FILE – The Philippines’ Kiyomi Watanabe compete during the women’s judo -63 kg in the 30th SEA Games. INQURER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
MANILA, Philippines–Filipino-Japanese Kiyomi Watanabe won’t be around in the judo competitions of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Philippine Judo Federation secretary-general Dave Carter delivered the unfortunate development that would deny Team Philippines one gold medal from women’s combat judo.
The Japan-based Tokyo Olympian has been ruling the roost in the women’s 63kg division of the biennial meet, claiming four straight gold medals since the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar.
According to Carter, Watanabe has already recovered from the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury the 25-year-old suffered due to the wear and tear brought about by years of training and competition.
Carter said Watanabe, who got a silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games, has resumed her workouts, including drills, running and doing forms with high expectations that she would see action in the Asiad in Hangzhou, China in September.