Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) – Top Filipino judoka Kiyomi Watanabe seeks to solidify her hold in a coveted Tokyo Olympics berth in the World Judo Championships 2021 in Budapest, Hungary.
The 24-year-old Filipino Japanese judoka is ranked 39th in the world in the International Judo Federation women’s -63kg half-middleweight division world rankings.
Watanabe is the best ranked Asian judoka outside the Top 18 in her division, which qualifies her for a continental quota slot in the Tokyo Games. Asian countries with multiple judokas in the upper half of the IJF world rankings need to choose only one participant to the Olympics.
Watanabe, a four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and 2018 Asian Games silver medalist, is scheduled to compete on June 9, Wednesday.
Two Filipino judokas will also join Watanabe in the Budapest tilt.
2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Shugen Nakano will take part in the men’s -66kg half-lightweight division on June 7, Monday. He is ranked 110th in the world.
His brother Keisei, ranked 76th in the world in the men’s -73kg lightweight division, will represent the Philippines on June 8, Tuesday.
The Nakano brothers currently have a long shot to meet the Asian continental quota slot in the Tokyo Games, slated from July 24-31 at the famed Nippon Budokan.
