Judoka Abe Hifumi's three-peat journey to LA28: "I need to work harder than anyone"
Japan's two-time men's -66kg Olympic champion eyes a third gold medal in Los Angeles. And he hopes his baby sister Uta is along for the ride.
Judo
By his own admission, Abe Hifumi was rattled.
And a judoka who hadn’t lost in five years with bullet-proof confidence doesn’t easily get rattled.
But it happened. When his younger sister Uta - who had been equally untouchable since the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 where the two became the first siblings to win a gold medal on the same day - lost in the second round in Paris, Hifumi didn’t know what to think.
“My sister Uta had lost even before I started competing,” Hifumi recalled to Olympics.com of 28 July, the day the Abes had their dreams shattered by Uzbekistan’s Diyora Keldiyorova, who went on to capture the -52kg title.
“I was shocked, to be honest. I couldn’t come to grips with reality. My match was going to start in an hour, and coach told me to focus on myself, to think about what I had to do. But it was on my mind throughout. It was really tough.
“I don’t know if ‘difficult’ is the right word to describe how I felt. I just had to accept the truth. I needed to try to win for myself first.
“I was competing, thinking how I can get through the day while maintaining my focus. So I didn’t speak to her until I was done. Saw her for a split second but we didn’t exchange words.
“I had to focus on doing what I had to do.”
Abe Hifumi's sister Uta was in ruins after being stunned by eventual gold medallist Diyora Keldiyorova in the women's -52kg.
Abe Hifumi: 'I just have to believe'
While Abe retained the -66kg crown in dominant fashion, he did have a few hiccups at Paris 2024.
In the quarter-final against Nurali Emomali, Abe twice stopped the bout due to a nosebleed. A third time would have disqualified him, but he managed to finish off his Tajikistani opponent with a sweeping throw before the match dragged out.
“I was panicking, in that quarter-final. I thought I was in real trouble for sure,” Abe said. “So I felt like I had to end the fight, go for the throw. It did motivate me to finish him once and for all.”
In the mixed team event final against France, he lost by ippon to Joan-Benjamin Gaba, the -73kg silver medallist. A win would have brought home gold for Japan. Gaba was a notch above his weight class, but it was Abe’s first defeat in five years - not since losing to former rival Maruyama Joshiro at his home world championships in Tokyo in 2019.
Abe’s career goal is to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Olympic gold at Brisbane 2032, when he would be 35. He wants to surpass Nomura Tadahiro’s three-peat from 1996 to 2004 and become legendary in the homeland of judo.
Yet before Brisbane awaits LA28. Abe will have an even bigger bull’s eye on his back than he did for Paris but he does not mind. It’s part and parcel of pursuing greatness.
“I know some people can feel burned out but I haven’t really had that - on to the next for me. Three in a row in four year’s time. I feel like I have the passion for it.
“I don’t think a lot changes - it will be the fight within like it was for Paris. I need to work harder than anyone. I just have to believe in myself for another four years.
“There will be more pressure for three than two. Things just finished so I don’t feel the weight of it all just yet but when the journey for the next four years begins, when I start competing, practising again it will start up.
“Right now, I’m enjoying a moment of freedom.”
Ever the big brother, however, Abe wants to top the podium again with Uta as he aims to sling a third gold medal around his neck in sunny Los Angeles.
For all his individual success in Paris, Hifumi feels something wasn't quite complete. In 2028, he wants to put it all together - for himself, Uta and his country.
“I’m happy with what I achieved,” Abe said. “I wanted to not only win gold but also dominate - and I did that. So I’m pleased with the Olympics I had but on the other hand, I couldn’t win gold with Uta.
“I’m not sure what my sister will do from hereon but my goal is to win another Olympic gold with her. I want to keep working toward that as well as my own three-peat.”