Ghana's first-ever female judoka getting ready for Rio Games

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — When Hungarian native Szandra Szogedi steps onto the judo mat at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, she'll be making history as the first-ever female judoka to represent Ghana.

Born in Budapest, Szogedi started judo at age 11, after a friend of her father's recommended the sport. With a background in gymnastics, Szogedi adapted quickly to the dynamic flips and groundwork characteristic of the Japanese martial art.

After just six months, Szogedi won a silver medal at Hungary's national championships.

"I was hooked," she told the Associated Press in a recent interview. "I loved winning medals and started to think this might be the sport for me." Szogedi began attending a…