Tokyo Olympic bronze medal-winning judoka Daria Bilodid is praying for peace to be restored in Ukraine after Russia's invasion of her homeland forced her to flee to Spain.
The 21-year-old two-time world champion told Kyodo News in an online interview Monday that the war started for her with an early morning explosion near her home, and that now she is praying the conflict ends as soon as possible.
"I really hope that soon this situation will end because it's my home, where all my life has been and, of course, I want to come back," said Bilodid, who became judo's youngest world champion at 17 years, 345 days in 2018.