Maria Celia Laborde (born 2 August 1990) is a Cuban-born American judoka.[1]

Maria Celia Laborde
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1990-08-02) 2 August 1990 (age 34)
OccupationJudoka
Height5 ft 1 in (155 cm)
Sport
Country
SportJudo
Weight class‍–‍48 kg
Achievements and titles
Olympic GamesR16 (2024)
World Champ.Bronze (2014)
Pan American Champ. (2014)
Medal record
Women's judo
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Santiago ‍–‍48 kg
Pan American Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Lima ‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Calgary ‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Rio de Janeiro ‍–‍48 kg
World Masters
Silver medal – second place 2023 Budapest ‍–‍48 kg
IJF Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2022 Perth ‍–‍48 kg
Representing  Cuba
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Chelyabinsk ‍–‍48 kg
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Guayaquil ‍–‍48 kg
IJF Grand Slam
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Paris ‍–‍48 kg
IJF Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2014 Havana ‍–‍48 kg
Profile at external databases
IJF11808, 67154
JudoInside.com56350
Updated on 3 August 2024

Laborde won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk for Cuba. After winning bronze at the 2013 Paris Grand Slam, she immigrated to the United States. According to a USA Today profile on Laborde before her first appearance at the Olympic Games in 2024, she had been third in the world in her weight class at the time, which would have made her likely to represent Cuba at the 2016 games; however, she originally intended to take those qualification points and use them to represent the USA, but was told that she required American citizenship and had to start from scratch.[2] Laborde received American citizenship in 2022, making her eligible to represent the USA, and claimed a bronze medal at the 2022 Pan American-Oceania Championships, in Lima, Peru.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Maria Celia Laborde". judoinside.com. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  2. ^ Estes, Gentry (24 July 2024). "After losing an Olympic dream a decade ago, USA Judo's Maria Laborde realizes it in Paris". USA Today. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
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