Watanabe thankful for Olympic experience gained in Paris

MANILA, Philippines – No regrets for Olympian judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.

Despite an early exit from her second Olympic stint, the 27-year-old Watanabe said that she did her best in Paris and that she has nothing to be disappointed about.

In an Instagram post as translated by Google, Watanabe bared that she experienced injuries and hardships in the lead-up to the Games. 

“My second Olympics was a good experience for me, and I was constantly inspired. Before I was able to compete in the Paris Olympics, I was plagued by injuries and went through a lot of hardships. Many people supported me through those times,” she said. 

“Without their support, my second Olympics would not have come true. Thank you so much,” she added. 

“Although I wasn't able to achieve good results, I played to the best of my ability, so I have no regrets. I will use this experience in the future.” 

The Filipino-Japanese judoka faced China’s Tang Jing in the round of 32 of the women’s -63 kg division. 

After Tang was able to grab Watanabe’s lapel, she was able to bring the match into the ground.

The Chinese bet was then able to secure a side guard and hold the superior position for 20 seconds, getting the win via ippon after 51 seconds.

This was Watanabe’s second Olympic stint. The four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist earlier debuted in the Tokyo Olympics, where she lasted 38 seconds.