
Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe absorbed a stunning defeat at the hands of Spain’s Cristina Cabana Perez to make a early exit the Tokyo Olympics Tuesday, July 27.
The Spaniard beat the Fil-Japanese via ippon, 10-0, in just 38 seconds of their women’s -63kgs Round of 32 match.
The world No. 37 Cabana Perez transitioned Watanabe’s takedown attempt into an arm lock which judges deemed as an ippon after it was initially awarded as waza-ari.
The shocking turn of events for Watanabe, a four-time Southeast Asian Games champion and a 2018 Asian Games silver medalist.
Prior to her Olympic debut, the world No. 41 Watanabe and her team did altitude training Yamanashi, a Japanese prefecture to the southwest of Tokyo.
Watanabe, who was also selected as the country’s female flag bearer in the opening ceremony, qualified to the Games via continental allocation.