Christa Deguchi made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning Canada’s first-ever gold medal in judo. Competing in the women’s 57kg weight category, Deguchi’s victory came against South Korea’s Huh Mimi in the final.
The final match was intense and scoreless through the four minutes of regular time, leading to a sudden-death overtime known as golden score. Both judokas had received two penalties, called shidos, by the end of the overtime.
In the golden score, the other would win if either competitor received another penalty. Just under two minutes into this extra time, Huh Mimi was penalized for a false attack, resulting in her third shido and the Canadian winning the gold medal.
The 28-year-old’s journey to the final was also dramatic. In the semifinals, she faced France’s Sarah-Léonie Cysique. The match was tied at the end of regulation time and went into golden score. After over four minutes of extra time, Cysique was penalized for her third shido, allowing the Canadian to win. This semifinal was particularly challenging for Deguchi, as she had hurt her right knee and faced a tough opponent. 
Interestingly, Cysique had previously defeated Canadian Jessica Klimkait in the semifinals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where Klimkait eventually won bronze. Klimkait and Deguchi had been competing for the Olympic spot, with Klimkait securing it for Tokyo, while Deguchi went on to win her spot for Paris.
Deguchi’s win in Paris was a significant moment not only for her but for Canada’s judo history. She had previously won two world championships (2019 and 2023) and a silver at the 2024 IJF World Championships. Deguchi, who was born in Japan but represents Canada due to her Canadian father, had moved to Canada in 2017.
Dream Came True Moment
After the final, Deguchi was stunned when she realized the significance of her victory. She told SportsNet, “After the referee gave me the winning gesture, I couldn’t understand what was happening. When I left the mat and walked by to the media booth, I finally realized that I’d done it. My dream just came true.” She also noted, “I wasn’t born in Canada, but still, a lot of Canadians supported me, and I’m very thankful for them.”
Christa Deguchi’s gold medal not only added to her impressive resume but also marked a milestone in Canadian sports history.
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