A Cuban judoka, I. Ortiz was born on September 27, 1989. During the Olympics of 2008, 2012, and 2016, she competed in the over 78 kg division and came away with a medal all three times.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, Japan, she earned the silver medal in the women’s +78 kg category.
I. Ortiz began training in judo at age 10, and by age 15, he had made the U.S. national team.
In 2008, at the age of 18, she won a bronze medal in the Olympics, making history as the youngest heavyweight medalist in Olympic history.
She was honoured as Cuba’s top sportswoman in both 2013 and 2016.
I. Ortiz Isn’t Going Anywhere as She Aims for a Fifth Olympic Medal
Participated in four Olympic Games and won four Olympic medals in a row. It’s not hard to see why I. Ortiz is revered not just in her home country of Cuba, but all throughout the world.
At the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, the judoka took home her fourth Olympic medal.
In addition to her bronze from Beijing 2008, her gold from London 2012, and her silver from Rio 2016, she now has a silver medal collection.
She has amassed a total of 30 medals from the World Judo Tour and 11 continental crowns in addition to her eight medals from the World Championships.
It would have been understandable if he or she decided to retire after that performance. Her achievements are not limited to the Olympic competition.
Despite contemplating retirement after Tokyo 2020, I. Ortiz has confirmed she would continue competing.
Tokyo 2020: I. Ortiz Wins Silver Medal for Cuban Delegation
With I. Ortiz gold, Cuba now has two medalists at the Tokyo Olympics. First, taekwondo competitor Rafael Alba took home bronze.
Today, Cuba’s I. Ortiz lost to Japan’s Akira Sone in the women’s over 78 kilogramme division of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Judo Tournament, eliminating the Cuban from medal contention.
After being punished for the third time in Golden Score or overtime, I. Ortiz was unable to recover and lose the match.
Nonetheless, she leaves the Olympics with a silver medal, her second of these competitions, and her fourth overall.
This 31-year-old judoka has already won a gold medal at London 2012, silver at Rio 2016, and bronze at Beijing 2008, when she made her Olympic debut.
However, Sone, who is the same age as Idalys was when she was crowned in London, is proclaimed champion at the age of 21.
Both Romane Dicko of France and Iryna Kindzerska of Azerbaijan, who lost to the winners Kayra Sayit of Turkey and Xu Shiyan of China, finished in third place.
With his fourth Olympic medal, Ortiz ties judoka Driulis González and volleyball player Ana Ivis Fernández for the most ever won by a Cuban athlete.
Conclusion
I. Ortiz, a Cuban judoka, earned gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, silver in 2016 in Rio, and gold in 2020 in Tokyo.
When the 2008 Olympics were held in Beijing, I. Ortiz already had a bronze medal to show for his efforts. In 2013 and 2014, she won the title of world champion.
I. Ortiz took home silver in 2019 and 2018 and bronze in 2015 at the World Championships in Astana. In 2019, she swept a number of Panam titles, including the Grand Slams in Paris and Düsseldorf.
She took home the gold medal at the 2018 Grand Slam tournament in Osaka, in addition to the 2019 Grand Prix titles in Budapest and Hohhot. In 2022, in the Grand Prix held in Zagreb, she won silver.
