By Nick Giongco
The Philippine Judo Federation (PJF) is muscling and bruising its way to sending more than just a lone qualifier to the Tokyo Olympics, the governing body’s leadership said Thursday.
Fil-Japanese Kiyomi Watanabe (Photo from Kiyomi Watanabe’s Facebook account)
Aside from Kiyomi Watanabe, who is almost a cinch in securing a spot to Tokyo 2020, PJF president Dave Carter said as much as three others are waiting on the wings of qualification.
The Cebu-born Watanabe, a four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and 2018 Jakarta Asian Games silver medalist, is rated 27th in the world and only needs to stay active in the next four months to formalize her inclusion.
Carter said Watanabe is doing just that and is currently in Dusseldorf, Germany, for a Grand Slam event followed by another GS event in Ekaterinburg in Russia in March and an appearance in the Asian championships in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia
Others in the hunt for Tokyo berths include the Nakano brothers Shugen and Keisei as well as Maria Takahashi, who can make it via the continental qualifiers.
Once Watanabe books a Tokyo slot, she will set up camp at Waseda University until the Olympics gets going on July 24 until Aug. 9.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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