A few month in the past a pal messaged me to ask if I’d ever been to observe any combating sports activities corresponding to boxing, MMA or Professional-Wrestling. This wasn’t as random as it could sound as we regularly discuss occasions we’re planning to go to, and he’s conscious of my ever-growing portfolio of dwell sporting motion. I subsequently went on a ticket web site to see what sports activities tickets have been obtainable as I are likely to do once in a while. Inside about 5-10 minutes of studying my pal’s message, I had booked a ticket to see a sport I’d by no means seen earlier than.
By luck, there was truly a four-day occasion going down only a few days later. I initially thought it was at Yoyogi Gymnasium earlier than realising a few days later after I received the ticket from the comfort retailer that it was truly at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium which was the place I watched a karate event final 12 months.
The 2024 Meiji Cup was a wrestling occasion however in all probability not the form of factor you’re now considering! This type of Olympic-style wrestling is sort of far faraway from the extra fashionable WWE and Professional-Wrestling spectacles, as the main focus is strictly on athletic competitors, with no scripted components or pretend personas.
It turned out to be an eventful day, and I’m not simply referring to the wrestling! Simply as I used to be approaching the gymnasium (situated throughout from Japan Nationwide Stadium) I felt my bicycle tyre go and inside seconds it was utterly flat. I parked my bike within the place I often depart it when on this space and thought I’d simply push it again and cease off on the first bicycle store on the lengthy stroll dwelling. I then realised it is likely to be higher to see the place the closest one was then and there. Because it was, it was only a few minutes stroll away and will need to have been just about proper on the level the place I received the puncture!
This explicit space of Tokyo has a couple of sports activities complexes in shut neighborhood of one another. The Nationwide Stadium, Meiji Jingu Stadium and Chichibunomiya Rugby Floor are all situated inside a brief stroll of one another however there’s one other sporting venue which was used within the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium is located on the border of Shibuya Ward which is throughout the highway from Japan Nationwide Stadium. It’s from the Fifties and nonetheless seems futuristic right now if not a bit worn down.
Beginning to look a bit previous and worn down…..as is the gymnasium!!
The times proceedings had begun at 9:30 am (the doorways have been open from 9:00 am) however I made a decision that seeing it from about 1:30 pm onwards can be greater than sufficient to justify worth for my 1000 yen ticket. Aside from seeing a couple of Japanese feminine wrestlers in motion on TV (Saori Yoshida gained three consecutive Olympic gold medals between 2004 and 2012) in the previous couple of Olympic occasions I had by no means actually seen this sport.
The 2 disciplines being contested listed here are often called freestyle or Greco-Roman; the previous permits using the wrestler’s complete physique while the latter restricts athletes to utilizing solely their higher our bodies and arms. With out data beforehand although I doubt I’d immediately be capable to discover which of those Olympic wrestling varieties was going down!
Aside from a couple of notable exceptions, the ambiance was usually as flat as my bicycle tyre! 2021 World Wrestling Championship silver medalist Rin Miyaji had a large fan base sat on the alternative facet of the venue to me who cheered her on throughout her semi-final victory within the 68kg class.
At one stage of the afternoon, each mats have been in use as two bouts passed off concurrently. As is often the case for attempting to observe a couple of occasion, it was fairly tough to know which one to give attention to.
A small congregation of individuals to my proper have been absolutely centered on one man wrestling (Kirin Kinoshita???) on the B mat so I watched his match. Simply earlier than he was launched to the gang, these followers placed on some pink shirts and chanted to a rhythm with their air sticks for the entire time (two intervals of three minutes) he was wrestling. Sadly for them, he misplaced and that was it. The air sticks have been quickly deflated and the tops have been eliminated. Followers of different sports activities like soccer and rugby in Japan in all probability gained’t be shocked by this as many locals do exactly put their reproduction shirt on for the time they’re contained in the stadium! I’ve turn out to be that kind of particular person too!!
All of this event was proven dwell on YouTube and having watched a bit of earlier than going to the gymnasium, I knew the place I might be seen. With a two minute delay it meant I may pose for the digicam after which watch the protection on my telephone the place moments later I’d seem!. That is the type of enjoyable I’ve after I’m alone!!!
My authentic plan was to only watch 2-3 hours of motion to fulfill my curiosity however I ended up staying until the top. As I’d made the hassle, I assumed I’d as nicely see the Gold medal matches going down from 4:00 pm onwards. If I’d recognized the schedule upfront, then I might need simply turned up mid-afternoon.
As was the case on the karate on this identical venue, the ambiance, tempo and motion was ramped up a notch or two for the 9 gold medal contests. Usually the three I used to be most considering have been the final ones so after watching the primary three or 4 I made a decision to wander spherical the world to pattern the motion from some completely different angles.
The three ladies I used to be vaguely conscious of have been Umi Ito (50kg), Naomi Ruike (65kg) and Rin Miyaji (68kg). The previous was the 2023 Underneath 23’s World Championship gold medalist however she was outclassed by her opponent right here.
Naomi Ruike, who gained gold on the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championship, was concerned within the penultimate contest and it was a heartbreaking climax for her as defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory within the closing second. Naturally, she walked off proper in entrance of me feeling absolutelt dejected.
Rin Miyaji then misplaced her closing match too that means that every one three females I’d stayed round for misplaced their finals! While the leisure could also be a far cry from WWE, it’s a extra easy take a look at of ability, energy and technique and, as one thing of a sporting purist, the uncertainty of all of it makes it a extra fascinating spectacle.
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