OLYMPICS/ Japanese fencer overcomes height disadvantage to claim gold_club friendlies
OLYMPICS/ Japanese fencer overcomes height disadvantage to claim gold
By KOSUKE INAGAKI/ Staff Writer
July 29,club friendlies 2024 at 17:56 JST
- Share
- Tweet list
Koki Kano celebrates while holding the Japanese flag after winning the gold medal in the men’s individual epee competition during the 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais on July 28. (Yuki Shibata)
Japanese fencer Koki Kano didn't let a massive height difference, a hostile crowd and even losses by his teammates to his opponent stop him from standing tallest on the podium.
Kano defeated Yannick Borel of France, who is 23 centimeters taller than him, in the men’s individual epee event at the Paris Olympics on July 28 to make history.
The match was held on Borel’s home turf, but the partisan French fans all cheering for the local favorite did not deter the 26-year-old Kano, who claimed Japan's first gold medal ever in an Olympic fencing individual event.
Kazuyasu Minobe and Masaru Yamada, who won team gold with Kano at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, were both defeated by the 1.96-meter-tall Borel earlier that day.
“I could not be the third Japanese to lose to (Borel),” Kano said.
He channeled all his spirit into his weapon to avenge the defeat of his senior teammates.
Kano is 1.73 meters tall and weighs 65 kilograms.
With his shorter reach, he had to bring the fight into close quarters to have a chance of winning.
He parried his opponents’ thrusts and then quickly closed the distance to land his own strikes.
This strategy paid off in the final, where Kano beat Borel 15-9. He silenced the packed stadium with a dominating victory.
Kano was confident even before the start of the Paris Games.
“I’m in the best condition of my fencing career,” Kano said before the Olympics. “My world ranking of third shows my capability, and I have a pretty good chance of winning the gold medal.”
His triumph showed that he was true to his word.
Kano hails from Aichi Prefecture. When he was a child, he participated in gymnastics.
But after seeing Yuki Ota clinch silver in the foil―Japan’s first individual medal in fencing―at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he picked up the sword.
Then he switched to the epee while at Iwakuni Technical High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
“I started fencing because I watched Ota, so, I never imagined I would surpass him,” Kano said. “I’m deeply moved and I can’t believe it.”
(责任编辑:ホットスポット)
- 【元大関・琴風の目】大の里に感じた少しの異変 それでもV確率は100%に限りなく近い90%だ
- 【番記者の視点】鹿島失速 リーグ戦8敗は全て敵地…アウェーで勝てない理由と、挽回のために必要なこと
- 【広島】8月初となる8カードぶり負け越しも、新井貴浩監督「来週につながるいい攻撃だった」上位2チームとの6連戦は3勝3敗
- 住田紗里アナ、パリ五輪取材を振り返り、取材合間のひとときを共有!「素敵な体験が出来て羨ましいです、宝物ですね」
- 借金持ちの苦労人がメンコンのキャストに、マンガMeeのBL新連載「恋とクズの治し方」
- 「呪術廻戦」懐玉・玉折の総集編が2025年劇場公開、設定資料収めたガイドブックも発売
- 柔道 橋本壮市、高市未来が小学生に実践指導 今後については「前向きに考えて」「違う目線で考えたいというのもある」
- 白熱パ新人王争い ドラ1左腕対決 楽天・古謝樹5勝「切磋琢磨しながら」7勝西武・武内に投げ勝った
- 田中あいみ、甲子園で始球式から阪神4連勝「勝利の女神ちゃう?」 連覇したら「私も道頓堀に落ちる?」
- SKE48荒井優希、“おヒザ元”の9・8名古屋で遠藤有栖を迎撃へ「このベルトは絶対に譲らない!」
- 「有効に使えた」巨人・菅野が後半戦から取り入れた新武器 3球駆使し中日4番5番斬り
- 和田正人、45歳の誕生日を報告!家族からの盛大なサプライズに「和田家最高wビバ妻子!!」と楽しげなショット
- 処刑された大魔導師、祖国再建を目指すエルフ王女に英雄として召喚される(試し読みあり)
- ムロツヨシ、「コード・ブルー」たった1話のゲスト出演で「『来る!』って確信した」当時17歳の俳優明かす