach to leave the field of play.
Only sport can allow us to experience such moments but this same sport must not allow us forget that behind the spotlights there are human stories that we must preserve and respect. Diyora Keldiyorova proved that everything is always possible, especially in judo. You can be the ultimate favourite, leading quietly, when suddenly the floor disappears under your feet. In a second, you find yourself thrown onto your back. All the lights go out.
Diyora Keldiyorova held her rank as world number one in the most beautiful way. She prepared for that moment and believed in it, without giving up. Her performance can only be applauded. Bravo!
Abe Uta is still young, she has already won everything. She has nothing more to prove except that she will be back when she has digested this defeat. We must never forget that losing is part of the game because if everything was written in advance, the emotions we talked about in the introduction would not exist. Today we witnessed the joy of a victory and the distress of a defeat.
The public present in Paris understood this well. The encouragement they offered to Uta Abe, while celebrating the victory of Diyora Keldiyorova were up to the challenge. One needed to be recognised for her performance, the other needed to feel that despite everything she was loved by the public. In such conditions, victory is easy and defeat painful. However, one does not go without the other, one is intimately linked to the other. There is no dishonour in losing. There is no more glory in winning if it is not done with respect for the rules and the opponent.
Diyora Keldiyorova and Uta Abe offered us today a very moving page in the history of sport and both need to be praised for that.