When Lucy Renshall stepped back onto the tatami in Sarajevo last weekend, she wasn’t sure how it would feel. The familiar pulse of competition, the tension before the first grip, all of it came rushing back. The nerves didn’t show for long. Fighting with her trademark composure and precision, Renshall navigated her way to gold at the European Open in Sarajevo, marking her return to competition after a long and uncertain period following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
When Lucy Renshall stepped onto the tatami for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, expectations were high. A former world number one, she arrived with the credentials and the drive to medal. Instead, her journey ended in disappointment after the round of 16, a result she later described as part of “the cruel sport of judo”.
Renshall holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and School Sport from the University of Wolverhampton and was convinced to retire and give her career a complete turn. In the months that followed, Renshall didn’t disappear.
The road back to competition was far from guaranteed. “I actually felt like I was on the verge of quitting judo after the 2024 Olympics,” she confessed. “I thought I would just turn my career in a completely different direction. Among other things, my boyfriend and I even started a sports club together.”
Behind the scenes, she rebuilt herself piece by piece, refining her training, resetting her mindset and coming to terms with personal loss. “He loved watching me compete and train,” she said softly about a loved one she lost, offering a glimpse of the emotional weight she carried after the Games.
“I was actually really nervous for this championship,” Lucy Renshall admitted with a smile after winning gold at the European Open in Sarajevo. “You have done it for so long, but I also really missed it, so it feels great to be back here for the first time but I was super nervous, it was honestly horrible.”
Those nerves soon turned into gold. For Renshall, this wasn’t just another medal, but a symbolic step back into the sport that had defined much of her life.
Fast forward she came in Sarajevo as one of the most decorated athletes, winning six Grand Slams but without a guarantee for success. In a tournament packed with hungry young talent and experienced comebackers, she rediscovered her rhythm and reminded what it feels to be on the mat again.
Her performance in Sarajevo showed both her mental toughness and technical sharpness. “It really wasn’t an easy competition, even though there weren’t that many women,” she explained. “I knew exactly who Gaëtane Deberdt was, my French opponent, and we have studied her well. So I was confident I could put in a good performance but this result is still very welcome.”
Now, judo found its way back into her life. “I got a good result, and even in the semi-final I had a good opponent in Lejla Mazouzi from Slovenia,” she said. “But I put together a few good matches, and I am really happy about that.”
Now, Renshall is already looking ahead, but with a calmer, wiser perspective. “I am going to try to get started again for the qualification for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles,” she said. “That will take some time, so it was really nice to start off here with a gold medal.”
Judoka
Author: Hans Van Essen