Walsall Olympian judoka takes podium finish on impressive return in Zagreb
Walsall star Lucy Renshall secured a bronze medal on her return to international duty at the Zagreb Grand Prix.
Renshall, who competed at her first Olympics at Paris 2024, progressed to the semi-final, where she succumbed to a narrow loss in a close match that went on for nearly nine minutes.
The 29-year-old bounced back to dominate the bronze medal contest in the -63kg category with an ippon in under two minutes.
The Zagreb Grand Prix is part of the International Judo Federation World Tour and performances will earn points towards world rankings and helping athletes qualify for major events.
This was her second medal of the year, after recently winning gold at the Sarajevo European Open, which was her first international competition since the Olympics last year.
"It's great to be back on the IJF tour," Renshall said.
"After the Olympics, I took a year off the WCPP to focus on other things and take a break, but I was eager to get back into it.
"I've taken it step-by-step, UK competitions first, followed by a European Open, and I felt more than ready to step-up on to the tour.
"Competing at the Zagreb Grand Prix and coming away with a medal shows me that all the hard work has paid off.
"I'm feeling better than ever and excited to see what's next."
Renshall, who is ranked No 34 in the world, will next compete at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 28.
