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Legends of judo: Kayla Harrison

01:25 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

Kayla Harrison won Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016

No other American has ever secured Olympic judo title

Judoka overcame years of sexual abuse

CNN —

For as long as she can remember, Kayla Harrison dreamed of becoming the best in the world at something.

Under the bright lights of Rio de Janeiro’s Carioca Arena in 2016, she bowed out aged 26 as a double Olympic champion.

The girl from Middletown, Ohio, went where no other American had ever gone before in her career, dominating judo’s half-heavyweight division for almost a decade.

But her journey was anything but easy. To get to the top of the podium, Harrison had to climb from rock bottom.

“Judo saved my life,” Harrison wrote in an exclusive CNN column last year. “The sport gave me a goal and something to wake up for.

“If I didn’t have that when I was a teenager, I might not even be here.”

READ: What judo can teach us about life

Salvation in sport

Sexually abused by her first coach as a teenager, Harrison often considered abandoning her ambitions – even contemplating suicide.

She thought about running away to faraway places; of being a barista in New York, “where no-one would know me or look at me.”

Sport provided the light at the end of the tunnel.

Kayla Harrison celebrates successfully defending her Olympic gold medal at last year's Rio Olympics.

JACK GUEZ/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

The American defeated France's Audrey Tcheumeo in the 78kg category.

TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

This backed up victory in the same event at London 2012.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Harrison also has one world championship title to her name, from Tokyo in 2010, when she became the first American woman to win gold in the tournament in over a decade.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

That proved to be her only world championship gold. The next year, Harrison lost to familiar foe Tcheumeo in the semifinal and went on to claim bronze.

MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Harrison, now retired, used to train with UFC fighter and Ronda Rousey, the first American to win an Olympic judo medal.

Harry How/Getty Images North America/Getty Images

Harrison admits she has struggled with depression following her Olympic highs of last year, but has been dividing her time between media duties and writing a book.

Adam Glanzman/Getty Images North America/Getty Images

Kayla Harrison: The career of a double Olympic champion

Harrison moved to Boston aged 16 in search of a fresh start after her ordeal, training under US Olympic coach and former world champion, Jimmy Pedro.

It took time to banish her demons and, at least at first, the last thing she wanted to do was train or study.

Legends of Judo: Kayla Harrison

Rio 2016 Olympic Games: Gold (-78kg)Paris Grand Slam 2016: Silver (-78kg)Tokyo Grand Slam 2015: Gold (-78kg)Tokyo Grand Slam 2014: Gold (-78kg)Chelyabinsk 2014 World Championships: Bronze (-78kg)London 2012 Olympic Games: Gold (-78kg)Paris Grand Slam 2012: Silver (-78kg)Paris 2011 World Championships: Bronze (-78kg)Tokyo 2011 Grand Slam: Silver (-78kg)Tokyo 2010 World Championships: Gold (-78kg)

“There were days when my teammates would drag me out of bed and drive me to school, and they would watch me walk through the school doors,” Harrison recalled.

“I didn’t want to lift weights, I didn’t want to go to school, or go to therapy, but I had no choice. If I wanted to be in the judo house, I had to follow the rules.”

The budding judoka was working 50 hours per week at a hardware store in order to pay the rent, alongside her lessons in the classroom and on the tatami.

But gradually judo’s self-discipline was instilled and her fighting spirit shone through.

The results soon followed, with Harrison twice crowned US senior national champion before her 18th birthday.

READ: The poster girl of Tokyo 2020 that’s still at high school

Top of the world

While the teenager was quickly making a name for herself as one of the most talented Americans the sport had seen, it was another thing entirely to do it on the global stage.

Harrison, though, was just getting started. A gold medal at the Junior 2008 World Championships in Bangkok proved she had what it took to beat the more established nations.

An emotional Kayla Harrison celebrates her gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

AFP/Getty Images

And so it proved, with Harrison topping the podium at the senior World Championships two years later in the home of judo, Japan.

A host of Grand Prix and Grand Slam titles followed in her half-heavyweight division, leading up to the 2012 London Olympics, where Harrison was among the favorites.

Just months before the Games, a partial tear to her medial collateral ligament left her knee the size of balloon, but she wasn’t about to let that stop her.

Instead, she defeated longtime rival Mayra Aguiar and home favorite Gemma Gibbons to end a 48-year wait, becoming the first American – male or female – to win Olympic gold.

Tal Flicker, Israel —

A gold medalist at the 2017 European Open, Flicker first got into judo when his father took him to a martial arts center. "I think the most obvious value people can take from judo and apply to their lives is respect," the former world No. 1 told CNN during the 2018 Paris Grand Slam. "Before a fight, you give a bow to your opponent. Then you fight like you want to eat each other, but at the end of the fight you shake hands and bow again. Other sports could learn from that."

ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Kosei Inoue, Japan —

In Japan, where judo is more than just a sport, Inoue is no ordinary athlete. Essentially unbeatable between 1999 and 2003, the half-heavyweight judoka won three world titles and Olympic gold, placing him among the greatest of all time. "There is the competition, but there is something far bigger behind this," Inoue, now head coach of Japan, told CNN. "By practicing judo every day, it really helps you win in life in general. In judo, you always get thrown and you always have to stand up. It's very similar to life itself."

TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

To face <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2017%2F08%2F21%2Fsport%2Fteddy-riner-2017-world-judo-championships%2Findex.html">Riner</a> in a competitive environment is to try and move a mountain. Standing over two meters tall, weighing in at around 300 pounds, the Frenchman possesses an aura of invincibility few can match in the history of sport. The numbers speak for themselves. Riner has reigned supreme for approaching a decade, winning over 130 consecutive matches on his way to securing a record 10 world titles. Riner's mantra is "aggressive on the mat, a gentleman off it." As the 29-year-old <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2017%2F08%2F21%2Fsport%2Fteddy-riner-2017-world-judo-championships%2Findex.html">tells CNN:</a> "When you go on the tatami, this is the fight; when you exit off the tatami you are back to being a gentleman."

Teddy Riner, France —

To face Riner in a competitive environment is to try and move a mountain. Standing over two meters tall, weighing in at around 300 pounds, the Frenchman possesses an aura of invincibility few can match in the history of sport. The numbers speak for themselves. Riner has reigned supreme for approaching a decade, winning over 130 consecutive matches on his way to securing a record 10 world titles. Riner's mantra is "aggressive on the mat, a gentleman off it." As the 29-year-old tells CNN: "When you go on the tatami, this is the fight; when you exit off the tatami you are back to being a gentleman."

AFP Contributor/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Majlinda Kelmendi, Kosovo —

When Kelmendi fights, an entire nation stands still. The 26-year-old is more than just a talented judoka -- she's Kosovo's biggest sporting icon. Her face adorns billboards all over her home city of Peja, where locals speak in hushed tones about their country's first ever Olympic champion. Her legacy is equally unmistakable, with a new generation of Kosovar stars emerging in her wake. "Through judo I became somebody," Kelmendi told CNN ahead of Rio 2016. "I don't do it because of money, I don't do it because I wanted to get famous. I do judo because I feel it, I love it -- it makes me feel good, makes me feel special."

Getty Images

Lukas Krpalek, Czech Republic —

Tens of thousands flocked to Lipno Lake to welcome the Czech Republic's Olympic heroes in the aftermath of Rio 2016 -- among which stood their country's first ever judo gold medalist, Krpalek. "Judo is something completely different to any other sport," the heavyweight world and Olympic champion told CNN in Prague. "Judo educates children from a young age to respect the elders, to respect the opponent, to somehow respect humanity itself. This is something I like a lot and I am glad this is observed, be it locally or at worldwide tournaments."

Julian Finney/Getty Images South America/Getty Images

Kayla Harrison, US —

Harrison is a two-time Olympic champion who, at London 2012, became the sport's first American Olympic gold medalist. Four years later, in Rio, she retained her title. "Judo saved my life," Harrison wrote in an exclusive CNN Sport column. "The sport gave me a goal, gave me something to wake up for. If I didn't have that when I was a teenager, I might not even be here."

Yasuhiro Yamashita, Japan —

"Today, in this fragile world, Judo gives us hope to overcome the obstacles of political tension, animosity and discrimination," heavyweight legend Yamashita, who retired unbeaten in 203 consecutive bouts, told CNN. "By practicing Judo, people learn the core values of respect and above all, on the tatami there is no border nor religion. Judo is a bridge that connects the world's people, cultures and countries."

IJF

Ryoko Tani, Japan —

She may stand at only 1.46 meters tall, but Japan's Ryoko Tani is widely considered to be the best female judoka of all time. Bursting onto the international scene aged 15, the Japanese star went on to dominate the extra-lightweight category (-48kg) for two decades. Tani is the first female judoka in history to compete at five Olympic games and the only one to walk away with a medal on every occasion. She went a remarkable 12 years unbeaten at international level, winning every major competition she entered from the end of 1996 to 2008. "Through judo I traveled to many cities and countries, and I've seen the power of sport," Tani told CNN. "I have realized that sport is a backbone in the structure of governments around the world."

Billy Stickland/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Siblings <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2018%2F03%2F29%2Fsport%2Futa-abe-hifumi-japan-tokyo-olympics-2020-grand-slam-spt%2Findex.html">Hifumi and Uta Abe</a> have lost just once since 2016 and look destined to become the stars of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Already a dominant force in the the U52kg division, it is easy to forget that Uta, at 17, is still a high school student. "Judo is hard; however, it's all worth it when you throw your opponent and win," she told CNN Sport, calling the discipline "unique in the way it brings people together."

