Japan’s most successful showing at an overseas Olympics ended in the most fitting way possible on Aug. 11, the final day of the Paris Games – with another gold medal on the wrestling mat.
Yuka Kagami defeated American Kennedy Blades in the final to win the women’s freestyle 76-kg crown and give Japan its 20th gold medal in Paris.
Team Japan picked up wins in gymnastics and skateboarding early and was powered by the incredible strength of its wrestling team down the stretch. Japanese wrestlers won eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals in France.
The Japanese Olympic Committee set a goal of 20 gold medals before the Games. Japan hit the target despite claiming only three golds in judo, which is usually one of its strong sports at the Olympics.
Japanese athletes earned 12 silver and 13 bronze medals, and the overall tally of 45 medals is the country’s highest at an Olympics outside Japan.
Haruka Kitaguchi claimed Japan’s sole track and field medal, winning gold in the women’s javelin. Rikuto Tamai took silver in the men’s 10-meter platform event for Japan’s first-ever diving medal, and Taishu Sato became the first Japanese modern pentathlon medalist, with a silver in the men’s event. (The Japan Times)
毎週届く！
