Japanese Judoka Rallies After Quarterfinal Defeat; Hashimoto Takes Bronze Determined Not to ‘Let Myself Down’

By Hiroki Kotaka / Yomiuri Shimbun Sports Writer

15:02 JST, July 30, 2024

PARIS — Two Japanese judoka secured bronze medals on Monday at the Paris Olympics, with Soichi Hashimoto finishing third in the men’s 73-kilogram class and Haruka Funakubo taking a bronze in the women’s 57-kilogram.

Hashimoto lost to France’s Joan-Benjamin Gaba in the quarterfinals. After winning a consolation match, Hashimoto went on to defeat Akil Gjakova of Kosovo in the third-place playoff.

Funakubo also lost in the quarterfinals to a French opponent who took silver in the previous Tokyo Games. She ultimately beat 2016 Rio gold medalist Rafaela Silva of Brazil for the bronze.

Long road to Olympics

Hashimoto secured an Olympic berth and the bronze medal ahead of his 33rd birthday next month.

“I was aiming only for the gold, so I’m disappointed with the result,” Hashimoto said. “But I gave it all I had.”

The quarterfinal against Gaba, who went on to take the silver in the 73-kilogram class, was the kind of endurance match that both Hashimoto and Gaba excel at. Ultimately defeated in this battle of nerves, Hashimoto lost by disqualification after receiving a third shido warning.

From that moment on, he refocused his thoughts on taking the bronze.

“I have to do my best so that I have no regrets about the 32 years I’ve devoted to judo,” Hashimoto said. “If I gave up, I’d feel like I let myself down after all the hard work I put in.”

Immediately after the start of the third-place match, Hashimoto scored a wazaari with his favorite throwing technique. He took control of the bout with his aggressive fighting, in the spirit of “scoring the moment I grab him.”

Hashimoto is the oldest judoka in Japanese judo history to compete at the Olympics, making him the nation’s oldest medalist in the sport as well.

“Standing on the Olympic mats, I know I’m glad to have practiced judo. It’s a precious moment,” he said.

But Hashimoto can’t just revel in his achievement, as he’s one of the key members of the upcoming mixed team event.

“I want to prepare well and contribute to Japan’s victory,” he said. “Winning the gold in a team would be the true culmination of what I’m aiming for.”