Saori Yoshida (43), a three-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s wrestling, made her third guest appearance at the JA Zen-Noh Chibiri Olympics 2026 held on Children’s Day (May 5) at Nissan Stadium in Kanagawa. When veteran athlete Animal Hamaguchi (78) playfully asked, “What about Los Angeles?” Yoshida responded with a smile, “Maybe I’ll make a comeback at the LA Olympics (laughs),” lightening the mood with her humor.
Laughing, she shared, “I recently trained with younger athletes in the park, doing exercises I used to do in my active days. The next day, I was so sore!” But she added with determination, “I want to show that even at this age, I can still do it.”
During the parent-child marathon, seeing children running with full effort, Yoshida couldn’t help but join them on the same course. She held hands with the kids and crossed the finish line together.
