Shokichi Natsui
Japanese judoka
Shokichi Natsui (夏井 昇吉, Natsui Shōkichi; 10 October 1925 – 13 September 2006) was a Japanese judoka from the Akita Prefecture. He became the first world champion in judo, winning the title at the 1956 World Judo Championships in Tokyo, by beating Yoshihiko Yoshimatsu in the final. As there were no weight classes in the world championships until 1965, Natsui was the only champion in 1956.
First judo world championship
Background
The International Judo Federation (IJF) was founded in 1951, and five years later IJF organized the first World Judo Championships, held in Tokyo on 5 March 1956.
Contestants
Natsui and his teammate Yoshimatsu, both policemen, were the two highest-ranked judoka at the championship; the 36-year-old Yoshimatsu held the rank of nanadan (7th dan), and Natsui rokudan (6th dan), while Pariset from France held yondan (4th dan), and future three-time world champion Anton Geesink from the Netherlands held sandan (3rd dan). The 1956 championship had 31 competitors from 21 countries.
Natsui's matches
In the first round Natsui took only 3 seconds to eliminate the contestant from Cambodia, with the shoulder throw seoi nage. In the second round he met Johannsen from Denmark, and won after 8 seconds, with tai otoshi. The match against Woodrey from Belgium in round 3 lasted 44 seconds, with victory going to Natsui. In the semi-final he met Henri Courtine from France; this match lasted only 8 seconds, with a tai otoshi win to Natsui.
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