Japan Judo won nine gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

The reason for the breakthrough was that the impact of the one-year postponement of the Olympic Games was minimized, and conversely, this period was taken as a plus.

How to spend the postponed year is a breakthrough

On the night of the 30th, when she finished her 7th class, the female coach Katsuyuki Masuchi said, "I think it was a painful year, but the players did well without feeling tired."

Men's coach Kosei Inoue also praised, "They overcame various obstacles and stood here to play the match. All the players did their best."

From the summary of both directors, it can be seen that the postponement of the Olympic Games and the way of spending this year led to a breakthrough.

Online utilization Information sharing with players

Due to the spread of the new corona infection, Judo in interpersonal competition was greatly affected by the delay in resuming full-scale training.

The training camp where the representative players gathered was also forced to be postponed repeatedly.



In this situation, I actively used online.

Instead of not getting together at the training camp, we held regular online meetings.

At a pace of once a week, we grasped the current situation and physical condition of athletes' training, and also shared information such as trends of overseas athletes and attitudes toward the Olympics.



In addition, the coaches in charge of the Japanese national team were dispatched to the training bases of the athletes, centered on individual training camps, and the manager also visited the training bases and inspected.

A new specialty that is not in the data of female overseas players

We also made efforts to take advantage of the period when the international convention was canceled or postponed.



The female coach Masuchi, who won four gold medals at this tournament, gave the players the task of "increasing one more specialty".

By increasing the number of techniques that are not included in the data of overseas players, I thought that it would be easier for the players to use their original special moves, so I spent time learning new moves.

In addition to his strong carrying skills, Uta Abe, a 52-kilometer class player, effectively used the foot and ground fighting skills he had strengthened during this period to win a gold medal.

In addition, 78 kg class player Naori Hamada, who is good at ground fighting, increased the patterns that can be connected to ground fighting, and in the semi-finals, he won the gold medal by connecting the carrying technique that he had been working on to ground fighting.

For weight adjustment and body care similar to boys' production

On the other hand, the boys who won five gold medals used this period for condition adjustment, and it was seen that the players who peaked at the tournament played an active part.

Naohisa Takato, who won the gold medal in the 60 kg class, is the player who has suffered the most weight loss so far.

Takato set up a schedule similar to the actual one and held a training camp for weight loss.

With the support of the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences last December, we calculated the calories burned by diet and training in consideration of nutritional balance, and actually weighed it on the day before the competition.

Taking advantage of this experience, I spent a long time adjusting my weight in the same way.

Aaron Wolf, a 100-kilometer class player, spent this period with the highest priority on the care of the operated knee.

I refrained from participating in overseas games and training camps, and while facing my knee condition, I balanced training and treatment, and peaked on the day of the game to win a gold medal.

Maximize the benefits of the host country

Mass production of gold medals.

Another factor is the interest of holding in your own country.

The Japanese national team of judo did not enter the Olympic Village during the period and stayed at the National Training Center in Kita-ku, Tokyo.



While overseas athletes go back and forth between the Olympic Village and the Kodokan in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, and the practice time is strictly controlled, Japanese athletes can take sufficient time for adjustment at the facility with the dojo. It can be said that the merits of the host country were fully utilized.


In this way, Japan Judo led to a breakthrough in the period of postponement of the Olympic Games and the advantage of the land.

The biggest factor is the strong will of the players

However, as both coaches said, it is the strong will of the players that must never be forgotten.


It goes without saying that even in the uncertain and difficult situation of the spread of infection, the efforts that the players have continued to keep track of their goals are the biggest factor in the mass production of medals.