The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has everyone exhilarated and pumped up to see the players excel in their field. Acknowledging such enthusiasm, we bring you more information about the Olympic champions.
One of the players who has outshined his field is the Japanese Judoka, Naohisa Takato. Similarly, with victory in the 2020 Toyko Olympics, the athlete has truly lived to his dreams.
Naohisa Takato is currently the top-ranking judoka in the extra-lightweight division all around the world.
With the victory over the 2013 World Championships, Takato has become one of the judo’s most prominent fighters and opened the door of success.
Similarly, he also won the 2013 Masters in Tyumen and the prestigious Grand Slams in Paris, Moscow, and Tokyo.
With these achievements, he was ranked No. 2 in the world consecutively for 2013 and 2014.
Before diving into the Japanese champion’s journey, here are some interesting quick facts.
Naohisa Takato: Quick Facts
| Full name | Naohisa Takato (高藤直寿) |
| Nickname | Naohisa Takato |
| Birthdate | 30 May 1993 |
| Birthplace | Hasuda, Saitama, Japan |
| Place of Residence | Hadano |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Ethnicity | Asian |
| Religion | Not Mentioned |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Age | 29 years old |
| Father’s name | Norihiro Takato |
| Mother’s name | Etsuko Takato |
| Sibling | Not mentioned |
| Sibling Name | Not mentioned |
| High School |
|
| College | Tokai University |
| Marital status | Married |
| Ex-Girlfriends | Unknown |
| Children | One son and one daughter |
| Children’s Name | Not Mentioned |
| Height | In meters: 160 cm In feet: 5 ft 3 inches |
| Weight | In kg: 60 kg In lbs: 130 lbs |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Hair Length | Not mentioned |
| Beard or Mustache | Beardless |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Country | Japan |
| Profession | Athletic, Office Worker |
| Sport | Judo |
| Belt grade | Black belt – V Dan |
| Club Name | Park 24 (Japan) |
| Coach |
|
| Team | All Japan National Team |
| Weight Class | Extra-lightweight |
| Preferred Techniques | Kouchi-Gari |
| World Ranking Positions | Number. 1 |
| Food Habits | Unknown |
| Tattoo | Unknown |
| Hobbies | Making videos & Playing video games |
| Salary | Unknown |
| Net Worth | $1-$5 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Tokyo Olympics 2021 |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
Naohisa Takato | Childhood and Early Years
Naohisa Takato, a 29-year-old judoka champion, was born on May 30, 1993. Likewise, he was born in Hasuda, Saitama, Japan to his father Takato and mother Etsuko Takato.
He started showing an interest in judo at the young age of seven. Similar to this, he joined the Nogi-machi judo club when he was in elementary school.
He competed in different events, honing his judo abilities and potential. He also triumphed in various weight classes while in elementary and middle school.
Takato attended Sagami junior high and high school, where he competed on behalf of his institution in a number of events. He also won a number of national championships and the world student championships.
He enrolled at Tokai University in 2012 to finish his studies, and he received his degree there in 2016.
Work | Naohisa Takato
Naohisa Takata, a judoka from Japan, gained recognition abroad at the Under 17 World Championship in Budapest. He won the gold medal there, securing his victory.
Takata similarly established his strong presence in the 2012 and 2013 seasons by taking home gold in 7 international competitions.
In addition, he won the bronze medal at the World Championship in Chelyabinsk, maintaining his perfect record. Similar to this, Takata improved his abilities in 2015 and took home gold at two grand slams and the world masters.
Losing at the 2016 Grand Slam of Tokyo
Naohisa Takato competed for Japan in the championship at the 2016 Olympics. He lost, though, and was unable to seize the throne.
The 2016 Grand Slam in Tokyo was also his first appearance following the Olympics. He faced Bulgarian Yanislav Gerchev in his opening match at the championship.
He defeated his adversary using his sode tsurikomi goshi form, scoring yuko and waza-ari with the skill.
In a similar manner, Choi In Hyuk of Korea was his opponent in the second match. Takato advanced to the semi-final despite not earning enough points thanks to Choi’s two penalties.
He faced Ryuju Nagayama in the final championship match, which was an all-Japan contest. Both players received instruction from Minoru Konegawa and were ranked very differently in the world.
Additionally, Naohisa Takato attempted to use newaza throughout the fight, but Nagayama’s defense was impenetrable like an iron wall.
Furthermore, Takato attempted an ashi guruma at the end of the game, but he was unable to breach the defense and was placed in a disadvantageous position.
