Kazuhiro Ninomiya
Encyclopedia
is a retired judoka who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics
.
, Ninomiya entered the Shoki Juku under the instruction of Isao Okano
. He joined the Fukuoka Prefecture
police force in April, 1972, and placed third in the All-Japan Judo Championships
that year. He won a gold medal in the heavyweight division of the Asian Judo Championships
in 1970, and in the open weight division of the 1973 World Judo Championships
held in Lausanne
, Switzerland
by defeating future Olympic gold medalist Haruki Uemura
. He won another gold medal at the 1975 World Championships, and won the All-Japan Judo Championships for the first time in 1976 to qualify for the 1976 Summer Olympics. However, the Japanese Olympic team had already decided on Haruki Uemura
and Sumio Endo
as the representatives for the open weight and heavyweight divisions, and Ninomiya was forced to enter the competition as a half heavyweight (-93 kg), shedding over 7 kg from his usual competitive weight. Regardless, Ninomiya used his long reach and height (at 6 ft. 2 in., he was considerably tall for a half heavyweight) to become the first Japanese judoka to win a gold medal in the half heavyweight division. He remains the only Japanese judoka to have won an Olympic medal in that division, aside from Kosei Inoue
.
Ninomiya retired after competing in the 1978 Jigoro Kano Cup
along with Isamu Sonoda
. He and Sonoda were rivals and friends for over 30 years, having been born on the same year, entered the same police force, competed in the same World Championships and Olympics, and having retired at the same time. After serving as an advisor for several local and prefectural level judo committees, he became a judo instructor at the Nishinippon Institute of Technology
in 2007.
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
.
Biography
After graduating from Tenri UniversityTenri University
is a Japanese private university in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, an independent part of the secular mission of Tenrikyo. It was established in February 1925 as the coeducational , enrolling 104 students, and was reorganised as a university in April 1949...
, Ninomiya entered the Shoki Juku under the instruction of Isao Okano
Isao Okano
is a retired judoka who competed in the middleweight division. He was born in Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki, Japan.-Biography:He entered the 1964 Summer Olympics while studying at Chuo University's law school, and won the gold medal in the middleweight division...
. He joined the Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
police force in April, 1972, and placed third in the All-Japan Judo Championships
All-Japan Judo Championships
is a judo tournament held every year in Japan. The men's tournament is held in Nippon Budokan on April 29 and the women's tournament is held in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in April. The Kodokan and All-Japan Judo Federation sponsor the championship....
that year. He won a gold medal in the heavyweight division of the Asian Judo Championships
Asian Judo Championships
Asian Judo Championships is the Judo Asian Championship organized by the Judo Union of Asia.The men's tournament began in 1966 and was held approximately every four years, until 1991, when it became an annual event The women's tournament was first staged in 1981, and it has been held with the...
in 1970, and in the open weight division of the 1973 World Judo Championships
World Judo Championships
The World Judo Championships are the highest level of international judo competition, along with the Olympic judo competition. The championships are held once every year by the International Judo Federation, and qualified judoka compete in their respective categories as representatives of their...
held in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
by defeating future Olympic gold medalist Haruki Uemura
Haruki Uemura
is a former judoka from Japan, who won the gold medal in the Open Class at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. In the final of the Olympic tournament in Canada he defeated Great Britain's Keith Remfry....
. He won another gold medal at the 1975 World Championships, and won the All-Japan Judo Championships for the first time in 1976 to qualify for the 1976 Summer Olympics. However, the Japanese Olympic team had already decided on Haruki Uemura
Haruki Uemura
is a former judoka from Japan, who won the gold medal in the Open Class at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. In the final of the Olympic tournament in Canada he defeated Great Britain's Keith Remfry....
and Sumio Endo
Sumio Endo
is a Japanese judoka, Olympic medalist and world champion.He is from Kōriyama, Fukushima. After graduation from Nihon University, He belonged to Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department....
as the representatives for the open weight and heavyweight divisions, and Ninomiya was forced to enter the competition as a half heavyweight (-93 kg), shedding over 7 kg from his usual competitive weight. Regardless, Ninomiya used his long reach and height (at 6 ft. 2 in., he was considerably tall for a half heavyweight) to become the first Japanese judoka to win a gold medal in the half heavyweight division. He remains the only Japanese judoka to have won an Olympic medal in that division, aside from Kosei Inoue
Kosei Inoue
is a Judo practitioner from Japan. He won the gold medal in the under 100 kg class at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He is well known for his specialty throws, Uchi Mata and Ōuchi gari ....
.
Ninomiya retired after competing in the 1978 Jigoro Kano Cup
Jigoro Kano Cup
The Grand Slam Tokyo is an international judo competition held as part of the IJF Grand Slam series. The 2010 event is planned for December 11-13.- Men :- Women :...
along with Isamu Sonoda
Isamu Sonoda
is a retired judoka who competed in the middleweight division.-Biography:Sonoda was born in Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan. He attended the Fukuoka Institute of Technology, and won a gold medal at the 1969 World Judo Championships along with his older brother, Yoshio, who won the gold medal in the...
. He and Sonoda were rivals and friends for over 30 years, having been born on the same year, entered the same police force, competed in the same World Championships and Olympics, and having retired at the same time. After serving as an advisor for several local and prefectural level judo committees, he became a judo instructor at the Nishinippon Institute of Technology
Nishinippon Institute of Technology
is a private university in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1967.-External links:*...
in 2007.
See also
- List of judoka
- List of Olympic medalists in judo