Two-time Olympic judo champion Ono Shohei confirms retirement
The 31-year-old announced plans to pursue a coaching career during a press conference in Tokyo: "My life as a judoka has even more ways to go from here," the 31-year-old said.
Judo
Two-time Olympic judo gold medallist Ono Shohei confirmed his intentions to step away from competitions and pursue a career in coaching.
In December, the Japanese judoka hinted at his retirement by withdrawing from the Tokyo Grand Slam.
"Having experienced winning two straight Olympics at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, there was no other competition that could fire me up like that. I'm certain no other experience will surpass it," the 31-year-old said during a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday (7 March).
Ono announced he plans to join the Japanese Olympic Committee's overseas training programme for coaches which will take him to Great Britain for a two-year-long course.
"I'm going to Europe and hope to return home with the same joy for judo," he said.
"I'll keep learning my whole life. My life as a judoka has even more ways to go from here." Ono Shohei
The judo star started his international career in 2010 when he was still a student at Tenri University and had been unbeaten since 2014: he dominated the men's -73kg class, arguably the most competitive in the sport, by collecting three individual world titles (2013, 2015, 2019) and five Grand Slams crowns.
The seoi-nage specialist, who was renowned for his both offensive and defensive abilities, claimed his first Olympic title at Rio 2016 by defeating Rustam Orujov of Azerbaijan with a ippon in the final.
Five years later he took a back-to-back gold medals at his home Olympics in Tokyo after defeating Georgia's Lasha Shavdatuashvili in golden score