Japan has strong quota hopes at the 1st World Olympic Qualifier
Japan has strong quota hopes at the upcoming 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event to Busto Arsizio, Italy which opens with its first competition day on March 3.
Japan earned two Olympic quotas at the Asian Games for Paris 2024, the World Champion Sewon Okazawa was expected to make it happen but Shudai Harada was a big surprise at the men’s featherweight (57kg) in Hangzhou. He used up his excellent draw and the young talent qualified for the Paris Olympics, causing a huge surprise in that weight class.
Following the Asian Games, their Elite National Championships was the selection competition for the 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event last November. The Japanese national team arranged its final preparation in an international training camp in Montenegro with European and Asian squads together.
The Asian Champion Rinka Kinoshita moved down to the women’s light flyweight (50kg) and she will represent Japan in Busto Arsizio instead of the Olympic bronze medallist Tsukimi Namiki. The 23-year-old boxer is one of the quota favourites in this weight class with all of the technical skills to achieve her objective in Italy.
Mikoto Harada competed at the 2021 Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce and she returned to a big event after nearly three years of break. Satsuki Yoshizawa replaced the Olympic Champion Sena Irie at the women’s featherweight (57kg) following the top star retired from the active sport.
Ayaka Taguchi joined the national team in 2019 and after five years of experience, she has the skills to qualify for the Olympics at the women’s lightweight (60kg). The Asian Championships silver medallist Mai Kito has strong opponents at the women’s welterweight (66kg) but she is in top shape after the hard preparations.
Tomoya Tsuboi qualified for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and he has the strong plan to achieve that for Paris 2024 as well. He claimed gold medal at the bantamweight (54kg) in the 2021 World Boxing Championships
Japan has strong boxers at the light welterweight (63.5kg) and their new ace could be Shion Nishiyama who moved up one category to get himself a chance in Italy. Another National Champion and Asian Championships competitor, Go Wakaya worked hard in the recent eight years to represent Japan in such a huge competition.
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