August 12, 2024
PARIS – Ami Yuasa, Rei Higuchi and Tsugumi Sakurai added to Japan’s gold medal tally at the Paris Olympics on Friday, bringing the total to 16, the second-best gold medal haul following the 27 Japan took home at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Yuasa, 25, known as Ami, won Olympic breaking’s first gold medal at the Games on Friday.
Higuchi, 28, won the gold in the men’s 57-kilogram freestyle wrestling on Friday, and in the women’s event, Sakurai, 22, won the 57-kilogram freestyle wrestling gold.
As of Friday, the Paris Games are tied with the 1964 Tokyo Games and the 2004 Athens Games for the second-best gold medal haul.
Daichi Takatani advanced to the men’s 74-kilogram freestyle wrestling final and Sakura Motoki is headed to the women’s 62-kilogram freestyle wrestling final, assuring both at least a silver medal.
In the men’s boulder and lead sport climbing final, 17-year-old Sorato Anraku claimed the silver medal.
The men’s table tennis team ended up losing to France in the bronze medal match on Friday.