| August 27, 2004 |
| Three MSI Women Athletes' Glorious Results in Athens |
| Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the following three colleague women athletes representing Japan, two from the judo and one from the marathon and track clubs at MSI, competed brilliantly in Athens Olympics Games. |
| 1) | YUKI YOKOSAWA (women's 52 kg-class in judo) unfortunately
missed the gold medal but won a well-respected SILVER one for her
challenging. Bronze medallist in the World Judo Championships September 2003. Silver medallist in the Fukuoka International Women's Judo Championships December 2003. Gold medallist in All Japan Women's Judo Weight Class Selective Championships April 2004. Yokosawa was elected for her first time to Japan's Olympic delegation based on these achievements. Fighting through from the first round to the semi-final, she met Amarilys Savon of Cuba. Yokosawa defeated the world champion in this class, coming back from one yuko or half game point behind with sode tsuri komi goshi in a surprising victory at the last second of the match. Then Yokosawa fought against China's Xian Dongmei head-to-head from the start of the final game. While using their best skills each other, Xian did not miss Yokosawa's unguarded moment, and pinned her down on the mat with yoko shiho gatame. |
| 2) | MASAE UENO (70 kg-class in judo) won the GOLD medal
with a splendid victory at the final game. Defending champion of the World Judo Championships September 2003, following 2002. Gold prize winner in the Fukuoka International Women's Judo Championships December 2003. By marking these good results, Ueno qualified for entry and made her second Olympic appearance since Sidney. She advanced successfully to the semi-final, and met Catherine Marie Joelle Arlove of Australia, who won out all the games with an ippon. Ueno's oh soto gari captured and fell down Arlove 1:24 to bring Ueno an ippon . Then in the final, Ueno was matched with Edith Bosch of the Netherlands, one of Ueno's long-time rivals. From the beginning, Ueno kept attacking aggressively Bosch, who is 20 cm taller than her, and finally 3:10, she gave Bosch a decisive throw of sode tsuri komi goshi. |
| 3) | REIKO TOSA (Women's marathon) finished FIFTH only 2:24
behind the winner, Mizuki Noguchi, demonstrating her distinctive,
persistently controlled running. Back in March 2004, Reiko Tosa won a comeback victory in the Nagoya International Women's Marathon and secured her first Olympic entry by winning this qualifier race. The Olympic marathon race was relatively slow for the first several miles for fear of the intense heat. A leading group was then formed, made of ten runners including the current world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain and three Japanese, and set the pace. After the 27-km mark, Mizuki Noguchi (Globaly Corporation), one of these three Japanese, made a spurt and led the race alone. Noguchi ran out away from pursuing Catherine Ndereba of Kenya to bring Japan the second consecutive Olympic gold medal in women's marathon, following Sydney Olympic. Following winner Noguchi and fifth Tosa, Naoko Sakamoto (Tenmaya Co., Ltd.) also finished seventh. Japan's squad are all among the top eight prize winners in the women's marathon. |
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YUKI YOKOSAWA (silver medalist of women's 52 kg-class in judo)
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MASAE UENO (gold medalist of 70 kg-class in judo)
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REIKO TOSA (Fifth finisher of Women's marathon)
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