Sibling Triumph and Despair at Olympic Judo

Hifumi Abe secured his second Olympic judo gold medal at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, as his sister Uta Abe faced an unexpected defeat. While Uta’s five-year undefeated streak ended, Hifumi's victory ensured the Abe family maintained its gold medal legacy. Both siblings aim to continue until the 2028 Olympics.

Hifumi Abe secured his second Olympic judo gold medal moments after he threw his final opponent to the tatami at the Champ-de-Mars Arena. Abe immediately looked up at his sister, Uta Abe, crying in the stands after her shocking defeat earlier in the day.

The Abe siblings dreamt of repeating their Tokyo success, where they both won gold on the same day. However, Uta, a four-time world champion unbeaten for five years, lost to Diyora Keldiyorova of Uzbekistan in an upset. Despite this, Hifumi ensured the family left Paris with a gold medal.

“My sister lost today, so it was really hard for me, but I had the feeling all day that I had to work hard for my sister,” Hifumi Abe said through an interpreter. Hifumi Abe triumphed in the men's 66-kilogram final, maintaining the Abe family’s winning legacy. Both siblings plan to compete in the 2028 Olympics.