Christella Garcia: A trailblazer in Para judo

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) – For Christella Garcia, competing in judo is a sense of freedom.

“Being a Paralympian is just such an honor,” Garcia said. “Both my father and one of my brothers were in the military. So to be able to wear Team USA on my back, is a way to honor them.”

This is Garcia’s third time competing in the games. In 2012, she competed in London, and in 2016 she competed in Rio, where she earned a bronze medal.

“You can’t take a look at her and be inspired by what she does out here,” Christella’s sensei, Brent Goodall said. “Just take a look at what she does in life. Like everything that anybody that’s visually impaired does that we take for granted. Getting in the car and going to the grocery store. But the fact that she comes out here and works just as hard as everybody else. It’s that much more inspiring.”

Christella’s coach, Eddie Liddy adds: “You know, we say, ‘Hey, let’s try this.’ And she goes full in. Like she says. She doesn’t do anything halfway. You know, she made the joke about she’s totally blind? Well, she does everything else the same way.”

While it’s a journey to get to the Paralympics, Garcia is thankful to have a community she calls her own.

“Judo is more than just a sport,” Garcia said. “It’s a lifestyle. And you will be competing against your opponent and just going at it, you know, like it’s me or you. And I’d like it to be me. But afterward when we’re around the medal stand and we’re hugging, we’re laughing and, you know, you’re just happy.”

“And for me, it’s really awesome. I’ve had a lot to do to get here. But for some of these women, for example, women from Ukraine or a new country that started her judo for women in Indonesia, just what they’ve had to do to get here. I admire that. And it’s really cool to see other blind women active in sport.”

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