In the women's -52kg category, the performance of Diyora Keldiyorova of Uzbekistan was stratospheric. She is coached by Marko Spittka, who had the perfect day to win a first Olympic title in the history of Uzbek judo for women and men, the International Judo federation (IJF) said. Uzbekistan had no tradition of women's judo until recently, and this is a magnificent feat that will inspire generations of young girls across the country.

Diyora Keldiyorova said, "To change the life of women in Uzbekistan is my mission.”

She has been gaining momentum for several years. After her world final in Abu Dhabi this year, Diyora Keldiyorova is making now making history. On her way to the title, she allowed herself to eliminate the reigning champion, Uta Abe (JPN) and in the final, the Olympic champion in the -48kg category in Tokyo, Distria Krasniqi (KOS).

At the last Tokyo Olympics, Keldyorova lost by ippon to Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren from Mongolia in her first round of 16 and left the tournament.

“I am very happy, but I can’t believe it. Of course, I tried to win gold, but I can’t get over my emotions. I can say that after the Tokyo Olympics, I didn’t sleep for three years. I was very upset about the defeat. Three years later, I managed to win a gold medal. Many thanks to everyone - my parents, my husband, my first coach. As our president said, if you create conditions for women, they can conquer any peak,” she said in an interview with the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

“It was very difficult to get here. I was thinking only about the Olympic Games, all the time, only about the Games. I was thinking not just about a medal, but about a gold medal. This is a very important day for me, my parents, my family, for all of us. This is a medal for our entire team, for me, for Marko (her coach Marko Shpitka - ed.). This is the "gold" of Uzbekistan," she said, leaving the tatami as an Olympic champion.

The judoka's parents Bakhtiyor Mardonov and Dilorom Shodieva watched their daughter's performance at their home in the Pastdargom district of the Samarkand province.

The girl's mother especially noted her victory over Olympic champion Uta Abe. "She knocked down Abe, I am happy about it. With many years of hard work. I held my heart when they said that she was going up against Abe from Japan, because Abe had had an unbeaten streak for several years. When Diyora knocked her down, I could not describe my emotions in words," she said.

The parents thanked the country's leadership for the conditions created for the girls in the country.

Diyora Keldiyorova is an Asian champion, two-time silver medalist of the world championships, the current leader of the world judo rankings and now an Olympic champion. Her coach is former German judoka Marco Spitka, bronze medalist of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.