Idalys Ortiz
A medal at four straight Olympics, gold in London
- Born
- September 27, 1989, Candelaria, Pinar del Río, Cuba
- Nationality
Cuba- Height
- 180 cm (5′11″)
- Stance
- Right
- Style
- Hip-throw heavyweight
- Weight
- +78 kg, Open
- Active
- 2006–2024
- Status
- Retired · age 37
The medals
4 Olympic medals (gold 2012), 2 world titles, 8 world medals
The story
dalys Ortiz took up judo at ten and joined Cuba's national team at 15. At 18 she won heavyweight bronze at Beijing 2008, then the youngest Olympic medallist in the division, after a close semi-final defeat by China's Tong Wen. In London four years later she threw Tong with te guruma in the semi-final and beat Japan's Mika Sugimoto for gold, the first non-Asian winner of the women's Olympic heavyweight title. She added world titles in 2013 and 2014, Olympic silver in 2016 and 2021 and four Pan American Games golds, one of them in Toronto in 2015. Short of heavyweight partners at home, she trained against men. She retired after Paris 2024, where she carried Cuba's flag.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- Olympic champion, +78 kg (2012)
- World champion, +78 kg (2013, 2014)
- Pan American Games champion, +78 kg (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023)
- Cuban Athlete of the Year (2013, 2016)
- Cuba's flag bearer at Paris 2024
Defining matches
- 2008LOSSvs Tong Wen (Beijing Olympic semi-final; took bronze with o-goshi)
- 2012WINvs Tong Wen (London Olympic semi-final, te guruma)
- 2012WINvs Mika Sugimoto (London Olympic +78 kg final)
- 2016LOSSvs Émilie Andéol (Rio Olympic +78 kg final)
- 2021LOSSvs Akira Sone (Tokyo 2020 Olympic +78 kg final)
Ortiz's heavyweight judo is built on hip throws, loading the opponent onto her hip with o-goshi and tsuri-goshi instead of relying on leg reaps. For bigger students: close the distance, take the belt or back grip, and turn your hips fully through before you lift.
