New Delhi, April 5: Paris Olympic women’s 57kg champion wrestler Tsugumi Sakurai of Japan has decided to retire at the tender age of 24 to begin a second career nurturing a new generation of wrestlers and serving as a goodwill ambassador of sports for her native Kochi Prefecture in western Japan.
Sakurai’s triumph in Paris came after winning three consecutive world titles, at 55kg in 2021 and back-to-back golds at 57kg in 2022 and 2023. “Thank you for your continued support. I have decided to separate my career in wrestling for almost 21 years and retire. So far I have been able to break into wrestling in a blessed environment with the support of so many people. And I was able to fulfil my dream of winning gold in the Olympics,” Sakurai posted on Instagram. (IANS)
