Kayla Harrison competes against Abigel Joo of Hungary during the women’s -78 kg. judo contest at the 2016 Rio Olympics at Carioca Arena 2 on August 11, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Especially after all she has been through.
Advertisement
Through the long day of competition at the Carioca Arena, Pedro kept repeating what he had asked her that morning. For one, she’s a good deal heavier, and doesn’t believe she could make the drop to 135 pounds.
Or during the Games, either.
Harrison reportedly was thinking about that jump even before she won the 78kg weight class Thursday in Rio to become the first two-time American gold medalist in women’s judo.
“I can’t believe this moment has happened”.
“I’m just going to focus on being two-time Olympic champion and decide about punching people in the face at a later date”, said Harrison. “And this time around I was a woman on a mission”. I wanted to retain my title.
“When I was in school, there were books on “stranger danger” and safe sex, but nothing on if someone you know takes advantage of you”. “This is my legacy”, Harrison said. Before she became a groundbreaking UFC star, Rousey was training partners with Harrison during the former champ’s judo days at Pedro’s facility in Wakefield.
“There were more than a lot of moments I didn’t want to get up for practice, didn’t want to do more lineups, didn’t want to get the crap kicked out of me”, she said.
In a attractive story of a young victim being given a second chance to heal and move forward, Harrison was taken to Wakefield’s Pedro’s Judo Center and placed under the tutelage of Olympic bronze medalist and national team coach Jimmy Pedro and his father, “Big Jim”.
“(Solomon) knows the importance of keeping Kayla in the sport of judo”, Pedro said, “keeping her connected to who she is. She listens, she adapts, she can follow a game plan.
Instead, she faced Tcheumeo and did not seem to be getting the best of the action until the final minute when she finally got Tcheumeo on the ground for a decisive win by ippon.
Brazil has won its third medal at Rio 2016 Olympics – and second in Judo.
The Brazilian started her Olympic run by defeating Miranda Giambelli 100-0 in the Round of 16.
Advertisement
As reigning Olympic champion, Harrison used her platform to start the Fearless Foundation, which sheds light on child sexual abuse and helps survivors through education and sport.
