Natsumi Tsunoda secured Japan’s first medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics, a gold, by outpointing Mongolian world champion Baasankhuu Bavuudorj in the women’s 48-kilogram judo final on Saturday.
Japan’s Ryuju Nagayama, meanwhile, won men’s 60-kg bronze after being controversially knocked out of gold medal contention at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.
Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda (white) competes in the women’s judo 48-kilogram final against Baasankhuu Bavuudorj of Mongolia at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Making her Olympic debut, the 31-year-old Tsunoda racked up five straight victories on her way to winning Japan’s 500th Summer Olympic medal, including a resounding ippon defeat of local favorite and eventual bronze medalist Shirine Boukli in the quarterfinals.
She threw Bavuudorj for waza-ari with just over a minute left in the final and stayed on the offensive as time ticked off the clock, becoming Japan’s first women’s 48-kg Olympic champion since Ryoko Tani claimed her second straight crown at the 2004 Athens Games.
Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda (white) competes in the women’s judo 48-kilogram final against Baasankhuu Bavuudorj of Mongolia at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda (white) beats Baasankhuu Bavuudorj of Mongolia in the women’s judo 48-kilogram final at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
“It hasn’t hit home yet, but my face hurts,” Tsunoda, a three-time 48-kg world champion, said with a laugh. “I was happy that my coach was happy because I had really been aiming for this tournament for a long time.”
She booked her place in the deciding bout with a contentious disqualification victory over 18-year-old Swede Tara Babulfath, who went on to win bronze. Each earned two penalties before the youngster was hit with the decisive third violation during golden score of their scrappy semifinal.
Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda reacts after winning the women’s judo 48-kilogram gold medal at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo)
“During the competition, it was hard for me to get my moves going, and I thought I was being taken advantage of, but I tried to believe in myself until the very end,” Tsunoda said.
Tsunoda, a former 52-kg rival of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Uta Abe, was expected to face her toughest challenge from Boukli, backed by a raucous home crowd cheering her every move. But the Japanese judoka needed only a minute to eliminate the Frenchwoman with her trademark overhead “tomoe-nage” throw.
“It was different from the usual competitions, and I had a lot of pressure and anxiety, but I think I was able to grow as a person,” Tsunoda said. “I had turned away from my goal (of winning the gold medal) for a long time, but I am glad that it became a reality.”
Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda poses with her gold medal after winning the women’s judo 48-kilogram final at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo)
Nagayama had his gold medal hopes dashed after the referee awarded Spaniard Francisco Garrigos an ippon victory by chokehold in a decision that left the Japanese judoka and fans incensed.
Responding to a call by the referee to temporarily stop the contest, Nagayama relaxed his grip, while Garrigos appeared to continue applying the choke without a break before being given ippon.
The 28-year-old Nagayama bounced back by advancing through the repechage and beating Turkey’s Salih Yildiz in their bronze-medal contest.
Japan’s Ryuju Nagayama (white) competes in the men’s judo 60-kilogram bronze medal contest against Turkey’s Salih Yildiz at the Paris Olympics at Champ de Mars Arena in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
“It was difficult switching my mind after the defeat, but I had lots of people including my parents coming over to support me and I couldn’t go home empty-handed, so I went for the bronze,” said Nagayama, who stood on the mat in disbelief for minutes after his quarterfinal loss.
“My goal was to win the gold medal, so to be honest, it was a little tough, but my parents and wife were here, and they were cheering me on, so I fought with all my might to make sure I went home with the bronze medal.”
Jun Konno, the head of development for the All Japan Judo Federation, said the organization filed a written complaint to the International Judo Federation over Nagayama’s loss.
“It’s not good for the spirit of judo and we cannot tolerate it in the rules of the sport,” Konno said after checking the match footage and concluding the Spaniard continued choking Nagayama for some six seconds after the referee’s call to stop.
Konno added he “did not receive a satisfying answer” from the IJF.
Kazakhstan’s Yeldos Smetov ended local hopes of men’s 60-kg gold by defeating France’s Luka Mkheidze in the final, while Garrigos was the winner of the other bronze playoff.
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