HAVANA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cuban female judoka Idalys Ortiz, who leads the world ranking in the 78kg weight class, expects to win another Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Along with a batch of elite athletes, Ortiz was taken outside Havana while the country's capital remained as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic on the island.
Ortiz, who also recovered from COVID-19, has won several medals at World Championships, Olympic Games, and Pan American Games, but this time "it has a special significance," she said.
"In the first place, I had a very clear goal: I wanted to come to Tokyo in good shape," she said. "Now, I am focused on winning an Olympic medal for the fourth time in a row."
The 31-year-old has trained hard at home as sports centers and gyms remain closed in the wake of the medical emergency.
"I am my number one contender," she said. "I have been part of the world elite for many years. I have learned that I am the only one responsible for my results."
Born and raised in the western province of Pinar del Rio, she left home at 14 to enroll in the national school for elite athletes in Havana.
Ortiz, who has won more than 200 medals during her professional career, honed her skills and techniques by training with male judokas.
The Cuban athlete became the first female judoka born outside Asia to dominate her category during the 2012 London Games, after winning bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The three-time Olympic medalist wants to end her professional career in grand fashion with a fourth medal in Tokyo.
"To be honest, I do not have a clue what is going to happen in the coming months," she said. "Once these Olympic Games have concluded, I will rest at home and wait for the pandemic to come to an end." Enditem
