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Emi Yamagishi wins national judo weight-class title at 48kg

Emi Yamagishi wins national judo weight-class title at 48kg

9 Apr 2006 11:00
Kyodo News

Emi Yamagishi won the 48-kilogram crown in the absence of two-time Olympic champion Ryoko Tani while three Athens Olympic gold medalists all cruised to victory at the women's national weight-class judo championships Sunday. Yamagishi executed an outer-leg sweep for an ippon victory over 16-year-old high school student Misato Nakamura in the final at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, winning her first major title in a meeting between judokas considered heir apparents to Tani.

Both Yamagishi and Nakamura, who has won the Kodokan Cup and Fukuoka international women's meet, were named later in the day to the Japanese squad for the world team championships to be held in France in September.

Tani has been sidelined since announcing her pregnancy in June last year. She gave birth to a baby boy in late December.

In other weight-categories, Maki Tsukada won her fourth straight crown at over 78 kg and fellow Olympic champion Masae Ueno took back-to-back 70-kg titles and her fourth overall.

Ayumi Tanimoto scored a series of ippon wins en route to her third 63-kg title and first in two years.

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