全日本選手権について続けます。
個性あふれる選手たちが出場し、大会を盛り上げてくれました。
その筆頭が優勝した斉藤立です。
とにかく若さあふれる素晴らしい闘いぶりで、
全日本のタイトルを手にしたいという執念を感じた１日でした。
何しろ柔道のスケールが大きい。
160kgの身体をコントロールできる身体能力、
組み手のうまさ、技の威力とスピード、試合構成力があり、
ものおじしない性格と度胸も備えています。
まだまだ荒削りで改善点はたくさんありますが、
そうした伸びしろを含め、
これからの柔道界を引っ張っていく逸材に違いありません。
斉藤と決勝で対戦した影浦、
準決勝で当たった原沢も素晴らしかったと思います。
斉藤の挑戦を真っ向から受け、
死力を振り絞り、最後の最後まで執念を持って闘う姿には
胸打たれました。
各地区予選を勝ち上がってきた選手たちも
それぞれにキャラクターが際立っていて、
これぞ無差別、これぞ全日本選手権だと感じました。
Perseverance and Determination
Continuing with the All-Japan Championships.
The individual personalities of the athletes who took part in the competition made it a lot of fun to watch.
First up, winner, SAITO Tatsuru. A fantastic fighter, full of youthfulness I really sensed his perseverance to win the national title on the day.
Everything about his judo is large scale.
He has the physical ability to control his 160kg body, amazing kumite skills and sheer power and speed with his techniques. He also has the ability to compose his matches, and the determination to win the All Japan title not letting anyone intimidate him.
He still has room improve but with such potential for growth, he will definitely be a future leader in the world of judo.
KAGEURA, who faced SAITO in the final, and HARASAWA, who took him on in the semi-finals, both performed exceptionally well. They accepted SAITO's challenge head-on and I was impressed by the way they fought with all their might and determination to the very end.
The participants who won their respective regional qualifying rounds were also outstanding in their own right. Each of them showed us their distinct character.
It gave us a sense of the true spirit of non-discrimination in the All-Japan Championships.