``For me, the Paris Olympics are my life,''
says Yui Susaki, a female 50kg wrestler who is aiming for her second consecutive Olympic title.
She is a female wrestler who has brought many medals to Japan at the Olympics. In Japan, competition continues to be fierce, and young players are emerging one after another, creating a situation where the competition is truly dominated by the competition. Among them, Susaki was the only one who showed overwhelming strength and grabbed a ticket to the Paris Games for the second time in a row. The gold medalist at the Tokyo Games exudes her unwavering determination, saying, ``I'm putting my life on the line.''
(Sports News Department reporter Toshiya Mochii)
table of contents
◇◇Interview story◇◇
[Basic information] Yui Susaki player
table of contents
table of contents
◇◇Interview story◇◇
[Basic information] Yui Susaki player
Brilliant performance at the Tokyo Olympics
Susaki's name spread around the world at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Even though it was his first time participating in the Olympics, he attracted attention for his overwhelming strength that kept the equally strong competitors at bay.
Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics (2021)
With his outstanding tackle speed, he won without giving away a single point, and in the final, he won by technical fall (currently known as technical superiority win) in just over a minute and a half from the start. I won the gold medal in no time.
In fact, what Susaki suffered from was not so much the tournament itself, but the path to becoming a representative.
Experience spiritual growth
Lost in the World Championship representative deciding match (July 2019)
She was unable to even participate in the 2019 World Championships, where winning a medal would earn her a place on the national team, due to her defeat in the previous match, and at one point it seemed ``hopeless'' for her to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Another player who participated at that time was unable to meet the conditions for a formal offer, so he was given another chance to compete for the national team, and just barely managed to get a ticket.
For this reason, I approached the World Championships last September with an unusual feeling of excitement from the moment I qualified to participate in the World Championships held in September, where I was offered a place on the representative team for the Paris Games.
World Championship final last September
Three weeks before the tournament, I injured my right knee and could hardly practice, but in the final, after a tackle, I stiffened my ankle and spun my opponent around, finishing the fight in about a minute and a half.
Won the World Championship last September and was selected to be on the Olympic team
Even though the conditions were not good enough, he achieved results in the tournament that he had set as his goal, and unlike last time, he quickly earned a spot on the Olympic team.
He said he felt that he had achieved spiritual growth.
Yui Susaki:
``The frustration of not being able to participate in the World Championships before the Tokyo Olympics still hasn't cleared up, and I thought I had no choice but to get rid of it by competing on the same stage.I took painkillers and it felt like I was going straight to the actual race, but... The feeling of winning Paris in one shot kept me strong.It was a tough situation that I had never experienced before, but the fact that I was able to overcome it gave me a lot of confidence. It also became.”
Go to Paris as the strongest version of yourself ever
The theme we have set for Paris is "The Strongest in History."
We want to show a strength that surpasses Tokyo in order to win consecutive Olympics.
To that end, I am currently working on strengthening my skills other than tackling, which is my specialty. We are also working on return techniques and throwing techniques.
The aim is to be able to score points in any situation.
It is said that being aware of other techniques and letting your guard down has the advantage of making it easier to land tackles.
At the wrestling stadium of Waseda University, my alma mater, where I practice, I repeatedly practice counterattacks and throwing techniques against my exclusive male partner who weighs more than me.
In between sparring sessions, he continues to do basic training. The pursuit of strength is greedy.
"I think I still have a long way to go, so I want to become even stronger. If I were to be able to do a lot of different things, I think the opponent would be scared because they wouldn't know what to expect, so I want to increase the number of different skills I'm good at."
And unlike the Tokyo Games, which were held without spectators, we hope to share the joy of winning a gold medal with the audience at the Paris Games.
“As soon as the finals of the Tokyo Olympics ended, I started thinking that I wanted people to see the moment of winning the gold medal on this wonderful stage in person. I'm looking forward to the Olympics. I want as many people as possible to see the moment of winning a gold medal and share the joy."
“Risk your life” to Paris
New Year's Day 2024, the start of the Paris Olympic year.
At a shrine in his hometown of Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Susaki renewed his determination for this year.
What I wrote on the votive tablet was ``I will absolutely win the gold medal and I will definitely achieve my second consecutive Olympic victory.''
What is the Paris Olympics for Susaki?
Yui Susaki:
``For me, the Paris Olympics are my life.I don't think winning a gold medal at the Olympics is that easy, and I believe that those who put their lives on the line can achieve the greatest joy.'' I want to definitely win the gold medal with my wrestling style of attacking and winning, and I want to do my best with my life so that I can win the championship for the second time in a row.”
◇◇Interview story◇◇
After getting his ticket to the Olympics, Susaki traveled alone to Paris, the site of the decisive battle, in November last year.
He is said to have improved his image in preparation for his second consecutive victory by shaking hands with the players of the French national team and looking at the cityscape.
``I wanted to check out the area the year before the Olympics, and I also wanted to absorb the differences between Japan and Japan, such as the way of thinking and approaching wrestling, and training methods.Everyone in France is looking forward to the Olympics. I was able to feel like I was doing something, and I felt more motivated and excited.”
[Basic information] Yui Susaki player
▽Date of birth: Born June 30, 1996
▽Birthplace: Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture
▽Main achievements:
Tokyo Olympics women's 50kg gold medal
World Championship 2017 (48kg), 2018, 2022, 2023 Gold medal
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