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Zeddy faced a formidable opponent in just her first appearance at the Olympics.
On Thursday, Zeddy Cherotich showed up in the ring of the Champs-de-Mars Arena in Paris bearing Kenya's flag.
This was her first time appearing in the Olympics after dropping javelin for Judoka 2 years ago.
Before her stood a seasoned Portuguese Judoka athlete, Patricia Sampiao who has been around the world participating in Judo competitions. This was nothing new to her.
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13:41 - 01.08.2024
Zeddy Cherotich: Kenyan judoka lasts just 20 seconds at Paris Olympics
Kenyan judoka Zeddy Cherotich exited the Paris 2024 Olympics after just 20 seconds following a disappointing loss to her Portuguese opponent in the round of 32.
Below is a brief profile on Patricia's rise in the sport.
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Patricia Sampiao early career and success
According to the Olympic official website, Sampiao was inspired by her brother to start Judo when she was just 9 years old.
Her brother at the time was 17 and he already had 12 years of Judo skills embedded in him.
Patricia comes from a sporting family, as her Father was a football player and her mother was a national level judoka athlete.
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14:15 - 01.08.2024
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She made her debut in 2016 at the European Cadet Championships and won silver in the women's 70kg judoka competition.
The 17-year-old clinched a silver in the -70 kg category. In 2017, she continued to rise, earning bronze medals at the World Junior Championships in Zagreb and the European Junior Championships in Sofia.
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13:14 - 01.08.2024
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The year 2018 saw Sampaio secure gold at both the European Junior Championships in Sofia and Vantaa, along with a bronze at the World Junior Championships in Nassau.
Her breakthrough came in 2019 with a gold at the European U23 Championships in Budapest and another gold at the IJF Grand Prix in Perth.
She also won bronze at the IJF Grand Prix in Marrakesh and Tbilisi, and at the European Games in Minsk.
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12:32 - 01.08.2024
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Despite a challenging 2020, where she overcame a broken leg to win bronze at the IJF Grand Prix in Tel Aviv, Sampaio excelled in 2021 with a gold at the European U23 Championships.
In 2022 and 2023, she earned multiple bronze medals and a gold at the IJF Grand Prix in Almada, marking a peak in her career.
It is safe to say that Zeddy faced a tough opponent and she was brave to do so. Kudos to Zeddy for representing Kenya and good luck as she continues with her Judo journey.
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