OLYMPICS/ Japanese fencer overcomes height disadvantage to claim gold

By KOSUKE INAGAKI/ Staff Writer

July 29,ミラン 2024 at 17:56 JST

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Koki Kano celebrates while holding the Japanese flag after winning the gold medal in the men’s individual epee competition during the 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais on July 28. (Yuki Shibata)

Japanese fencer Koki Kano didn't let a massive height difference, a hostile crowd and even losses by his teammates to his opponent stop him from standing tallest on the podium. 

Kano defeated Yannick Borel of France, who is 23 centimeters taller than him, in the men’s individual epee event at the Paris Olympics on July 28 to make history. 

The match was held on Borel’s home turf, but the partisan French fans all cheering for the local favorite did not deter the 26-year-old Kano, who claimed Japan's first gold medal ever in an Olympic fencing individual event. 

Kazuyasu Minobe and Masaru Yamada, who won team gold with Kano at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, were both defeated by the 1.96-meter-tall Borel earlier that day.

“I could not be the third Japanese to lose to (Borel),” Kano said.

He channeled all his spirit into his weapon to avenge the defeat of his senior teammates.

Kano is 1.73 meters tall and weighs 65 kilograms.

With his shorter reach, he had to bring the fight into close quarters to have a chance of winning.

He parried his opponents’ thrusts and then quickly closed the distance to land his own strikes.

This strategy paid off in the final, where Kano beat Borel 15-9. He silenced the packed stadium with a dominating victory.

Kano was confident even before the start of the Paris Games.

“I’m in the best condition of my fencing career,” Kano said before the Olympics. “My world ranking of third shows my capability, and I have a pretty good chance of winning the gold medal.”

His triumph showed that he was true to his word.

Kano hails from Aichi Prefecture. When he was a child, he participated in gymnastics.

But after seeing Yuki Ota clinch silver in the foil―Japan’s first individual medal in fencing―at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he picked up the sword.

Then he switched to the epee while at Iwakuni Technical High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

“I started fencing because I watched Ota, so, I never imagined I would surpass him,” Kano said. “I’m deeply moved and I can’t believe it.”