"It's never too late if the joy is good," goes a saying that perfectly captures the current moment of Cuban judoka María Celia Laborde, who was officially announced this Wednesday as part of the U.S. delegation for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Though her athletic prowess has never been in question, personal life decisions delayed her debut under the Olympic rings: she missed both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. However, this warrior of the tatami mats has never given up on her dream, and at 33 years old, she will seek glory on the world's biggest sports stage.
"Another dream fulfilled," Laborde wrote on her Facebook profile in response to the news, and the congratulations have been pouring in ever since.
Representing her native country, the petite athlete earned team bronze at the 2013 World Championships and returned to the podium the following year with an individual third place in the 48-kilogram category at the World Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, where she was a favorite for the gold. Shortly thereafter, she dominated her division at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico. It was during this event that she left the Cuban delegation, crossed the border, and disappeared from the competitive radar.
It is worth mentioning that Laborde always had the qualities to uphold the achievements of a highly decorated weight class in Cuban sports, following in the footsteps of stars like Legna Verdecia, Amarilis Savón, and Yanet Bermoy.
After moving to the United States, Laborde obtained citizenship in 2022 and began competing that same season. In 2023, she made history as the first judoka from the U.S. to win a medal at the Masters Worlds since 2016, when she earned silver—a feat highlighted by the official website of USA Judo.
However, Paris 2024 will not be her first multi-sport event representing the Stars and Stripes, as she clinched third place at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in 2023. The U.S. team also includes Angélica Delgado, Jack Yonezuka, and John Jayne, who secured their spots after an extensive qualifying process through world rankings and additional continental slots.
"This group has a mix of youth and experience, and I'm excited about the future, both in Paris and as we look ahead to Los Angeles (2028)," said Eddie Liddie, USA Judo's High Performance Director, to the site.
FAQs About María Celia Laborde and Paris 2024
In this section, we address some frequently asked questions about María Celia Laborde's journey and her participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Why did María Celia Laborde switch from representing Cuba to the United States?
María Celia Laborde left the Cuban delegation during the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, and later obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022. She began competing for Team USA that same year.
What are María Celia Laborde's notable achievements in judo?
Laborde earned a team bronze at the 2013 World Championships and an individual third place in the 48-kilogram category at the 2014 World Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia. In 2023, she made history by winning a medal at the Masters Worlds for the U.S.