Three-time Olympic champion Tadahiro Nomura saw his hopes of competing at the 2012 London Games dashed after losing in a quarterfinal match in the men's 60-kg class at a national corporate tournament on Saturday.
Nomura, whose movement and techniques appeared sluggish throughout the match, was defeated by Takeshi Ogawa in the meet held at Baycom Gymnasium. His opponent scored a "yuko" point 49 seconds into the contest.
"I wasn't able to fight the type of match I had imagined but there's nothing I can say since that was the extent of my ability. I wasn't out of breath and I can't say that my body wasn't moving."
With his defeat, the 36-year-old Nomura failed to book a spot in this November's Kodokan Cup national weight-class championships, which would have enabled him to regain his status as a certified athlete of the All Japan Judo Federation.
Nomura, who has not stated clearly whether or not he will retire, was making his first appearance in a meet since crashing out in the second round of the Kodokan Cup last November, where he lost to 2010 junior champion Toru Shishime.
"I have to really think about my future in judo. I'm not going to say that I am going to hang up my judo uniform nor that I'm going to commit myself to coaching," Nomura said.