Watch as devastated Japanese Olympic Judo champion breaks down and has to be rescued by coach after shock last-16 defeat

4 months ago 65

REIGNING Olympic judo champion Uta Abe was left devastated after being knocked out of the women’s 52kg event.

The 24-year-old suffered a shock defeat to Diyora Keldiyorova of Uzbekistan in the round-of-16, ending her five-year unbeaten streak.

Uta Abe suffered a defeat to Diyora Keldiyorova in the round-of-16[/caption]

She was left inconsolable and fell into the arms of her coach[/caption]

She was in tears at the side of the arena[/caption]

UTA ABE DEHORS

Diyora Keldiyorova élimine l'ouzbèke qui termine en larmes avec des cris effroyables #Judo #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/2OHAF6Awyv

— Le Stade (@le_stade) July 28, 2024

She was undone by an ippon, the highest score achievable in judo, and went on to lose 10-1 at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

The judo superstar was inconsolable after the loss and broke down in tears next to her coach, who carefully guided her off the mat.

Abe and her older brother, Hifumi, had both hoped to win gold medals together on day two of the Games.

The siblings achieved the incredible feat in Tokyo three years ago, with Abe winning the women’s 52kg event and Hifumi – who will look to retain his title on Sunday afternoon – taking gold in the men’s 66kg.

However, the 2023 women’s world champion was unable to progress past the second round.

Abe was one of the favourites to win the event this summer.

Prior to the opening ceremony, she told Olympics.com: “I want to be invincible in everyone’s eyes.

“Somebody who nobody expects to lose, and is stronger than words can describe.”

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WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...

THE PARIS 2024 Olympics is now well underway with medals being ticked off and huge events still to come.

SunSport brings you all the action taking place in the French capital on a what is expected to be a huge third day.

Tom Daley looks to retain his 10m synchro diving gold, this time with Noah Williams instead of Matty Lee (10am).

Tatt-mad Matt Richards and Tokyo silver star Duncan Scott are battling for 200m freestyle gold in the swimming pool (7.40pm).

Tom Pidcock goes in the mountain biking cross-country after winning gold three years ago (1.10pm) and it is the finals of equestrian eventing (team 11.15am, individual 2pm).

The men’s team gymnastics final – featuring Max Whitlock – starts at 4.30pm.

In hockey, Team GB women face Australia in their second pool match of this year, looking to make it bronze, gold, bronze, gold in the last four Olympics (4pm).

And there are Brits galore in the sailing down in Marseille (from 11am).

Swimmers Lilly King, Tatjana Smith, Ruta Meilutyte and Tang Qianting make up a star-studded quartet going for women’s 100m breaststroke gold (8.30pm).

It’s Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster second-round singles clash at Roland Garros, the tennis superstars’ 60th and probably final meeting (12.30pm).

Ukraine’s six-time fencing world champion Olha Kharlan was sent a personal letter by IOC chief Thomas Bach guaranteeing her place at a fifth Olympics.

She was disqualified from the fencing world champs last year for refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent. The women’s sabre final is at 8.45pm.

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Abe won gold in last year’s World Judo Championship after beating Keldiyorova in the 52kg women’s final.

She has four World Championship titles in total, having dominated the sport for years.

Hifumi is set to go for gold in the men’s event on Sunday afternoon in the men’s 66kg.