Isabelle Harris, a 23-year-old judoka from Abbotsford, B.C., made Canada proud by securing a bronze medal at the European Open judo competition in Prague. She achieved this impressive feat by scoring an ippon against Italy’s Antonietta Palumbo in a thrilling women’s 63-kilogram match that went into overtime for over six minutes.
Harris’s victory wasn’t easy, as both she and Palumbo received two penalties each. A third penalty would have ended the match, making every move crucial. Her coach, Antoine Bouchard, praised Harris’s performance, highlighting that she countered Palumbo’s attack and scored a major ippon.
This isn’t Harris’s first notable achievement. She also won bronze at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. What’s even more remarkable is that she achieved this success after recovering from an injury that kept her sidelined for almost two months over the summer.
Unfortunately, her teammate Yanis Hachemi wasn’t as fortunate. He lost his men’s 73-kg bronze-medal bout to Niels Thijssen of the Netherlands, falling to an ippon in overtime during his sixth match of the day.
Harris’s win showcases her determination and skill, and we can expect more exciting performances from her in the future.
