Japan’s Kondo siblings capture gold in judo at Asian Games

Nagoya – Hayato Kondo won judo gold in the men’s 60-kilogram event, while his younger sister, Mitsuki, also secured gold in the women’s 48-kg event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Wednesday.

“The fact that I was able to win here means a lot to me,” Mitsuki, 21, said.

Saying that he was inspired after seeing Mitsuki reach the top of the podium, Hayato, 25, added that he “gained confidence” from winning his own gold medal.

Adding to Japan’s ever-growing gold medal haul at the quadrennial sporting event hosted mainly in central Japan, Sorato Anraku stood atop the men’s boulder podium in sport climbing. Compatriot Tomoa Narasaki secured bronze.

Anraku, 19, who had won gold at the previous Asian Games, summed up his performance as “almost perfect.”

Taizo Yoshida brought Japan its first wrestling gold medal in the ongoing sporting festival by dominating the men’s Greco-Roman 87-kg event. Kyotaro Sogabe won silver in the men’s Greco-Roman 67-kg event.

The achievement was “all thanks to people’s support,” Yoshida, 20, said. “Nothing beats a home tournament.”

Ami Ishii added another wrestling gold to Japan’s haul by winning the women’s 68-kg event.

“I saw the crowd cheering for me,” she said. “All the hard work paid off.”

In diving, Japan’s Rikuto Tamai clinched silver in the men’s 10-meter platform, while Sayaka Mikami won bronze in the women’s 3-meter springboard.

For canoe slalom, Yuki Tanaka secured silver in the men’s kayak single event.

Meanwhile, Japan landed silver medals for both the men’s and women’s team pursuit events in cycling track.