Judo is a powerful practice that cultivates discipline, resilience and community. It's also an incredible test of physical and mental strength. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two top female judo competitors to find out what it takes to be an elite athlete.
Tina Trstenjak is a recently retired Slovenian judoka and Olympic gold medallist in the women's 63 kg category at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She has also secured multiple World and European Championship titles, solidifying her status as one of the top competitors in her weight class. recently retired, she works for the International Judo Federation as an expert and referee observer.
Sandrine Billiet is from Belgium and has also competed for Cape Verde internationally including at the 2019 World Judo Championships and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She says judo sustained her through her teenage years and the long illness of her mother. She works for the World Olympians Association.
Produced by Jane Thurlow
(Image: (L) Sandrine Billiet courtesy International Judo Federation. (R) Tina Trstenjak credit Gabriela Murgeanu-Sabau.)