Hungry like the Aaron Wolf: How the Tokyo 2020 champion is getting his groove back

By Shintaro Kano
4 min|
aaron wolf
Picture by 2021 Getty Images

The Japanese judoka is gearing up for the Tokyo Grand Slam, his first international meet in a year and four months. And it's where he takes his first steps for Paris 2024.

Athletes like to say they let their game do the talking. Aaron Wolf though, likes to let his talking do the game.

“I hope I can show that I do more than talk”, Wolf said on Friday (2 December), on the eve of judo’s Tokyo Grand Slam where he will make his first international appearance since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. “That would be good”.

Two summers ago, when he won a gold medal in the -100kg, Wolf joined a select circle in becoming just the eighth male judoka to complete Japanese judo’s heralded triple crown - the world championships, the All-Japan category free championships and the Olympic Games.

In trying to carry the torch for his sport, Wolf used his newfound fame to go public and boy, did he talk, talk and talk.

Wielding his clever sense of humour and a penchant for the cameras, Wolf made more than 100 TV appearances by the end of 2021. He did advertisements, talk shows, premieres for his favourite Marvel movies.

Wolf was, practically, a TV talent. And it didn’t always sit well with the traditionalists in a sport which is conservative in Japan to say the least.

By his own admission, the 26-year-old was burned out following Tokyo 2020, having had to lug around the massive expectations that go along with an Olympian from Japan where it’s virtually gold-or-bust in judo.

Hitting celebrity row provided him with the escape he sorely needed from the Japanese national pastime while promoting and bringing the ancient game to a new audience, which he believes is necessary.

But with the arrival of the year 2022, Wolf felt it was time to go back to work on the tatami.

He had planned on kicking off his season with the All-Japan weight category championships in April but had to forfeit with a ligament injury in his right ankle.

Wolf was picked for the Asian championships in August but tested positive for the coronavirus, further delaying his competitive return to the Kodokan Cup in October.

There, in his first contest in 15 months, he lost in the semi-finals after conceding three shido points.

Ahead of the Kodokan Cup, Wolf tipped the scales at more than 120kg, the most he’s weighed in his career. While the result and performance fell short of gold-medal standards, the Kodokan Cup fast-tracked him on to the correct competitive path again.

“My weight is down compared to the Kodokan Cup. No issues with my conditioning”, Wolf said, looking ahead to the two-day Tokyo Grand Slam which is being held for the first time in five years due to the global pandemic.

“I just have to make sure to recover after the weigh-in and not let up in getting ready for competition. With not much time in between tournaments, it actually helped me lose weight. There proved to be a lot of positives for me entering the Kodokan Cup”.

Wolf has a first-round bye and will face either Isaac Bezzina of Malta or Gennaro Pirelli of Italy in his opening bout at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

The Tokyo Grand Slam counts towards qualification not only for Paris 2024 but also for the next World championships in Doha in May, which will be critical for Japanese judoka eyeing selection for the next Games.

Wolf knows how important this weekend is as he looks to defend his title in Paris.

“My selection for the World championships next year hinges on whether I win here or not. It’s important me to do well here to build on for the worlds, and doing well at the worlds will lead to the Olympics in two years’ time.

“That’s the mindset I need to have”.