Sportspool.com Sports News

Smooth as butter. That's probably how new world champion judoka Christa Deguchi would describe her first Olympic cycle on the Canadian national team. Deguchi was born in Nagano, Japan, and takes residence in Yamanashi, but her father's Canadian roots makes her eligible to compete for Canada.

Antoine Valois-Fortier captured bronze in the men's 81-kilogram category at a Grand Prix event in Tbilisi, Georgia on Saturday. 

Canada's Christa Deguchi will return home with a gold medal after her victory in the women's under-57 kilogram division at the International Judo Federation Grand Slam event in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Canadian judoka Jacob Valois won gold in the 66-kilogram class at the Asian Open on Saturday while fellow countryman Hakim Chala took bronze medal in the 60-kg event.

Jessica Klimkait of Whitby, Ont., put a damper on host Japan's attempt at a gold-medal sweep at the International Judo Federation Grand Slam event on Saturday in Osaka, prevailing in the women's under-57 kilogram division.

Christa Deguchi of Lethbridge, Alta., became the first-ever Canadian woman to reach the podium at the judo world championships, winning bronze in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday.

Watch live action from the 2018 world judo championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Action begins on Saturday at 2 a.m. ET with the men's 73kg and women's 57kg preliminaries.