Sun | Dec 1, 2024

‘I need to rest’

McKenzie ponders retirement after fourth Olympics ends with top-16 finish

Published:Sunday | July 28, 2024 | 12:21 AMDaniel Wheeler - Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s Ashley McKenzie attempts a leg lock against Salih Yildiz of Turkey in the men’s -60kg elimination round of 16 judo match at Champs de Mars Arena in Paris, France, yesterday.
GLadstone Taylor?Multimedia Photo Editor
Jamaica’s Ashley McKenzie attempts a leg lock against Salih Yildiz of Turkey in the men’s -60kg elimination round of 16 judo match at Champs de Mars Arena in Paris, France, yesterday.

IT HAS been a long, hard career for judoka Ashley McKenzie, who finally got to wear the Jamaican colours at his fourth Olympic Games.

Now, after finishing in the round of 16 in Paris, McKenzie contemplates his future and how he wants to impact the success of the next generation.

McKenzie narrowly lost his round-of-16 clash 1-0 to Turkey’s Salih Yaldiz at the Champs De Mars Arena yesterday.

McKenzie, who won his first-round fight with Yemen’s Hesham Makabr 10-0 said that the last fight came down to small details.

“The first one (match) was alright. We stayed to our tactics. The second one we both had a shido (light penalty) so I kind of pushed up the fight. And I got caught. Judo is a very harsh sport in reality, if you give them an inch, then they will take a mile. I gave him an inch and he threw me down and that was that,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie said there were moments in which he had advantages that he failed to capitalise on.

“There were times that I had him and I could have finished the fight. I literally tried to snap his arm even though the referee said matte (temporarily stop). I just kept going until I looked to the referee. And again, if you give them an inch, they will take a mile,” McKenzie said.

The rigorous training over a long career has left McKenzie thinking about life after judo, and while he has not made a decision on retirement, he knows that he doesn’t have long left.

After putting on the Jamaica colours in what could be his final Olympics, he knows the next step is to guide the next generation of Jamaican judokas.

McKenzie first competed at the Olympic Games for Great Britain, making his debut in London in 2012.

“I can’t describe how long of a journey it takes to get to them points with judo. You have weight training, you have competitions, you have time away from your family. I need time. My body is tired, so I need to rest,” McKenzie said.

“I will always be Jamaican now. Hopefully, I can take my coach’s job now and be one of the head coaches and bring some of the young players.”