Uta Abe, Japan —

Siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe have lost just once since 2016 and look destined to become the stars of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Already a dominant force in the the U52kg division, it is easy to forget that Uta, at 17, is still a high school student. "Judo is hard; however, it's all worth it when you throw your opponent and win," she told CNN Sport, calling the discipline "unique in the way it brings people together."

Matt Roberts/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Jean-Luc Rouge —

With victory in the -93kg division back in 1975, Rouge became the first ever judo world champion from France. "The life of a champion is more important than his results," Rouge, now president of the French Judo Federation, told CNN. "Teddy Riner is 10-time world champion. Maybe it will be 12, or 14. That is not the most important thing: Teddy Riner is an image of the people."

FRANCK FIFE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Popole Misenga, ROT —

Having grown up amid the five-year civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Misenga sought asylum — without a passport, money or food — in Brazil after the 2013 World Championships in Rio. Three years later, he competed at the Olympics in the same city. "My life really changed after the Olympics," Misenga, a member of the Rio 2016 Refugee Olympic Team (ROT), told CNN. "I have a good life now. I don't need to worry every day if I can feed my family."

YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

A Team USA athlete at the 2010 and 2011 World Championships, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2Fsport%2Ftoni-geiger-combat-kids-exercise-health%2Findex.html">Geiger</a> is using the life lessons and "moral code" judo taught her to educate a younger generation. "More children are leaving sport than ever before," she told CNN. "Our mission is to inspire as many children as humanly possible to believe in themselves through sport and physical activity."<br />

Toni Geiger, US —

A Team USA athlete at the 2010 and 2011 World Championships, Geiger is using the life lessons and "moral code" judo taught her to educate a younger generation. "More children are leaving sport than ever before," she told CNN. "Our mission is to inspire as many children as humanly possible to believe in themselves through sport and physical activity."

Elliot Stewart, Great Britain —

Three years ago the eyesight of one of Britain's top judo talents was "perfect." Then he discovered he'd developed a rare condition called Keratoconus, which affects the cornea of the eye, impairing the ability to focus properly. His symptoms were mild at first but got progressively worse. "Judo means everything to me. It has brought me back from somewhere where I had nowhere to turn," says Stewart, who now wants to compete in the visually impaired -90kg weight category at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

CNN

Arthur Margelidon, Canada —

A national champion in all age categories, Margelidon proved his credentials on the international stage with a silver medal at the 2017 Tokyo Grand Slam. "I started judo at the age of six. It was a way to express all the energy I had when I was a kid," the lightweight judoka told CNN. "They teach you about respect and fair play. It's really a moral sport, not only a sport to win medals. I would tell people that it's a good thing to try."

Matt Roberts/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images

Alexander Turner, US —

Another lightweight judoka, Turner (R), got involved in the sport through an after-school program because his mother thought it would keep him out of trouble. "It's given me discipline and a chance to travel the world," the American, a bronze medalist in the 2017 Cancun Grand Prix told CNN. "If your life is going down the wrong path, judo is definitely something you should give a try. It's the best way to channel your energy and find yourself."

Sabau Gabriela / IJF

Sport meets philosophy - what judo can teach us about life

Harrison had fulfilled her childhood ambition and was, indisputably, the world’s best in her under 78kg division.

She also transcended the sport, bravely using her newfound platform to speak out about the horrors she had endured, and setting up the Fearless Foundation in order to help others in similar positions.

READ: The Czech heavyweight with the toughest task in sport

Out on a high

Four years later, the Rio 2016 Olympics placed her among truly exalted company.

There Harrison bowed out from the sport on the grandest stage of all, with Aguiar and French star Audrey Tcheumeo below her on the podium and a second gold medal around her neck.

Kayla Harrison celebrates after defeating Audrey Tcheumeo in the Rio 2016 -78kg Olympic gold medal contest.

Julian Finney/Getty Images South America/Getty Images

No other American judoka has come close to emulating her since, but Harrison is eager to point out that she couldn’t have done it alone.

“I’m not the only one who has made sacrifices,” she said. “My coaches, my family, every doctor who has taped my knee or helped me recover from an injury, anyone who’s taken a fall for me or sparred with me, helped me be successful.

“It’s a hard lifestyle. I spent half my life living from a suitcase, going to Japan, Germany, the UK… But I wouldn’t change a second of it because it gave a kid from a middle of nowhere town in Ohio a chance to see the world.

Visit CNN.com/judo for more news and features

“It speaks volumes about my coaches and my teammates that they were able to drag me from rock bottom to the pinnacle.”