Fil-Jap judoka earns YOG berth
MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Japanese judoka Kiyomi Watanabe earned a berth to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games after netting a bronze medal in the recent Asian Youth Judo Championships in Hainan, China.
Watanabe, 17, won two of her three matches in the -63kg women’s division to land a podium finish that secured her spot to next year’s YOG in Nanjing, China, according to coach Lori Mendoza.
“This tournament served the final leg to qualify for 2014 Youth Olympic Games so we have one qualifier now,†said Mendoza.
Watanabe defeated Chinese Xu Yanhui in the first round but lost to Korean Han Hee Ju, the eventual champion, to move down to repechage. The Phl bet then beat Indian Mitlesh to salvage a medal.
She became the latest Filipino bound for the YOG, joining qualified archers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Bianca Roxas-Chua Gotuaco.
After her stint in the Asian Youth meet, Watanabe hooked up with eight senior judokas for the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar. She seeks to go all the way to the gold this time after snaring a bronze in the previous SEAG in Indonesia.
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