Natsumi Tsunoda was as dominant as advertised in a performance that Japan hopes will set the tone for the rest of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Japanese judoka swatted aside her first three opponents in the under 48-kg division, survived a competitive semifinal and finished the job in the final to become the first Japanese athlete to strike gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Japan added to its medal count minutes later when Ryuju Nagayama claimed a bronze medal in the men's under 60-kg category.