TOKYO Olympian and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe may perhaps have one of the most unique training partners among the Filipino athletes vying in the Paris Olympic Games formally opening in the French capital this Friday.
A four-time Southeast Asian Games champion in the women’s 63kg division, Watanabe will be in Paris tomorrow together with sparring partner Chiri Nozawa, who also acts as her physiotherapist, according to Philippine Judo Federation secretary general Dave Carter.
“Kiyomi has a team support of training partners who double as physiotherapists. They are experienced judo athletes who study sports science, too, at Waseda University,” explained Carter of the famed institution where most of Japan’s prime ministers graduated.
“Nozawa has been with Kiyomi in some events,” added the PJF official of the sparring partner cum PT that the Cebu-born athlete has been taking along in her international competitions, mostly in Europe.
PJF president Ali Sult, who is scheduled to leave for Paris today, revealed that the judoka’s Filipina mother, Irene, has been keeping the federation posted about the athlete’s preparations.
“She (Watanabe) is in good spirits the last time we were with her. I could really feel the shift of energy,” noted Sulit, also a former national athlete, who felt privileged to witness Watanabe compete in July 30.
Aside from being the country’s standard-bearer in the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021, Watanabe had a forgettable outing in her Olympic debut, losing in the opening round by ippon to Spain’s Cristina Cabaña.
In her return trip to the Olympics, Watanabe, 27, a silver medalist in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, vowed to do better by hurdling the first round in the weight division consisting of 28 entries.
