3rd grade, summer story vol.1 Judo girls I just want to be stronger Rio Sakaida (Oita Nishi) | Oh! S! OITA SPORTS

　In the last summer of high school, a third grader who hit the culmination of the past. While there were many restrictions due to the corona disaster, what was the situation that I arrived at with anxiety and regret? I followed the players who were active on the national stage.

On the first national stage, Rio Sakita (3rd year of Oita Nishi), who was ranked 5th in the 70 kg class of women’s individual at the National High School Championships (Inter-High) Judo, said, “I was made aware of my lack of physical strength.” The third round, which was successfully won and greeted, could not be settled in the three-minute game, and entered the extra time (golden score). They lacked a decisive factor and won by throwing on their backs after a fierce battle for nearly 6 minutes, but Sakaida had no physical strength left. Almost without a break, he was about to enter the quarter-finals, and Director Eiichiro Abe massaged his tired arms. “For the teacher, for those who have supported me so far,” I went up to the tatami mat, but I wasn’t the one who could manage with just my energy. I felt regret when I looked back, saying, “I can’t win if I don’t practice yet.”

At the age of five, I watched Takamasa Anai (Director of the Tenri University Judo Club), who is active in the world championships, on TV, and started judo, admiring “cool!” However, since that time, I haven’t liked training, so I ran and chased my mother’s car, which sent me to the dojo, many times. “I wasn’t the one who practiced hard,” he grins. Still, by winning the match, “I’ve come to want to win more.”

In junior high school club activities, he joined the judo club for a slightly negative reason, saying, “I think other martial arts and sports are a little impossible now.” At that time, his grades were so strong that he participated in the Kyushu tournament, but he decided that he wanted to look higher and entered Oita Nishi.

Rio Sakaida, who finished 5th in the women’s 70 kg class