Tsukuba Athletes Mashiko and Isozaki Win Gold Medals at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
- 2, 2026, two athletes from Tsukuba claimed gold medals in judo and sailing, Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
- Ryotaro Masuchi, competing for Keiyo Gas, claimed the men's 100-kilogram judo gold medal at the Aichi International Arena.
- Masuchi said after his victory, according to Yomiuri Shimbun.
At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Oct. 2, 2026, two athletes from Tsukuba claimed gold medals in judo and sailing, Yomiuri Shimbun reported. Ryotaro Masuchi won the men’s 100-kilogram judo division, while Tetsuya Isozaki captured the mixed 470-class sailing title.
Ryotaro Masuchi Secures Judo Gold Following Family Legacy
Ryotaro Masuchi, competing for Keiyo Gas, claimed the men’s 100-kilogram judo gold medal at the Aichi International Arena.
Masuchi said after his victory, according to Yomiuri Shimbun.
The 24-year-old athlete mirrored a family milestone achieved by his father, Katsuyuki, who won the open-weight title at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games. Katsuyuki later served as the head coach of the Japanese women’s national team at the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. Masuchi’s mother, Chiyori, also won a bronze medal in the women’s 56-kilogram division at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Masuchi advanced through the tournament by defeating his opening opponent with a quick foot sweep and a hold-down for an ippon. In the semifinal, he secured a waza-ari equivalent via osoto-gari during a golden score extra period. During the final, he capitalized on an opening amid fierce grip-fighting to throw his opponent with a small outer leg sweep for an ippon.
Due to a naturally lean physique that made overpowering opponents difficult, Masuchi increased his weight training and adjusted his diet to overcome physical limitations.
he said. Katsuyuki Masuchi watched the matches from the venue in his role as a reinforcement vice-chairman.
Tetsuya Isozaki and Yurie Seki Triumph in Mixed 470 Sailing
In the mixed 470-class sailing event, Tetsuya Isozaki of JPN22 Racing and his partner Yurie Seki captured the gold medal.
Isozaki said, as reported by Yomiuri Shimbun.
The pair demonstrated technical skill by handling the sails to catch the wind across 10 total races, finishing first in five of them and maintaining their top position through the final day. Isozaki began sailing in the third grade of elementary school and finished fifth in the individual competition at the 2006 Doha Asian Games when he was in the second year of junior high school. After narrowly missing selection for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics following a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships, he stepped away from competition.
Seki approached Isozaki in May 2022 to target the Paris Olympics. After initially declining due to a long layoff, Isozaki agreed after four or five requests. The pair endured an intensive training regimen to adapt to the mixed-gender class.
Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Champions Look Toward Los Angeles
Both athletes have turned their focus toward upcoming international competitions and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Isozaki said, aiming to secure a gold medal at the Los Angeles Games.
Masuchi similarly intends to build upon his performance despite acknowledging that he did not dominate his opponents outright.
he stated regarding his future development in the 100-kilogram division.