Kayla Harrison: Olympics

 Harrison is the first American woman to win Olympic gold in judo.

Website: http://kaylaharrison.com/

Harrison is a judoka. She started judo at a young age and started competing on the international stage in 2008. That year she won gold at the Junior World Championships. She also won gold at the USA Judo Senior National Championships, the Fall Classic national Championships, Junior World Team Trials, and the Olympic Trials. 

She kept the gold rolling in 2009 when she won the USA Judo Senior National Championships and the Junior Olympic Championships, becoming the first American to compete in two JOC finals. She took home her third straight USA Judo Senior national title in 2010. She also took home gold at the Senior World Championships. In 2011, she was the Pan-American Judo champion. 

Harrison qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games. She qualified for the final in London and won the match by two yukos, becoming the first American woman to take home Olympic gold in the judo. 

She has been vocal about overcoming the sexual abuse she endured by her judo coach as a teenager. She is a part of the NYAC and USA Judo National Team FORCE.

Articles Tagged with "Kayla Harrison" on WomenTalkSports.com:

• Judo Gold Medalist Kayla Harrison Training MMA But Eyes 2016 Repeat
• Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Kayla Harrison Signs with MMA Management, but Focused on 2016 Games

Return to Browse Athletes by Sport

More Olympics Athletes