A golden Olympic debut for Christa Deguchi
“I’m quite proud of myself and I didn’t give up — I kept going to the end, and to the win.”
Christa Deguchi, Canada’s most decorated female judoka is now an Olympic gold medallist. Canada’s first gold medal at Paris 2024 goes to the world number one judoka in the women’s 57kg class.
It is an especially sweet victory for Deguchi who lost the world championship title earlier this year to South Korea’s Huh Mimi, the very opponent she battled in the gold medal match at the Champs de Mars Arena in Paris.
“It was a tough fight, the semifinal and final were very tough. I was quite lucky for the win.”
Deguchi is not unfamiliar with tough times. Three years ago she experienced disappointment when her Olympic dreams were dashed when she failed to make the Tokyo 2020 team.
“After Covid, everything changed. I was hoping to go to Tokyo 2020 but I didn’t. I was very sad. I didn’t see the Olympics, so I didn’t know how this was going to work (in Paris). The three years between Tokyo and Paris seemed a long time because of the qualification process. But I think the qualification for Paris 2024 made me stronger.”
The 28-year-old Deguchi, born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Canadian father, made a life changing decision to move to Canada in 2017.
“My dad is Canadian, from Winnipeg. I was a college student and I was having a tough time. We were talking about Canada and my family in Canada, and I thought , ‘Why not fight for Canada?’ I wanted to fight for Canada.
“In Japan I was on the national team but I wasn’t winning. I was like third or fifth place and I thought I needed a change. I thought I could be stronger in Canada. Canada is my country too.
“In 2017, when I first fought for Canada, I felt a little strange, but now I feel comfortable and I’m proud that the maple leaf will be at the top of the podium.”
Two years after moving to Canada, Deguchi won her and Canada’s first world championship title in judo 2019. Now she adds Olympic champion to her most impressive list of accomplishments.
“It’s been a long journey to get here, and 50% I believe it and 50% I can’t believe what I’ve done. I’m very happy to bring the gold medal back to Canada, and to my family.”