16:39 JST, August 9, 2024
PARIS — Akari Fujinami won the gold medal for wrestling in the women’s freestyle 53-kilogram class at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. It was the 20-year-old champion’s Olympic debut, and her winning streak in official matches, which has stretched back to high school, reached 137.
Left: Akari Fujinami raises her arms after winning the gold medal in the women’s 53 kilogram freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. Right: Akari Fujinami, right, defeats Lucia Yepez of Ecuador in the final of the women’s 53-kilogram freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
On the 14th day of the sporting event, two other Japanese wrestlers, Tsugumi Sakurai, 22, in the women’s freestyle 57 kilogram class, and Rei Higuchi, 28, in the men’s freestyle 57 kilogram class, both advanced to the finals and were confirmed as silver or gold medalists.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Sailing – Mixed Dinghy Medal Race – Marseille Marina, Marseille, France – August 8, 2024. Keiju Okada of Japan and Miho Yoshioka of Japan celebrate their silver medal win.
Japan’s other medal on Thursday came in the mixed dinghy sailing event, where Keiju Okada, 28, and Miho Yoshioka, 33, won the silver medal.
The Japanese women’s table tennis team defeated Germany in the quarterfinals and will face China in the final on Saturday.
Rachid Muratake, 22, became the first Japanese athlete to reach the final in the men’s 110 metres hurdles, where he finished in fifth place.
