Zambia: Judo Athlete, Simon Zulu, has become the first Zambian athlete to be knocked out of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The athelete had qualified for the round of 32 in the 60 kgs men Category.
He lost his match against the athelete of South Korea, after he was disqualified from the tournament. According to the official reports from the Paris Olympics the disqualification was made on the basis that the Zambian athlete had used his head to attack or defend.
According to the Judo experts, this action amounts to direct disqualification from the tournament which is for the protection of the athlete. The loss of the Judo athelete has been taken, by many fans of the Olympian sport as an unfortunate event.
The athelete was unable to complete his match as he had been disqualified due to the rules of the game. The coach of the Zambian athlete has spoken to the media after the match concluded and Simon Zulu was disqualified.
Judo Coach, Humphrey Nyirenda, observed that Simon’s fight was a tough contest, but the Judo rules remain clear. The athlete will no longer be playing any games for Zambia during the 2024 olympics. However, the fans of the athlete have urged him not to lose heart and remain positive in his future endeavours,
The coach also spoke about the way forward after the conclusion of Simon Zulu’s journey at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Nyirenda stated. “He will focus on the next upcoming competitions and preparing for the next Olympic Cycle leading up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,”
According to an interview posted on the National Olympics Committee of Zambia’s (NOCZ) Facebook page, Zulu was one of 32 athletes selected to represent Zambia across five sports disciplines which include, athletics, boxing, football, judo, and swimming.
Despite the early elimination, Zulu’s qualification for the Olympics represents a significant achievement. The sports admirers of the administration have shared that they are sending their best wishes to the other athletes who are representing Zambia in Paris.