If nothing else, the Paris Olympics were a roller coaster of emotions that provided plenty of highs for Japanese athletes — but also some lows.
Most notably, defending Olympic judo champion Uta Abe had an emotional breakdown when she suffered a shock defeat in the under 52-kg women’s competition. Abe — a grown athlete — wept like a little girl in her coach’s arms, to the point where she was shrieking and unable to stand up on her own.
Touching? Yes, for some who understood and sympathized. Embarrassing? Also yes, for a substantial number of Japanese fans who took to social media to criticize her for not accepting defeat, with some saying she even brought shame to the nation.
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