Tokyo, Japan, July 25, 2021: Brother and sister Hifumi and Uta Abe recorded an incredible judo golden double for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.
Uta Abe, 21, won the women’s -52kg gold medal before her older brother Hifumi, 23, added the men’s -66kg title – Japan’s third judo gold of Tokyo 2020 at the famous Nippon Budokan.
"This has turned out to be the greatest day ever. I don’t think we, as brother and sister, could shine any brighter on this stage known as the Tokyo Olympics. I'm so happy. I felt really calm in the final," Hifumi said.
"The medal feels very heavy," he added. "There is so much in this gold medal. I may be only 23 but this gold medal contains all 23 of those years and I feel the weight of it. The path to get here felt like it went on forever. But the obstacles I had to overcome…they were all meant to be. It was all for this gold medal."
Uta Abe explained her tearful reaction to victory: "It really hasn’t sunk in yet, but the feeling of having won a gold medal is starting to swell inside me. I don’t know, maybe it may not have been appropriate but I couldn’t hold myself back.
"The emotion, the joy just exploded. The road to get here, parts of it seemed long and others short. I managed to get to where I am standing today because of the support of so many people. Gratitude, that is what I’m feeling."
Coach Kosei Inoue recognised the amazing family achievement after the brother-sister act from Kobe pulled off their gold medal performances in quick succession.
"Together, he and she have written their own chapter in history," he said. "I think we’re witnessing the birth of two new stars in judo right before our own eyes. I’m counting on them to lead the way for all of judo and I expect a lot from."