Judo Legend Clarisse Agbégnénou Plans LA28 as Final Games

French judo champion Clarisse Agbégnénou is planning one more Olympic run, and she's doing it entirely on her own terms.

The 33-year-old athlete told French newspaper L'Équipe that the 2028 Los Angeles Games will mark the end of her competitive career. With five Olympic medals already to her name, including three golds, Agbégnénou says she wants to "go out like a queen."

"I've already achieved everything," she explained. "This is truly an added bonus."

Her Olympic journey began at Rio 2016, where she won silver in the 63 kg category. Five years later in Tokyo, she captured her dream with individual gold plus another gold in the debut mixed team event. At the Paris 2024 home Olympics, she added bronze individually and another team gold to her collection.

The announcement comes just three weeks after Agbégnénou gave birth to her second child, a son named Dakota. She's already planning her comeback, targeting October's World Judo Championships in Azerbaijan and hoping to resume training by late April.

Despite gaining 10 kilograms during pregnancy, the six-time world champion says she's nearly back to her competition weight and has no plans to change categories. Her focus remains locked on the 63 kg division where she's dominated for years.

Why This Inspires

What makes Agbégnénou's story so compelling isn't just her medal collection. It's her perspective on success and completion.

"I'm already at peace," she said. "The journey has already taken me so far. I'm already so proud."

She acknowledged that younger competitors have been pushing hard and recognized when it's healthy to step aside. Rather than chasing records indefinitely, she's choosing to end her career while still competing at the highest level, regardless of whether LA28 brings another individual title.

Her approach models something rare in elite sports: knowing when enough is truly enough. After years of carrying what she once called her "bag of stones" of pressure and expectations, Agbégnénou found peace after her Tokyo victory. Now she's competing not from desperation or obligation, but from a place of fulfillment and joy.

One more Olympics, one more chance to compete on the world's biggest stage, and then a graceful exit planned entirely on her terms.