OLYMPICS/ Japanese fencer overcomes height disadvantage to claim gold

By KOSUKE INAGAKI/ Staff Writer

July 29,ガメオベラ 2024 at 17:56 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Koki Kano celebrates while holding the Japanese flag after winning the gold medal in the men’s individual epee competition during the 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais on July 28. (Yuki Shibata)

Japanese fencer Koki Kano didn't let a massive height difference, a hostile crowd and even losses by his teammates to his opponent stop him from standing tallest on the podium. 

Kano defeated Yannick Borel of France, who is 23 centimeters taller than him, in the men’s individual epee event at the Paris Olympics on July 28 to make history. 

The match was held on Borel’s home turf, but the partisan French fans all cheering for the local favorite did not deter the 26-year-old Kano, who claimed Japan's first gold medal ever in an Olympic fencing individual event. 

Kazuyasu Minobe and Masaru Yamada, who won team gold with Kano at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, were both defeated by the 1.96-meter-tall Borel earlier that day.

“I could not be the third Japanese to lose to (Borel),” Kano said.

He channeled all his spirit into his weapon to avenge the defeat of his senior teammates.

Kano is 1.73 meters tall and weighs 65 kilograms.

With his shorter reach, he had to bring the fight into close quarters to have a chance of winning.

He parried his opponents’ thrusts and then quickly closed the distance to land his own strikes.

This strategy paid off in the final, where Kano beat Borel 15-9. He silenced the packed stadium with a dominating victory.

Kano was confident even before the start of the Paris Games.

“I’m in the best condition of my fencing career,” Kano said before the Olympics. “My world ranking of third shows my capability, and I have a pretty good chance of winning the gold medal.”

His triumph showed that he was true to his word.

Kano hails from Aichi Prefecture. When he was a child, he participated in gymnastics.

But after seeing Yuki Ota clinch silver in the foil―Japan’s first individual medal in fencing―at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he picked up the sword.

Then he switched to the epee while at Iwakuni Technical High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

“I started fencing because I watched Ota, so, I never imagined I would surpass him,” Kano said. “I’m deeply moved and I can’t believe it.”

• ·釣って楽しい、食べて美味しい秋のアオリイカ…山形の米子＆酒田漁港へ…釣りガール高橋未来のみくみく３９フィッシング
• ·大谷翔平、地区優勝＆シャンパンファイトなるか　勝てばＶの大一番「１番ＤＨ」スタメン
• ·ソニー仙台が今年いっぱいで活動休止　１５年優勝のＪＦＬも退会
• ·大谷翔平、真美子夫人＆デコピンと自撮り３ショット　シャンパンファイト直後に家族とグラウンドで
• ·アニメ「SAKAMOTO DAYS」2クールで来年1月放送開始、OP曲はVaundyが書き下ろし（コメントあり / 動画あり）
• ·無敵のJKたちが心霊スポットに凸しまくる「ゆるコワ！」ガンマぷらす新連載（試し読みあり）
• ·大谷翔平メジャー７年目で初の地区優勝なるか　１、２打席目は凡退…３回まで両軍無得点
• ·「俺レベ」続編、ピッコマで10月1日に配信開始　9月30日にはシリーズの無料公開も
• ·【週間投げ釣り情報】徳島・吉野川河口でニベ５４・９センチ
• ·侍ジャパン井端弘和監督続投決断！２６年ＷＢＣへ「最強チーム結成し連覇へ全身全霊ささげる」
• ·プレーオフへ不安残す山本由伸「まだ１００％ではない」　復帰後３戦勝利なしで体調不良も
• ·卓球・伊藤美誠の決意　来年世界選手権でメダル、ロス五輪は白紙「続けるのも、辞めるのも自分なので」…単独インタビュー
• ·「王様達のヴァイキング」のさだやすが描く警察頭脳バトル「サイドキック」1巻
• ·ドジャース劇的逆転勝ちで３年連続の地区優勝　２戦連続Ｖ打のヒーロー大谷翔平は米７年目で念願の初優勝
• ·八木莉可子、日テレ「アナザースカイ」ＭＣを卒業「１年間いろんな姿を見せてくれました」
• ·２２年の京成杯オータムＨを制したファルコニアが抹消　乗馬になる予定