Beatriz Souza third female Olympic champion of Brazil

Beatriz Souza has become Brazil’s fifth-ever Olympic judo champion, following in the footsteps of Aurelio Miguel, Rogerio Sampaio, Sarah Menezes, and Rafaela Silva. Her technical, intelligent, and professional performance in the final solidified her position as one of the top judokas in the world.

In the gold medal match, Souza's speed and precision proved decisive. She was quicker to the attack than her opponent, Raz Hershko of Israel, securing a waza-ari from a well-timed o-soto-gari. Hershko attempted a seoi-otoshi, which came close to scoring but lacked the necessary drive. Despite both fighters continuing to seek scoring opportunities, Souza's initial attack was sufficient to secure her the Olympic gold. Overcome with emotion, Souza celebrated with her coach, Sarah Menezes, herself an Olympic champion from London 2012.

Reflecting on the victory, Menezes praised Souza's performance, saying, "This was a great performance. She worked hard and today she was magnificent. I’m also very happy when I realize what she did today. I had gold in London and am now with Beatriz as a coach. She has helped me fulfill another dream.” Souza expressed her joy succinctly, “I’m very blessed to be here. In Paris, I wrote my name in history.”

In the first medal contest of the session, Hayun Kim (KOR) showcased her offensive skills, overcoming Ozdemir’s strong grips and resilient movement. Kim's combination of o-uchi-gari and uchi-mata earned her a well-deserved bronze medal. 

The second bronze medal contest was a thrilling moment for the home crowd. A giant flag was unfurled in celebration and support of France's Romane Dicko, who lived up to the crowd’s expectations by throwing Serbia’s Milica Zabic for ippon quickly and cleanly. What a tournament she's had the Serbian heavyweight. Despite her disappointment at not reaching the final, Dicko ensured her place on the podium, receiving comfort from French President Emmanuel Macron, who was present in the stadium.

Earlier in the evening, the repechage round saw Hayun Kim of Korea defeating Larisa Ceric of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a strong o-uchi-gari for waza-ari, leaving Ceric in 7th place. In the absence of Japan’s Akira Sone due to injury, Milica Zabic advanced to the bronze medal contest by default.

In the semi-finals, Raz Hershko dominated Kayra Ozdemir of Turkey, throwing for ippon with osoto-otoshi in the first exchange, earning her spot in the final. The other semi-final was a loud and intense affair, featuring France's Romane Dicko against Brazil's Beatriz Souza. Souza’s sharp and positive judo throughout the day continued in the semi-final, where she threw and held Dicko, much to the amazement of the crowd.

Beatriz Souza’s victory marks a significant achievement for Brazil, adding to their rich judo history and inspiring future generations of judokas.

In the first medal contest of the session, Hayun Kim (KOR) showcased her offensive skills, overcoming Ozdemir’s strong grips and resilient movement. Kim's combination of o-uchi-gari and uchi-mata earned her a well-deserved bronze medal.