Andreja Leski retires after Olympic high

Andreja Leski has announced her retirement from competitive judo, confirming that Paris 2024 will be her final tournament. After leaving a small window open for a comeback last month, she chose now — on the eve of the European Open in Ljubljana — to draw a line under an impressive career. Her story began in Koper at age five. An international debut followed in 2013 at the European Cup in Belgrade (fifth, under 52kg) and a first European Open appearance in Sofia in 2014. Her progress on the IJF World Tour was patient: bronze at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix in 2016 and a first World Tour gold in Düsseldorf in 2018, part of four World Tour golds overall. Leski trained with Judo Klub Bežigrad under coach Luka Kuralt while also using the national centre in Ljubljana. She claimed European bronze in 2021 and then the European title in Montpellier in 2023 (under 63kg). On the world stage she reached multiple podiums, including silver finishes against rival Clarisse Agbegnenou and other bronze medals across recent years. In Paris she produced her defining moment by beating Agbegnenou in the semi-final and carrying that momentum to Olympic gold. She says another four-year push would be too heavy a mental toll, and so she steps away at the top. Source: undefined