To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.
This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.
Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
AP Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda, right, and Mongolia’s Baasankhuu Bavuudorj compete during their women -48 kg final match at Champ-de-Mars Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics on Saturday in Paris.
Jiji Press
11:14 JST, July 28, 2024
PARIS (Jiji Press) — Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda won gold in the women’s 48-kilogram judo competition at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, bringing the first medal to the Asian country in the Summer Games.
She defeated Mongolia’s Bavuudorj Baasankhuu in the final. She is the first Japanese judoka to win the women’s 48-kg event at an Olympics since Ryoko Tani in the 2004 Athens Games.
Tsunoda’s gold medal is the 500th Summer Olympic medal for Japan. The country made its Olympic debut at the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm. In the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, Ichiya Kumagai netted a silver medal in the men’s tennis singles competition, which became the first Olympic medal for Japan.
Japan’s Summer Games medal haul had reached 499 in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Among other Japanese judoka at the Paris Olympics, Ryuju Nagayama clinched a bronze medal in the men’s 60-kg category.
AP Medal winners, from left, France’s Luka Mkheidze, silver, Kazakhstan’s Yeldos Smetov, gold, Japan’s Ryuju Nagayama, Spain’s Francisco Garrigos, bronze, pose on the podium of the men’s -60kg event.
In the men’s soccer, Japan edged out Mali 1-0 in its second group stage match after its 5-0 rout over Paraguay, advancing to the quarterfinals.
AP Japan’s Rihito Yamamoto, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Mali during a men’s Group D soccer match in Bordeaux, France.
The Japanese men’s volleyball team, seeking its first Olympic medal in 52 years, suffered a 2-3 loss in its opening match against Germany in the group stage. In the men’s basketball, Japan lost to Germany 77-97 in its first group stage match.
AP Japan’s coach Philippe Blain gives directions to players during the group C volleyball match against Germany in Paris, France.
In swimming, Japan’s Mizuki Hirai and Rikako Ikee were second and 14th overall, respectively, in the women’s 100-meter butterfly heats to advance to the semifinals. Later, Hirai reached the final round, but Ikee was eliminated.
The Yomiuri Shimbun Rikako Ikee reacts after her semifinal heat at the women’s 100 meters butterfly at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
Naomi Osaka, who once topped the Women’s Tennis Association’s rankings for singles, lost to Germany’s Angelique Kerber, also a former No. 1 player, in the singles first round in the women’s tennis at the Paris Games.
Reuters Naomi Osaka of Japan is in action during her first round match against Angelique Kerber of Germany at Roland-Garros Stadium in Paris.
In the mixed doubles event in table tennis, the Japanese pair of Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata was eliminated in the first round.
Reuters Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata compete against h KoNortrea’s Jong Sik Ri and Kum Yong Kim in their round of 16 match in Paris.
Japan reached the final in the men’s artistic gymnastics team event.
AP Daiki Hashimoto competes on the rings during a men’s artistic gymnastics qualification round in Paris.
Paris Games events entered full swing Saturday following the opening ceremony, staged on the Seine River, the day before.
