Jessica Klimkait of Whitby, Ontario became the second Canadian all-time to win gold at the 2021 World Judo Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday according to CBC Sports. Due to the fact Klimkait won the gold medal and finished ahead of her Canadian teammate Christa Deguchi of Lethbridge, Alberta, Klimkait will represent Canada in the 57-kilogram division of women’s judo at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.
Klimkait is the second Canadian judoka to win a World Championship in the women’s 57-kilogram division of women’s judo in the last two years. In 2019, it was Deguchi who was victorious. Deguchi also became the first Canadian judoka to win gold at the World Judo Championship.
In Budapest on Tuesday, Klimkait won all five of her matches in the lightweight division. She beat Miryam Roper of Panama, Arnaes Odelin of Cuba, and Teresa Stoll of Germany in Pool C action. Klimkait then beat Nora Gjakova of Kosovo in the semifinals and then Momo Tamaoki of Japan for the gold medal. Tamaoki won the silver medal, while Marica Perisic of Serbia and Stoll each won their Repechage matches to win bronze. Klimkait, who entered the World Championship second in the world behind Deguchi, will participate at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 on July 25.