This month on FM Toyama, we had the incredible opportunity to interview Haruka Tachimoto, the gold medalist in Judo at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics!
Originally from Toyama Prefecture, Ms. Tachimoto now dedicates her time to coaching as a Paralympics instructor. We caught up with her while she was holding a special coaching session for high school students at the Shiotani Kensetsu Judo dojo.
The Secret Notebook That Forged a Gold Medal
During a lecture held the day before our coaching visit, Ms. Tachimoto revealed the existence of a special notebook—a secret she had never shared publicly until then.
For her, this notebook was a vital tool for self-reflection and connection. She used it to pour out the immense pressure and complex emotions she couldn’t share with anyone else, allowing her to organize her thoughts and find clarity.
Incredibly, she recounted how she reviewed this very notebook on the eve of the Olympic final, engaging in a crucial dialogue with herself. It seems the powerful support from her inner self, captured in those pages, combined with the record of her accumulated efforts, was what allowed her to advance with such a strong spirit under enormous pressure.
We are truly grateful for this invaluable and moving story.
You can hear the full interview from the broadcast on FM Toyama‘s program, “Yorimichi to Sora.”
Additionally, I shared my personal thoughts and takeaways from the interview via a special voice message sent through my official LINE account.
Don’t miss the details of this incredible story!
