An unnamed Japanese Olympic athlete in Athletes Village. Photo by Mexican Olympic Committee. Image license: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Japan is off to a strong start at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and by the third day of the Games had nabbed at least one gold medal and four bronze. The four bronze medals were in judo, weightlifting, and swimming, and Hagino Kosuke claimed Japan's first gold medal of the Games in the men's 400m individual medley.
金メダル第1号は萩野公介選手。期待が集まる中、日本新記録による見事な金メダルでした。幼いころから切磋琢磨してきた瀬戸大也選手も銅メダルを獲得し、日本勢2人が表彰台に上がりました。#がんばれニッポン #競泳 #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/HmQeobcv6Z
— 日本オリンピック委員会（JOC） (@Japan_Olympic) August 7, 2016
Hagino Kosuke wins Japan's first gold medal [of the Rio Summer Games]. Competing amidst high expectations, Hagino has delivered. Training hard and focused on his Olympic dream since childhood, Seto Daiya also snagged a bronze medal in swimming. Japan's Olympians have ascended the podium. [— Japan Olympic Committee official Twitter account.]
Continuing Japan's early Olympic medal haul, Kondo Ami won a bronze medal in the women's 48 kg judo event.
初めてのオリンピック
結果は悔しさが残るものになりました
一瞬だけ銅メダル取れてホッとした
そんな自分が情けないです
もっともっと努力して強くなります
沢山の応援本当にありがとうございました pic.twitter.com/XQzIspFMsJ— 近藤亜美 (@amtk_0509) August 7, 2016
This is my first Olympics. While I was sad I could not achieve gold, I felt a wave of relief as soon as received the bronze […] I'm going to keep training in order to become stronger and stronger. Thanks to all of the support I have received so far.
Another female member of Japan's Olympic team helped Japan capture a medal early in the Rio Games. Competing in the women's 48 kg class, Miyake Hiromi won bronze in weightlifting.
銅メダルを獲得した重量挙げ女子48kg級、三宅宏実選手の気迫のこもった試技をご覧ください！#オリンピックhttps://t.co/MgkKBvXhB6
— gorin.jp (@gorinjp) August 7, 2016
Miyake Hiromi wins bronze in the 48 kg class of women's weightling. View her win here at the link.
Takato Naohisa won Japan's fifth medal, claiming a bronze in men's 60-kg judo.
Naohisa Takato (Japan/Bronze Medal) x Orkhan Safarov (Azerbaijan) More countries to visit pic.twitter.com/MwQwfjZ7yc
— вєαυ giℓℓiαм (@BeauGilliam) August 6, 2016
High Expectations of More Medals for Japan
This first weekend of the Rio Games is expected to be just the start of Japan's Olympic medal haul. Japan's men's and women's swimming teams are expected to do well over the next two weeks.
Indeed, the Japan women's swimming relay team broke a Japanese record during a qualifying heat:
内田美希選手、池江璃花子選手、山口美咲選手、松本弥生選手が出場した競泳女子400mリレー予選。
3分36秒74という従来の記録を1秒以上も縮めるタイムを出し、日本記録を更新しました。https://t.co/CHl1hNYxZa#オリンピック— gorin.jp (@gorinjp) August 7, 2016
Uchida Miki, Ikeh Rikako, Yamaguchi Misaki, and Matsumoto Yayoi appear in the qualifiers for the women's 400-meter relay […] They broke Japan's record by more than a second [this weekend in Rio].
The team was understandably excited. Swimmer Yamaguchi Misaki tweeted:
8年ぶりのオリンピック決勝
リレーで始まり、リレーで終わる。
最高の仲間と泳げて幸せです
失格なく最高の泳ぎができますよーに pic.twitter.com/WQC11pMgho— 山口美咲 (@miiiyaaa_y3m) August 6, 2016
We've reached the Olympic finals for the first time in 8 years […] I'm so happy to be able to swim with the best team [in the world]. Giving it our all so that we won't lose, and we'll end up on the podium.
Competing in Group A, the Japanese Women's Olympic basketball team has also made a strong start.
【DAY2】アテネオリンピック以来12年ぶりの出場となったバスケットボール女子は、ベラルーシとの接戦を制して白星発進。栗原三佳選手がチーム最多の20得点を挙げました。#がんばれニッポン #バスケ #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/7PS5igd3Gk
— 日本オリンピック委員会（JOC） (@Japan_Olympic) August 7, 2016
(Day 2) It's been 12 years since Athens, when Japan's women's basketball team last appeared in the Olympics. After notching a victory against Belarus, Japan's women's team advances to the next round […]
Early Losses Stun Some Japanese Olympians
Other Japanese Olympic hopefuls experienced setbacks, or had their Olympic dreams dashed. Notably, Japanese fencing star Ota Yuki, competing in what promises to be his last Olympics before retirement, was forced out on the first weekend of the Games:
太田雄貴、初戦敗退で引退意向「これで未練なく」 – フェンシング : 日刊スポーツ https://t.co/Eqjg2TWT9Q#リオ2016 #リオ五輪 #フェンシング #太田雄貴
— 日刊スポーツ (@nikkansports) August 7, 2016
Fencer Ota Yuki defeated and forced to withdraw in the first round of Men's fencing. “I have no regrets,” he said.
Japan's Men's soccer team also lost to Nigeria in its first game of the Olympics, but the team still has a chance to continue, if they can manage to win their next game:
Here are the highlights from Nigeria x Japan's match. No one wanted to play defense. pic.twitter.com/hhmK70SI15
— The New Ultras (@TheNewUltras) August 5, 2016
What Happened to Women's Soccer?
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for Japanese fans occurred before the Rio Games even started. The Japan national women's soccer team, better known as “Nadeshiko Japan,” after coming in second in the 2015 World Cup, failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
The no-show has prompted criticism and soul-searching by Japanese soccer fans:
Sawa speaks and she is not happy: https://t.co/oge5MGb9EC #AFCWOQ pic.twitter.com/Zk2prvWj20
— Ann Odong (@AnnOdong) March 3, 2016
Read more of our special coverage: Joy, Disappointment and Injustice at the Rio Olympics
