​"Be strong, be gentle, be beautiful."

• JUDO MASTER
• Granddaughter of a jujitsu master, she was invited by the founder of judo, Jogoro Kano, to study at his dojo when she was in her twenties
• Performed a Kata demonstration at the Opening Ceremony of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the first Games that included judo
• Refused to follow through with an arranged marriage, choosing instead to move to the United States in 1972 and pursue a career in judo
• Founded her own dojo, as well as the FIRST women-only judo training camp
• Although she was regularly passed over for belt advancement because she was a woman, she was the FIRST woman to reach sixth dan
• At 98 years old, USA Judo promoted her to tenth dan, the highest level in judo -- she was the FIRST woman ever to achieve this status
• Awarded the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1990
• Recipient of the Pacific Association of Martial Artists Lifetime Achievement Award
• Also earned a degree in Japanese literature from the Showa Women's University

Photo via Facebook

Bibliography: Ignotofsky, Rachel. Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played To Win. New York: Ten Speed Press, 2017.
Keiko Fukuda Judo Foundation / Shihan Keiko Fukuda. http://www.keikofukudajudofoundation.org/?page_id=5

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