Olympics | Dejected Judoka Whitebooi looking at the positives
Geronay Whitebooi cut a distraught figure in the warm down area as she stared straight ahead, through the walls and deep into the distance.
Her Olympic medal hopes had been cut short by the ferocity of her Japanese opponent Natsumi Tsunado in the last 16 of the judo competition at Paris 2024.
This was the Team SA’s athlete’s second Olympics, but in reaching the last 16, having seen off Argentina’s Jacqueline Solis in her opening contest, she had bettered her return from Tokyo 2020.
“How many people in the world can say that they’ve won a bout at the Olympic Games,” I suggested to her afterwards. In the moment it was of little consolation.
“I wanted to go all the way. I wanted to win gold. My mom is here …” You know what happens next.
When the heartache eases, and it will, the 28-year-old will know that she still has another Commonwealth Games and another Olympics in here. She won gold at Birmingham 2022 and remains a formidable force in the under-48kg division.
It is worth noting her 31-year-old conqueror won her first world title at the age of 29. She is still dominating the mat, currently a three-time world title holder from 2021, 2022 and 2023. In reaching the semi-finals, she had faced three opponents and beaten them all in a combined time of less than three minutes.
In the last 32 she won in 46 seconds and in her quarter-final match she was declared the winner after 60 second. Whitebooi was in the contest for 69 seconds when she lost by Ippon.
‘I”m not sure what to say,” she said afterwards. “Ee had a strategy and I felt positive going in to the fight. It didn’t work out and it’s sad to sit here on the mat watching the rest of the world fighting it out for the medals.
“Yes, I’m proud of myself for making a second Olympics and winning the first fight. But, I wanted to do something big … although I improved on Tokyo where I was beaten in the last 32, I feel like I haven’t gotten to where I want to be. I’ll count my blessings though and try to look at the positives.
“I’m blessed to be here, I’m blessed to have felt the mat. This is a beautiful arena and I’ve got the chance to represent my country. I’m also so grateful for the support I’ve been getting these past few days. There is a lot of love for judo and judo is growing. So, I feel I’ve made a positive difference in that regard. I’m sad right now, but I have to look at what I’ve achieved and stay proud.”
Photo: ROGER SEDRES/Team SA
Source: Team SA
Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Olympic Games, Judo, Geronay Whitebooi