Uta Abe, a four-time world champion who hadn’t lost in five years, was beaten in her second bout in Paris by eventual gold medalist Diyora Keldiyorova of Uzbekistan in a mind-boggling upset as she cried uncontrollably with disappointment while leaving the arena.
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A viral video shows the disheartened moment the 24-year-old athlete was seen leaving the arena with her coach, Masuchi Katsuyuki, avoiding the media. However, the crowd was seen showing their support by continuously cheering her up as she struggled to get to her feet and step down from the tatami.
The head coach of the Japanese women's judo team, Katsuyuki Masuchi, admitted that Uta's opponent had outsmarted her.
"There are so many good judoka in the weight category up to 52 kg. She [Keldierova] has speed. I knew that the competition would be difficult, but I expected Uta to find a way to win, as she always does.
The video has amassed over 4.6 million views on the official Paris Olympics page, and a lot of fans have shown their support for her.
