We are professionals. We share the same tower with the judo team at the Athletes Village.
Japan heavily rely on judo, a strictly amateur sport, for much of their Olympic gold medal hauls.
At the 1996 Atlanta Games, Japan won three golds, all in judo. The country's keirin authority allowed top stars to have a break for several weeks, a move to polish the sport's image which has been long associated with low-life gambling. They have been working out for the Olympics for more than a month despite the keirin tour at home. Keirin is a high-speed event often compared to a roller derby in terms of excitement and, sometimes, gamesmanship. In world-class events, he finished second in the sprint at the 1998 world championships.