Diyora Keldiyorova made history as Uzbekistan’s first female Olympic judo champion, securing gold in Paris. Her victory followed years of rigorous training and a challenging recovery from injury just months before the Games.

Now, she is focused on LA 2028 while also fostering the next generation of athletes. Recently, she opened a judo club that has already attracted dozens of young girls, a shift in a country where combat sports were traditionally male-dominated. Keldiyorova’s success is reshaping perceptions of women in sports, highlighting growing opportunities for female athletes in Uzbekistan.