Komura, Kinoshita and Irie continued their superb year at the Japanese Women’s National Championships

The Japanese Women’s National Championships was held at the Industrial Gymnasium in the city of Yonago where 14 boxers claimed gold medals. The Japanese women boxers have been preparing for their home Olympic Games and the number of the competitive female athletes in the country have been raised in the recent two years significantly.
Among their elite stars as AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Madoka Wada and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships podium boxer Tsubasa Komura both won their elite weight classes, while Rika Iwata, Rinka Kinoshita, Sena Irie and Seira Hamaguchi shined in the U18 level of the National Championships.
The event was the last competition in Japan in 2017 and the national event was held for their elite boxers and youth talents. The Japanese U18 boxers claimed two bronze medals in the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships which results were historical ones and big steps for the country before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and its qualification events.
Japan’s best youth light flyweight (48kg) boxer Misaki Nasu, who competed at the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in November, suffered a surprise loss in the quarter-finals to Akane Hirano but her opponent was not able to get the title in Yonago. The gold medal went to Rika Iwata who was too strong for all of her opponents this time.
AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rinka Kinoshita was born only in 2000 but she is among Asia’s bests at the youth flyweight (51kg). The 17-year-old talent continued her winning path and defeated Chirina Hoshino in the final of the National Championships.
Japan’s second boxer, who claimed bronze at the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in Guwahati, Sena Irie also dominated her contests in the Japanese Women’s National Championships. The 17-year-old boxer, who moved up to the featherweight (57kg), stopped Rin Tsutsumimoto in the final of the national competition.
Japan’s most successful boxer at the U18 age group is Seira Hamaguchi who won plenty of the national events as a high school athlete. The lightweight (60kg) boxer defeated Honoka Misaka in the final and proved she is in different level than her opponents in Japan. Riko Nagumo, Yutaka Yoshizawa and Reuna Jin won the further gold medals of the youth part of the National Championships.
ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tsubasa Komura was excellent in the recent international events and her efforts were enough to dominate the National Championships in Yonago. The 21-year-old light flyweight (48kg) boxer controlled her final over Risa Nikata and captured the first title in the elite section.
AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Madoka Wada is the best Japanese female boxer but she was not able to attend in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City earlier this year. The 22-year-old flyweight (51kg) star had to do her very best against Sana Kawano and Taipei City Cup silver medallist Mizuki Hiruta in the final stages of the national event to take the gold.
In the absence of Asian Games bronze medallist Aya Shinmoto, 19-year-old Sakura Sumiyoshi won the gold medal at the bantamweight (54kg) following her close success over Sari Ito. The gold medal of the featherweight (57kg) went to 20-year-old Ayane Watanabe who defeated the favourite Runa Kikuchi in the final of the national event.
Chinase Fujino competed in several big international events including the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships as well but following her superb success in the semi-final of the elite lightweight (60kg) over national team member Kana Kuroki, she suffered a surprise loss to Youth National Champion 19-year-old Hinami Yanai in the final of the competition. The referee stopped the final and confirmed Yanai’s RSC success in the third round which was a surprise in the event.
Ayaka Taguchi also won her final in the National Championships by RSC when she launched serious combinations against Yumi Minami. The last gold medal of the Japanese Women’s National Championships was achieved by National Champion Miyu Otani who stopped Makoto Kikuchi in the final of the Olympic middleweight (75kg).

List of the winners in the Japanese Women’s National Championships
Youth 46kg: Riko Nagumo
Youth 48kg: Rika Iwata
Youth 51kg: Rinka Kinoshita
Youth 54kg: Yutaka Yoshizawa
Youth 57kg: Sena Irie
Youth 60kg: Seira Hamaguchi
Youth 64kg: Reuna Jin
Elite 48kg: Tsubasa Komura
Elite 51kg: Madoka Wada
Elite 54kg: Sakura Sumiyoshi
Elite 57kg: Ayane Watanabe
Elite 60kg: Hinami Yanai
Elite 64kg: Ayaka Taguchi
Elite 75kg: Miyu Otani