Keiji Suzuki reigned supreme on the mats Thursday, winning the men's 100-kg judo final to give Japan its first gold medal of the University Games in Beijing.
Suzuki proved he is still a force to be reckoned with by upending back-to-back judo World Championship medalist Jang Sung Ho of South Korea on two yuko points.
"I'm both happy and relieved to have finally gotten my hands on the gold medal," said Kokushikan University student Suzuki, who missed out on a medal at the previous University Games and has had to live in the shadow of Olympic champion Kosei Inoue.
Meanwhile, Maki Tsukada chipped in a silver and Naomi Morishima came through with a bronze in the women's over 78-kg and 78-kg disciplines, respectively, to provide the other medals for Japan on the second day of the Games.
In the pool, Kohei Kawamoto rewrote the national record he set earlier Thursday when he won his men's 50-meter butterfly semifinal heat in 24.19.