A celebrated Canadian Olympian has announced her retirement.
Christa Deguchi, a member of the Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club, is a two-time world champion and captured Canada’s first Olympic judo gold at the 2024 Paris Games.
Additionally, Deguchi is a three-time Pan-American champion and multiple Grand Slam and Grand Prix medalist.
READ MORE: Lethbridge Judo Club member Christa Deguchi captures gold at Paris Games
Born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a Canadian father, Deguchi began representing Canada in 2017, with the 2024 Summer Games marking the final competition of her career.
“It’s strange to think that I won’t be training and competing all over the world anymore,” said the 30-year-old in a news release from Judo Canada.
“I’m both happy with my decision and sad that this chapter of my life is coming to an end. But I’m very grateful that judo has been a part of my life for so many years.”
The Olympic gold medalist hopes to stay involved in the world of Judo however she can.
“During my career, I never had any major injuries, and it was important to me to know when to retire and when to start thinking about my next steps [and] now feels like the right moment, but I would never be able to walk away from judo completely,” Deguchi said.
“I’m going to remain involved in this wonderful community. I’d like to be able to make a difference to young athletes, to inspire them to take up this wonderful sport and lead an active life through judo.”
On winning gold in Paris, Deguchi said she will remember that moment for her whole life.
“I was happy for myself, of course, but the best part was seeing that I could inspire so many young people, both in Canada and in Japan.”
