Abe Uta books World Championship berth with Tokyo Grand Slam victory
The reigning -52kg Olympic queen lines up path to Paris 2024 via Doha next May. In her brother Hifumi's absence, Maruyama Joshiro digs deep to capture -66kg title as Aaron Wolf falls at first hurdle in -100kg.
Another competition, another step towards Paris 2024 for Abe Uta.
Abe won the -52kg title over former world champion Shishime Ai at the judo Tokyo Grand Slam on Sunday (4 December), becoming the first Japanese to qualify fo next year's World Championships in Qatar.
Abe needed extra time to dismiss her non-engaging compatriot - who was disqualified after collecting a third shido - but she can feel satisfied considering that she recently injured her right knee and has been feeling less than 100 per cent.
As reigning world champion, victory here would see her secure a place at next May's Worlds in Doha.
"I haven’t been in great condition and wasn’t sure how well I could do here", said the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, who called her season to a halt after this triumph.
"But at the very least I wanted to be in the right frame of mind, stay focused. I hurt my knee two weeks ago and haven't been well.
"There were a lot of worries but I just had to go out there and do it."
That she did, along with many of her Japan teammates.
Another day of home dominance in Tokyo
After a day in which they swept all six finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, the hosts fielded 14 of the 16 finalists on show this evening.
The Tokyo Grand Slam is one of a number of IJF World Tour events which count towards the world rankings that decide the allocation of quota spots for Paris.
Japan's top judoka such as Ono Shohei, Abe Hifumi, Takato Naohisa and Tokina Funa had pulled out of the first Grand Slam to be held in Tokyo in five years, but that did not stop the hosts from running roughshod over the visitors.
Alongside Uta, fellow Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Sone Akira (+78kg), Ota Hyoga (+100kg), Takayama Rika (-78kg), Kano Miyaki (-48kg) and Maruyama Joshiro (-66kg) topped the podium.
Japan also won eight silver and eight bronze medals, underlining a dominant weekend for the sport’s homeland.
With Abe Hifumi out, Maruyama was under pressure to deliver at this Grand Slam - or else.
The 29-year-old, who again lost to Hifumi at this year’s Worlds in Tashkent, said he could not see himself making Paris 2024 if he failed to capture the title in the absence of his biggest rival.
Maruyama was far from thrilled by his judo on the day, but victory over compatriot Hattori Shinsei kept alive his hopes of making the World Championships which will have a huge bearing on the Japanese selection process for Paris.
“The performance was horrible. Close to a zero," he said. “Probably mental more than anything but it never picked up for me. It was that kind of tournament for me.
“But I found a way to win it which is something I think I can build on. After the Worlds, I was lost. I didn’t know what to do day in, day out. I’m just really glad I won today."
Tokyo -100kg champ Wolf shocked
Aaron Wolf was Japan's only defending Olympic champion to not reach a final.
In his first international meet since the Games, Wolf was sent packing by Italy’s Gennaro Pirelli who ended up winning the -100kg title by beating another Japanese - Iida Kentaro - in the final.
Wolf was issued his third shido in less than three minutes of action to go out by disqualification.
Following Tokyo 2020, the 26-year-old only returned to competition in October at the Kodokan Cup where he placed third.
Now, to be selected for the Worlds, Wolf will need a convincing performance at the Jerusalem Masters later this month or a domestic play-off in January.
He made no excuses for the early departure on this day.
“It’s pathetic, for sure," Wolf said. "I've got no business talking about Paris right now.
"I'd say today was more about my performance rather than my level of fitness. My opponent today defends well and he’d done his homework. If I want to beat someone like that I need to be much, much better.
"Sulking after a competition doesn’t help. If I want to do well at the Olympics or the World Championships, I have to be sure not to make the same mistakes.
“I think after winning the Olympics, I’m sure complacency crept in somewhere even if I wasn’t aware of it. I was hungrier in the past, wanting to win this and that.
“But after the Olympics, I probably didn’t put in the time I needed to for judo."