For Diyora, coming back here is of course very special, “I feel I’m at the Olympic Games. I have goose bumps just watching. I came to support my teammate from the para-judo team. I arrived in Paris yesterday and the first sport I wanted to see was judo of course.

Really it is amazing to watch what the para-athletes are doing. They don’t see but they feel judo, they feel the techniques. The way they use the ashi-waza movements is impressive and I know a lot of judoka who see but who can not feel like they are.

It’s not the first time I came to a para-judo event. I watched in Tashkent during the national championship too but this is my first time at the Paralympics. I also know some athletes personally, like the -57 kg judoka who is from my city.”

For Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, “It is amazing to be here. For me all those athletes are superheroes and Diyora is also our superhero. We are already working together to fight against gender-based violence against women. I am convinced that together we can change society.

We can already see the impact of her results in Uzbekistan. Mothers are bringing their girls to sport. Only our role models can have that impact.”

As Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva and Diyora Keldiyorova were talking about the feeling of being here in Paris, Sherzod Namozov (UZB) won the gold medal in the -60 kg J2 division. A new hero was born who could also help change society.