Latest news with #Obara
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Hitomi Obara, Japan's Wrestling Legend, Suddenly Dies at 44
Women's wrestling legend Hitomi Obara, a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics and eight-time world champion, has suddenly died, sources close to her said on Saturday. She was 44. The Self-Defense Force Physical Training School (PTS), where Obara was serving as women's coach, said she died on Friday. The PTS said it was withholding the cause of death 'out of consideration for the privacy and emotions of the bereaved family.' Obara, a mother of two, was born in the wrestling hotbed of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and helped make Chukyo Women's University (now Shigakkan University) the premier women's wrestling power in Japan. From 2000 to 2008, she won six world titles at the non-Olympic weight of 51 kilograms under her maiden name of Sakamoto. She attempted to make the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 55-kilogram class, but was thwarted both times by Chukyo teammate Saori Yoshida. Devastated, she retired in 2008, but returned in 2010 with the aim of qualifying for the London Olympics in the 48-kilogram. Paving the way was the fact that her younger sister Makiko, a two-time world bronze medalist at 48-kg whom she never wanted to supplant on the national team, decided to retire in 2009. The drop to 48-kg entailed great difficulty in cutting and maintaining her weight, but Obara, who got married in 2010, went on to win world titles in 2010 and 2011. She then took the gold in London with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnyk, after which she retired for good. In a visit back to her junior high school in January last year, Obara told the students, 'If you keep doing what you love to do and never give up, you can achieve your dream.' After retirement, Obara stayed on at the PTS as the women's coach. She also became a director of the Japan Wrestling Federation, and in June, was appointed coach of the women's national team along with fellow Hachinohe native and four-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho for the run-up to the Los Angeles Olympics. In 2022, she was inducted in the United World Wrestling's Hall of Fame along with Yoshida and Icho.
2 days ago
- Sport
Ex-Japanese Wrestler Hitomi Obara Dies at 44
News from Japan Sports Jul 19, 2025 22:47 (JST) Tokyo, July 19 (Jiji Press)--Former Japanese wrestler Hitomi Obara, who won the women's 48-kilogram wrestling gold in the 2012 London Olympics, died on Friday, informed sources said Saturday. She was 44. The cause of her death and other details are unknown. The native of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, joined the Self-Defense Forces after college. Obara once retired from wrestling, after failing to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She returned to competition in 2010 and achieved her long-held goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in London at age 31, in her first Olympic Games. Obara also won the World Championships eight times, including back-to-back titles in the 48-kg class in 2010 and 2011. Following the London Olympics, Obara retired from competition and focused on coaching younger wrestlers. In 2022, she was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame, alongside Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida, both from Japan. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Kyodo News
London Olympics wrestling gold medalist Obara dies at 44
TOKYO - Hitomi Obara, the 2012 London Olympics gold medalist in the women's 48-kilogram wrestling, died Friday of unspecified causes, sources close to her said. She was 44. The Aomori Prefecture native helped Japan's women dominate the sport alongside icons Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida. Obara was crowned world champion six times in the 2000s in the 51-kg category before claiming the title at 48 kg in 2010 and 2011. Obara was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in September 2022 along with four-time Olympic gold medalist Icho and three-time winner Yoshida. She had been coaching youngsters in recent years and became a board member of the Japan Wrestling Federation in 2021. She was also part of the Japan team's coaching staff preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
