This past weekend, Podgorica was a vibrant hub of a judo competition, bringing together athletes of all levels. Among them was Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Julia Kowalczyk (POL), who returned to the mat after a challenging period both on and off the tatami. Kowalczyk, who has had a tumultuous journey since the Tokyo Olympics, marked her comeback with a gold medal performance at the European Cup in Montenegro, a victory that symbolised much more than just winning a tournament.
In the aftermath of her Olympic run, Kowalczyk struggled not only with results but with a dwindling love for the sport she once passionately pursued. After a series of defeats, the toll on her mental health led her to question her place in judo. But now, after months of reflection and recovery, she shared her journey of rediscovery with newfound clarity.
“After the Tokyo Olympics, let’s be honest, I was not doing good, it was quite bad,” she admitted. “I started…[she pauses]… I lost belief in myself and confidence. In May this year, I decided to take a break from judo to manage myself. Right away, I realised I should have taken that break earlier. I was pushing but mentally, I wasn’t there. I needed to take a break and evaluate what I still wanted to do with judo.”
This moment of self-assessment was pivotal for Kowalczyk who realized the weight of expectations had drained her of her joy in the sport. The break allowed her to reconnect with her passion and Podgorica became the backdrop for her reemergence.
“I am really happy to be back. I wanted to come here because I am taking the rest of the year very slow to be ready for next year. It’s all about taking baby steps at the moment,” – Kowalczyk explained. “I need to rebuild my confidence. I was very nervous and found myself fighting with stress but besides that, I really enjoyed competing in Podgorica. It is nice to be back and, truly, finally enjoying judo.”
The path to rediscovery wasn’t easy. Kowalczyk opened up about the moments when she felt completely disconnected from her love for the sport. “There were times when my love for judo was completely killed, as I wanted to achieve things so badly, and it wasn’t going well. It got to the point when I went to the Grand Slams, and I was dreading the thought of losing again,” – she revealed. “I am very driven and stubborn and I should have taken that break way before I actually did. When I came off the mat in Kazakhstan, which was my last event before taking a break, I cried…not because I lost, but because I was relieved it was all over.”
For Kowalczyk, the gold medal in Podgorica represented more than just a top podium finish. It marked a personal victory, an affirmation that she could rekindle her relationship with judo on her own terms. “A gold medal is always nice but in Podgorica, I have bigger victories I won: being back, rekindling with judo, finding myself, and enjoying the sport again. I’m hungry again. I found the Julia from before Tokyo and that makes me very happy.”
Looking ahead, Kowalczyk is pacing herself cautiously, with plans to continue taking small steps as she rebuilds her confidence and form. She intends to compete at the European Open in Rome and participate in local events as she prepares to take on the world stage once again next year.
Author: Szandra Szogedi