Nagayama, who had the advantage over Takato, used Uchi mata to throw Takato for ippon. He congratulated Nagayama and took the silver medal home despite the defeat.
winning the 2017 Grand Slam in Paris
With his international competition, the 2017 Grand Slam in Paris, Naohisa Takato started his 2017 campaign. Additionally, this was the first occasion where he would practice using the updated judo rules.
Vincent Manquest, a local, was his opponent in the first fight, and Manquest earned a waza-ari with seoi nage. He won the most points after putting an end to the fight, and kesa-gatame got him to round 3.
He sparred with Georgian Amiran Papinashvili for 40 seconds in the quarterfinal before throwing him for an ippon with Kochi gari. Later, he squared off against Orkhana Safarov of Azerbaijan, the only player to successfully throw Takato for a score with kosota gari.
Despite this setback, Takato used kouchi gari to score two Waza-ari and eventually scored ippon to advance to the final.
In the final, Naohisa Takato triumphed through the use of a newaza ippon with Ushiro Yoko Shiho gatame and waza-ari with kouchi gari.
With victories in 2013 and 2015, this was his first victory in Paris. With such accomplishments, he also held an all-ippon tournament and held the top ranking in the world.
Naohisa Takato’s Fight Style and Coaching
At the Nogi Machi Judo center, Takato started his Judo training when he was seven years old. He is now one of Japan’s most promising and successful athletes.
He also competes for Japan’s judo team and trains under the direction of Kosei Inoue, a legendary Judoka from Japan.
Takato adopts a modern fighting strategy as opposed to the traditional judo of Japan. The kata guruma is also one of his favorite techniques.
Learn more about the rising star of the Olympics, Chen Aisen. Bio: Diving, Tokyo Olympics, & Wife >>>
Similar to this, his technical and physical fighting style has become legendary in the judo world because he specializes in drop kata guruma.
Naohisa Takato brings joy to Japan by winning the nation’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. On July 24, 2021, Saturday, Naohisa Takato won his first Olympic gold medal after defeating Yang Yung Wei of Taiwan.
In the men’s under-60 kg judo final, Takato prevailed. This accomplishment also marked Japan’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Similarly, Japan’s first game medal was won by Funa Tonaki, a female judoka from Japan, in the women’s under-48 kg division.
Also read Hidilyn Diaz Career
Both competitors stormed off the judo field and won on the highest ground!
“I was able to take home the opening prize for Japan. I’m happy that by winning the first gold, I was able to inspire the Japanese team. stated Takato.
After Yang called for a penalty, Takato won with an ippon in the Golden Score extra period.
Yang became the first athlete from Taiwan to win an Olympic judo medal when he earned the silver medal in spite of losing.
No fans could join him in celebrating because of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, but his family and people all over the nation were ecstatic about the accomplishment.
Takato’s victory extends the nation’s record by giving them a fifth under-60 gold medal.
The formidable Japanese judo team, Dubbed Godzilla Japan, is equally driven and hopeful of winning a gold or silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Net Worth of Naohisa Takato
Naoshia Takato, an Olympic champion, has a net worth between $1 – $5 million. Additionally, as a professional athlete, his success in competitions and sponsorships is the main source of his net worth.
Similar to how Takato’s net has grown significantly as a result of his significant Olympic gold medal win.
Personal Life of Naohisa Takato
Naohisa Takato, a three-time world champion, has kept his personal affairs private. Regarding Takato’s family and relations, little is known.
Some sources claim that Naohisa Takato wed in 2014. His wife gave birth to a son later that year. The couple is also fortunate to have a stunning daughter.
Naohisa Takato | Online Communities
Naohisa Takato, an Olympic champion, is active on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter. The winner is seen informing his fans about the most recent Tokyo games.
Similar to this, he also posts updates on his daily activities, and there are lots of adorable photos of his dog to be found.
One can also tell that the champion loves the anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” by looking at his Instagram.
Drawings of the anime characters can be found on the athlete’s Instagram story.
Click below to give him a follow and know more about Naohisa Takato outside the mat.
Instagram: 71.7k followers with 699 followings
Twitter: 16.9k followers with 362 followings
FAQs
Is Naohisa Takato popular?
Even outside the mat, Naohisa Takato is quite popular with the most searched judokas in 2015. Similarly, he also earned the top-earning male judoka on the IJF circuit since 2012.
What are the hobbies of Naohisa Takato?
Although it might be shocking, the Olympic champion has interests and hobbies just like any other person.
In his free time, Takato enjoys making videos and playing video games in the form of refreshments.
You may also like: Danny Pimsanguan