Italy's Odette Giuffrida has spoken about how she now measures herself, in a long interview with the European Judo Union, saying her biggest challenge is "to take the person I am today to the top of the world".
Giuffrida, Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016, bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020 and a former world champion, described a period when the gap between the athlete she was and the athlete she had become was difficult to accept.
"There were some periods when I thought I would stop judo because of this, because I was not feeling enough," she said.
Video: International Judo Federation — 2024 World Championships, Abu Dhabi (archive footage). Open on YouTubeA different preparation
She said her body now asks different questions, and that she has moved away from expecting to be able to train indefinitely. Reflecting on her 2026 season, she described it as a year of mental growth rather than purely technical or tactical improvement.
"It was an interesting year for me. I grew up a lot, more than tactically and technically, really mentally. I had some ups and downs, so I think everything is preparing me," she said.
The interview frames Los Angeles 2028 as the goal, with Giuffrida arriving there as a different athlete from the 20-year-old who took silver in Rio, the one who rebuilt towards Tokyo, or the one who left Paris 2024 after defeat in the bronze-medal contest.