Gaku Akazawa, center, poses with fellow Samoan wrestlers
13:22 JST, May 11, 2024
Gaku Akazawa achieved his lifelong dream by qualifying for the upcoming Olympics in freestyle wrestling, but he will not compete for a medal for Japan in Paris. In the rare event where a Japanese wrestler changes nationality, he will compete for his adopted country of Samoa.
“Achieving a good result will be the reward for everything that people in both countries have done for me,” said 33-year-old Akazawa, who acquired Samoan citizenship in December last year.
Akazawa earned his ticket to Paris in the 65-kilogram weight class with an emotional win at the Africa-Oceania qualifying match held in Alexandria, Egypt in March. After falling behind in the first period against his opponent from Guinea-Bissau, he came back to win by fall in the second period, which he ended with a shout of triumph.
“It’s been a long, hard journey,” he said.
Born in Tokyo, Akazawa competed in kendo before switching to wrestling in sixth grade with dreams of one day competing in the Olympics. He became a national high school champion in his junior year and added a national high school title while with powerhouse Hanasaki Tokuharu in Saitama Prefecture.
But his promising career took a dark turn at Nihon University, where he continually struggled with injuries that led to surgeries on both shoulders and derailed his bid to make it to the 2012 London Olympics.
To get back on track, he made the brave decision to go to Russia on his own to hone his skills in the hotbed of wrestling. But he still fell short in qualifying for the next Olympics.
“I don’t want to give up my dream,” he thought. In the midst of his disappointment, the idea occurred to him to change his nationality. Of the wrestlers he trained with in Russia, one had won a medal after transferring to another country.
“It’s just a piece of paper that’s going to change,” the wrestler told him. “There are a lot of people who will support you as a person.”
Encouraged by the words, he told his parents and friends about his decision, and they showed their understanding.
Aided by connections
How about a country in Oceania that doesn’t have many wrestlers? As that thought occurred to him, he remembered that he had a high school teacher who had once worked in Samoa. He contacted the teacher, who gave him the name of a former student he had taught in Samoa.
In 2017, Akazawa flew to the South Pacific. He visited the local office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, where he was informed that the teacher’s former student worked at the nearby Japanese embassy. That contact led to an introduction to an influential person and a new path in his life was opened.
“I want to promote wrestling in Samoa and participate in the Olympic Games as a representative of Samoa,” he told the person, who promised support. Mats and a training room were provided.
Akazawa’s life outside of wrestling took a turn in 2018 when he married a woman he met in Samoa named Sinavalley, now 28. That meant additional responsibilities, and he realized, “I have to make a living.”
His many experiences with injuries led him to become interested in physical care, and he opened a Japanese-style massage parlor using self-taught techniques. It became so popular that it was constantly packed with reservations.
In Samoa, a country of about 200,000 inhabitants, rugby is the ‘national sport’, while wrestling has a subordinate status. Unlike in Japan and Russia, Akazawa found it difficult to find practice partners at his level. He invited rugby and judo competitors – some weighing more than 100 kilos – to his gym to train.
Promoting his new country
One miscalculation he made concerned the glacial progress of the procedure for changing nationality.
He asked for help directly from the Deputy Prime Minister, who was a client at his massage parlour. “I want to show Samoan wrestling to the world,” he said as he made his case.
He could not be nationalized in time for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but gaining Samoan citizenship last December made him eligible for Paris.
As his time in Samoa lengthened, he developed a drive to help the local people. There is a large gap between rich and poor in Samoa, and some children cannot speak English, even though it is the official language of Samoa, because they are busy helping in the fields or taking care of younger siblings.
That’s why he gives free wrestling lessons at his gym. He also has a new purpose. “Ultimately, I want to build a high school and nurture people who can thrive on the world stage through sports.”
Now that his Olympic spot is secure, Akazawa has renewed his determination. “If I lose straight away, people will think I just changed my nationality [in the Olympics],” he said. “Whether they think it’s right or wrong, I want people to see me as Gaku Akazawa, the wrestler who went there for a medal.”
