Two PH judokas in Tokyo Olympics? Most likely
NOT one, but two Filipino judokas may see action for Team Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics this July.
Kiyomi Watanabe, a Filipino-Japanese who has been in the local judo scene for several years now, tries to make her Olympic entry official when she compees in the World championships on June 6 to 13 in Budapestm Hungary.
The veteran judoka is already qualified via continental quota and a strong performance in Budapest should earn her direct qualification to the quadrennial games.
If Watanabe gets direct passage to the Olympic proper, she would have to relinquish her continental quota slot, which could land to either of the Nakano brothers Shugen or Keisi, who snared a gold and bronze medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
“We have a slot in the Olympics. She (Watanabe) cannot be dislodged from that slot , it’s just that our IF (International Federation) will officially announce it either second or third week of June,” said Philippine Judo Federation (PJF) president Dave Carter during a recent Radyo Pilipinas interview.
“She is set to play in the World Championships and if she directly qualifies there, there’s a possibility the continental quota will be given to one of the Nakano brothers.”
Watanabe is currently ranked 38th in the women’s -63kg class but should be the highest ranked in Asia and assured of an Olympic slot since Japan already has one being the host as well as Korea and China having directly qualified bets.
At present, eight athletes, namely boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam., gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and rower Cris Nievarez have made it to Team PH.
Chef de mission Nonong Araneta of football is expecting more than 13 athletes to comprise the national team to the Tokyo Games, whose fate continues to hang in the air due to strong opposition from Japanese people and the rising cases of COVID-19 cases.
