Risako Kinjo

Risako Kinjo, born on November 21, 1994, is a distinguished Japanese amateur wrestler known for her remarkable achievements on the global stage. With a career marked by excellence, she has secured two gold medals at the Olympic Games, showcasing her prowess in the sport.

Her journey to the top includes three gold medals at the World Wrestling Championships and four at the Asian Wrestling Championships. Kinjo's tenacity was evident when she finished as a runner-up at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships held in Las Vegas, a testament to her competitive spirit.

Representing Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she clinched a gold medal by defeating Belarusian wrestler Maria Mamashuk with a decisive score of three to zero. This victory was celebrated in a unique way, as she honored her coach, Kazuhito Sakae, with two fireman's carry takedowns.

Kinjo's Olympic triumph was part of a historic achievement for Japan's women's wrestling team, which secured four gold medals at the Rio Games. Continuing her legacy, she added another gold medal to her collection in the fifty-seven kilogram wrestling division at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, following in the footsteps of her younger sister, Yukako, who won gold in the sixty-two kilogram division the day before.