Olympic judo champion Leški welcomed home
Brnik, 2 August - Olympic judo champion Andreja Leški, who won Slovenia's first medal and so far the only medal at the Paris Olympics, returned to Slovenia on Friday. She was welcomed at Ljubljana Airport by her family, friends and hundreds of sports fans.
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Brnik
Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški welcomed at Ljubljana airport after winning gold in the women's 63kg category at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
"This is incredible. I expected a reception but they prepared many other surprises too," said Leški, who won the gold medal in the women's 63kg category.
As her plane was landing, Leški received a firefighters' water salute, she said, adding that a cherry on top was her meeting with Slovenian sport climbing star Janja Garnbret, who is leaving for Paris today.
"She didn't want to touch my gold medal as it supposedly brings bad luck but I was able to give my friend all of my Paris energy," Leški said.
"I came to Paris very well prepared physically and even more so psychologically," Leški said, adding that she was completely focused during the fights. She gave her all but was still able to have fun on the tatami, she said.
The judoka said she has not slept much in the days since winning the medal but she will never forget her time in Paris. She celebrated the win with her parents and fans and spent some time watching other Slovenian athletes.
Leški plans to first get some sleep and rest. "I'm not going to visit the club hall for a month or two and then I'll return to the normal rhythm," she said, adding that she is not thinking about her next matches.
In Tuesday's finals, she defeated Prisca Awiti Alcaraz of Mexico with an ippon, earning Slovenia the first medal of the Paris 2024 Olympics.