Anriquelis Barrios: You can’t make mistakes at the Olympic Games

Anriquelis Barrios (left) analyzed her participation in Paris 2024 / Photo: COV Press

Anriquelis Barrios, 31, had a fleeting participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, because she lost her first-round match to Algerian Amina Belkadi in the women’s judo tournament.

Almost a month after participating in the great universal competition, she stated – in an interview with Aloys Marín, a member of the press department of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV) – that when a judoka faces the best exponents of the planet, she is obliged to make her greatest effort to be able to win fights, because any mistake results in defeat.

“You can’t make mistakes at the Olympic Games and unfortunately I couldn’t do my job. I’m still proud to have stepped onto the tatami,” said Barrios, who competed in the -63 kilogram (km) category and challenged the African at the Champs de Mars Arena.

Pride for the judoka

Barrios, who won an Olympic diploma in Tokyo 2020, was not disappointed by her performance in the French capital, as she attended the Olympics after overcoming multiple physical problems.

“I feel proud to have participated in my second Olympic Games. It was not an easy road. As many know, I had two operations before the games and qualifying was quite complicated, but in the end I was able to do it. I think that was important,” added the athlete, who recognized the talent of the Algerian representative to whom she lost.

“I lost to the Algerian Belkadi because she is a very strong opponent who has won many medals at Grand Slam events. She is number 18 in the world rankings. Now it is time to move forward,” added the lady who aims to be successful in the cycle that will conclude in Los Angeles 2028.

Valencia / Joseph Ñambre