After slaying a four-time SEA Games champion to bring home the country’s 21st gold medal, 16-year-old Mariya Takahashi is shooting for the stars as she tries to clinch a 2020 Tokyo Olympics spot.
The Filipino-Japanese will be the second judoka to be groomed for the Summer Games after winning the gold medal in the women’s -70 kg event of the 29th Southeast Asian Games judo competition on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, with the other one being 21-year old Kiyomi Watanabe, who punched her third SEA Games gold medal after ruling the women’s -63 kg class.
According to Philippine Judo Federation president Dave Carter, they have already reached out to Takahashi’s parents about the possibility of grooming her for the Olympiad.
Takahashi proved that she deserves it after dominating Nguyen Thi Dien of Vietnam en route to a golden finish in her first stint in the biennial meet.
“She is also our brightest bet in the 2019 SEA Games all the way to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said Carter.
Aside from all-out support from her federation, the Philippine Sports Commission also expressed its commitment to back her training, while the Philippine Olympic Committee would recommend her for an athletic scholarship program, where she would be entitled to a $500 monthly allowance.
And this is just the beginning for Judo’s rising star.
Story from PSC-POC Media Group
