French judoka Clarisse Agbegnenou, the reigning champion in the women’s judo -63kg class, faced a surprising defeat in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics. Agbegnenou, who was aiming to defend her title and secure a gold medal at her home Olympics, was outmaneuvered by Slovenia’s Andreja Leski in a tense match.
Leski's decisive waza-ari scored with just 15 seconds remaining in the match turned the tables, leaving Agbegnenou with the task of competing for a bronze medal. The unexpected turn of events sets the stage for an intense battle for the podium spots.
