PR’s Figueroa eliminated from judo competition at Youth Olympic Games
By THE STAR STAFF
Puerto Rican judoka Lenishka Figueroa Cirino concluded her participation in the under-78-kilogram category at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal on Tuesday, following two defeats at the Judo Pavilion in the Dakar Expo Center.
Figueroa began the competition with an “ippon” loss to Arba Hasanaj of Kosovo -- who served as her delegation’s flag-bearer and placed fifth at the 2025 Cadet European Cup.
In the repechage round, Figueroa faced Ashly Herrera of Nicaragua in a match that went into “golden score” -- a tie-breaking period that occurs when neither competitor secures a victory during regulation time.
Herrera landed the decisive ippon during the tie-break, bringing Figueroa’s run in the tournament to an end.
The judoka was part of the Puerto Rican delegation competing in the Youth Olympic Games, an international event that brings together athletes aged 15 to 18 across various sports disciplines.
