Japan Men's Fencing Team, Judoka Sone Win Olympic Gold

Tokyo, July 30 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese men's fencing epee team won gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games on Friday. It is the first-ever Olympic gold in fencing for Japan, and the first medal since it won silver in the men's team foil event at the 2012 London Games. Judoka Akira Sone clinched gold in the women's over-78-kilogram judo event on the last day of individual matches for the sport at the Tokyo Games. The victories brought Japan's gold medal tally in a single Olympic Games to a record 17, exceeding the previous high of 16 marked in the 1964 Tokyo Games and the 2004 Athens Games. In badminton, Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino took bronze in mixed doubles. Japan won only one medal in the sport at the Tokyo Games, as Japanese players were defeated in the women's singles quarterfinals on Friday. The Japanese women's soccer team, nicknamed Nadeshiko Japan, lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals, failing in its bid to reach the semifinals for the first time since the 2012 London Games. In track and field, Ryuji Miura qualified for the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase final, while Naoto Tobe also proceeded to the final round in the men's high jump. Both feats were accomplished by Japanese athletes for the first time in 49 years. Meanwhile, the Japanese women's swimming team including leukemia survivor Rikako Ikee qualified for the 400-meter medley relay final on Sunday. END