Judoka Haruna Asami, a two-time world champion in the women's 48-kg division, drew the curtain on her career, it was announced Tuesday.
The 28-year-old, who thrived on her back throws and foot-throwing techniques, had a strong record through her career but was a stranger to the Olympics.
After winning both the 2010 and 2011 world championships, she missed out on the 2012 London Games after losing in the first round of the final qualifying trial.
She picked herself up and finished runner-up in the 2013 and 2015 worlds, but again got knocked out in the first round of the final trial for this summer's Rio de Janeiro Games.
"I avidly threw myself into judo for 25 years. The challenges I had in the process of going after my dream, the Olympics, is something I'll treasure for the rest of my life," Asami said in a statement.
