Judo Athlete, Simon Zulu, has become the first Zambian athlete to be knocked out of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Zulu was eliminated from the round of 32 in the 60 kg men’s category after losing his match against South Korea’s Jin – Won Kim.
Zulu was eliminated through a disqualification on the basis that he had used his head to attack or defend, which amounts to direct disqualification for his own protection.
Speaking after the fight, Judo Coach, Humphrey Nyirenda, observed that Simon’s fight was a tough contest, but the Judo rules remains clear.
Commenting on the way forward after the conclusion of Simon Zulu’s journey at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Nyirenda stated. “he will focus on the next upcoming competitions and preparing for the next Olympic Cycle leading up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,”
According to an interview posted on the National Olympics Committee of Zambia’s (NOCZ) Face book page and monitored by ZANIS, Zulu was one of 32 athletes selected to represent Zambia across five sports disciplines which include, athletics, boxing, football, judo, and swimming.
Despite the early elimination, Zulu’s qualification for the Olympics represents a significant achievement.
