Olympic Judo Champion Haruka Tachimoto (27) retires

Olympic Champion Haruka Tachimoto who won the women’s 70-kg gold in Rio de Janeiro revealed she is retiring. The 27-year-old Tachimoto, who cited a lack of drive as her main reason for calling it quits, submitted retirement documents to the All Japan Judo Federation the same day and is scheduled to hold a press conference on October 10.

 “One of the reasons I am retiring as a judoka is that I no longer have the spirit to keep going on this path,” Tachimoto said in a statement. “At this moment in time I want to have knowledge of new things, learning is my motivation,” said Tachimoto, who wants to put her focus on studying as a postgraduate at Tsukuba University, according to her sponsor ALSOK.

Tachimoto came seventh at the 2012 London Olympics but beat London Olympic bronze medalist Yuri Alvear of Colombia in the gold medal final in Rio. She won Japan’s first title in the weight class since Masae Ueno successfully defended the 70-kg title at the 2008 Beijing Games.

But Tachimoto was one of three Rio gold medalists that missed out on a place on the Japan team for the recent world championships in Budapest.

Tachimoto started her impressive international career with two World titles in the Junior category. She won four different Grand Slams and three different Grand Prix gold medals. At World Championships she was never successful at senior level. Despite her Japanese title she was not the biggest favourite for the Olympic title, but she defeated Kim Polling, Kelita Zupancic, Laura Vargas Koch and Yuri Alvear. With the Japanese team she captured the World team title in 2013.

Meanwhile Tachimoto has a successor in World number one Chizuru Arai who took the world title in Budapest this year. 

This week also Rio’s Olympic bronze medallist U63kg Yarden Gerbi announced her retirement.

Reactions on Tachimoto's retirement coming in from the top athletes via social media:

Olympic bronze medallist Laura Vargas Koch: “All the best for your future! I hope to see you again some day.”

Sarah Clark: "A fantastic person. Honest and kind. You will be missed in competitive judo. Wishing you well for an amazing future"