Risako Kawai won the 57 kg class of wrestling women at the Tokyo Olympics on the 5th.

The moment I won the gold medal for the second consecutive tournament, I was excited by the feeling of "the best wrestling."

For five years, it was weighted because I had walked the hard, tough, and painful roads without escaping.

The "decided" Olympics

Women's 57 kg class, Kawai's first match of the Tokyo Olympics.

The expression looked stiff.


The opponent is a Guinean player who has no outstanding track record.

I thought there was an overwhelming difference in power, but in the first half, I was tackled and lost points, 2 to 2.

In the second half, I scored points firmly and widened the gap to 8 to 2 and won exactly, but I felt that the movement was solid.

I remembered what Kawai was saying before the tournament.



"My position has changed from when I was in Rio, and I'm clearly less excited about the Olympics. That doesn't mean I'm worried. I think I've decided to prepare."



Kawai, who won the gold medal at the previous tournament. Was the youngest female representative, 21 years old.



"There was momentum because (Yoshida) Saori-san was there and (Icho) Kaori-san was there and I didn't know anything because I was the youngest."

Japanese women's wrestling led by two legends, Saori Yoshida and Kaori Icho.

At that time, Kawai himself had never won the world championship and was scared.


Five years after that, Kawai replaced Japan, who lacked the two.

Heavy responsibility as an ace, pressure, a mark that strengthens from overseas.

The second Olympic Games was a tournament in which we carried something much heavier than the previous one.

"Fear" that I experienced for the first time

However, Kawai has acquired the strength to withstand the pressure over the last five years.


The biggest challenge is the battle for the representative of the Tokyo Olympics.

By returning to the original 57 kg class, I had to compete with Icho, who won the Olympics for the fourth time in a row.



Three years ago, when the fight for the national team began, the All Japan Championship attracted attention from all over Japan and was under pressure that had never been experienced.


Kawai later revealed that he was afraid to play the match.

The offensive wrestling, which should be a creed, lurked in the shadow and was defeated by Icho.



"I



'm

not confident that I can overcome it anymore."

At this time, I seriously thought about quitting the competition and left practice for about a month.

Hatsue, a mother who has been teaching Kawai, who had been suffering from an early age, never said, "Do your best."



"When Risako asked me if I could quit, I said,'I understand.' You don't have to force yourself to aim for the Olympics. I just want to see a match that is like Risako." is now was "to say



even without the story of wrestling, I showed up that single-mindedly he driven into practice Yukako Kawai players sister was aiming both the Olympic Games.



"I think Yukako was trying to cheer her up by practicing hard at that time. I can't help but do my best."



I noticed the existence of people who believed

in me no

matter what the situation. Kawai returned to the mat again.

Then, he regained his aggressive wrestling and defeated Icho in a row.

The battle for representatives has been settled.



"I don't think there is a player who has been represented in such a difficult fight. The gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics will be much heavier than Rio."

"Sisters and money" is doubled ...

Kawai had one more thing on his back.


There is a younger sister, Yukako, who has been chasing her back.

"It's a special way of aiming for sisters to go to the Olympics, which is different from aiming alone. It's not all about my own results, but Yukako's results are one, so it's twice as heavy."



With the addition of the goal of "sisters and gold" to his own gold medal, the pressure is greater than it was last time.



"However, the joy of winning the championship with two people is not just for me, but it should be more than double that of Rio."



Kawai's face continued to show his unwavering determination.

Feelings overflowing at the moment of victory

In the second round, the semi-finals gradually became firmer, and although he regained his usual movements, his expression remained harsh.


Especially in the final, it was almost devilish.

A fierce battle for kumite, points are accumulated by throwing and tackling, and the battle is as the word "do everything in the last 6 minutes".

He never allowed the opponent's points and won 5-0.


At this moment, Kawai smiled as if he had been released from something.

"It's a lie to say that there was no pressure, but I believe that pressure will help, so I fought because I thought I had to be a player who could hold it."



Kawai at the moment of the gold medal in two consecutive tournaments. I got a feeling.



"I thought the" wrestling the best. "Oh, I also I have Do've got to practice back"



painful, and caught squarely the pressure far more than the previous tournament not escape from the harsh way, because I pulled suffering what of I think it was an emotion.


How heavy is the gold medal for the second consecutive Olympic Games and for the sisters?


Maybe only Kawai knows that.