With three Olympic gold medals and nine world titles between them, judo siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe need no introduction. They are arguably Japan’s most beloved brother and sister sporting duo.
But many sports fans may not know there’s an additional sibling.
Yuichiro Abe, the oldest of the three, is the lesser-known sibling quietly rounding out the family tree. A former judoka himself, he now works 9 to 5 as a government official. Long ago, he escorted his then-5-year-old brother to the dojo and unknowingly played a crucial role in shaping the future double Olympic champion’s sports experience.
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