Hitomi Obara, the celebrated Japanese wrestler and 2012 London Olympic gold medalist, passed away on Friday at the age of 44, Japanese media reported on Saturday. Obara was a dominant figure in women’s wrestling, capturing eight world championship titles throughout her illustrious career.
Competing initially under her maiden name, Sakamoto, she won six world championships in the 51kg category between 2000 and 2008, Idman.biz reports.
Despite her success, Obara narrowly missed qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics after losing to Saori Yoshida in the 55kg category trials. Following this setback, she briefly retired but made a triumphant return, cutting weight to compete at 48kg.
Her comeback culminated in back-to-back world titles in 2010 and 2011. At the London 2012 Olympics, Obara defeated Azerbaijan’s Mariya Stadnik in the final to secure the coveted gold medal. Born in the wrestling hotbed of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Obara remained deeply connected to the sport after retiring, serving as coach of Japan’s national women’s wrestling team since January alongside fellow Olympian Kaori Icho.
Obara’s legacy in the wrestling world is celebrated for her resilience, technical prowess, and inspiring journey from athlete to mentor. Her untimely death is mourned across the global wrestling community.
Idman.biz reports
