Japanese judoka Tsunoda Natsumi has clinched the gold medal in the women’s 48-kilogram category at the Paris Olympics. She is the first Japanese to stand atop the podium at the Games. This is also Japan’s 500th Summer Olympic gold medal.
Tsunoda prevailed over Mongolia’s Baasankhuu Bavuudorj in the finals on Saturday, after she scored a waza-ari with her signature tomoe-nage throw. Bavuudorj, who became the world champion in May, is two places above Tsunoda in the global rankings.
This is Tsunoda’s first time competing in the Olympics. She launched her campaign for a medal at the Paris Games by aggressively deploying tomoe-nage throws and using ude-hishigi-juji-gatame arm locks. The 31-year-old won each of her first three matches in about one minute.
In the semifinals, Tsunoda beat Sweden’s Tara Babulfath. During overtime, it was determined that the Swede had committed her third shido rule violation.
Tsunoda became an Olympic champion, without allowing her opponents to score an ippon or a waza-ari.
Tsunoda is the first Japanese judoka to claim gold in the 48-kilogram class since 2004, when Tani Ryoko accomplished the feat at the Olympic Games in Athens.
Meanwhile, another Japanese judoka, Nagayama Ryuju, captured the bronze medal in the men’s 60-kilogram category at the Paris Games. This is also Nagayama’s first time competing in the Olympics.