Age: 22
Country: Japan
Weight category: -60kg
Achievements: Rio 2016 Olympic bronze, triple world champion

Introduction to judo
When I was six-years-old I saw judo for the first time. My motivation to start judo was because both of my parents practiced the sport. My clearest memory is the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, I was watching the judo with my parents and then I really wanted to start.

Starting judo
I started in a local club, the same club as Ebinuma Masashi (Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world champion) in the Tochigi prefecture. From the moment of my first competition, which I lost, in our club, I wanted to become stronger and to train harder.  

National team
At 15-years-old I started to represent Japan. From my childhood it was my dream for judo to be my career and it became my job ever since I was selected for the national team. When I won the 2009 Cadet World Championships at the time I felt that it was just a small competition, my dream was only of winning world and Olympics gold.

History at Rio 2013 World Championships
My vision was to move into the senior team very quickly. It was the first time Japan won gold in the under 60kg category since Nomura Tadahiro (1997) so I felt very happy. It was very important for the Japanese team to win on the first day.

IJF World Judo Tour
If I had never done judo I would not have been to so many countries and I have seen so many cultures. Through judo I continue to learn and teach new things. I have learnt everything from judo and the most important thing is to trust people and respect people. The favourite place I have been to has to be Rio de Janeiro because I won gold there!

Judo - more than a sport?
When you talk about sport you imagine football or baseball but judo is something different. Judo was born in Japan and is a martial art, it is an Olympic sport and can teach people a lot of things like education. At competitions in Japan I hear children say that they would like to be like me and this is good inspiration.

Paris Grand Slam 2015
I remember in 2013 when I won in Paris. I felt this event was more than a judo competition, it is like a huge entertainment event. The audience was very loud. I always enjoy experiencing this stage. Winning the event this year was the first step to Rio 2016 and becoming an Olympic champion.