Ryomei Tanaka: Japan’s Olympic Boxing Bronze Medalist
Japanese flyweight Ryomei Tanaka won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He secured a medal by beating Colombia’s Yuberjen Martínez in the quarterfinals, then lost his semifinal to Carlo Paalam of the Philippines.
The route to an Olympic bronze medal
Tanaka competed in the men’s 48–52 kilogram division at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Although the Games retained the Tokyo 2020 name, the boxing tournament took place in 2021. His opening victory came against Venezuela’s Yoel Finol on July 26, followed by a win over China’s Hu Jianguan in the round of 16 on July 31.
On August 3, Tanaka defeated Martínez to reach the semifinals. That victory guaranteed a place on the podium because Olympic boxing awards bronze medals to both losing semifinalists. Paalam ended his run on August 5 and went on to take silver after losing the final to Britain’s Galal Yafai. Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibosynov was the other bronze medalist.
Representing Japan
Born on October 13, 1993, in Tajimi, Gifu, Tanaka is listed by the Japanese Olympic Committee as a Komazawa University graduate. Its profile recorded his affiliation with Chukyo High School at the time of the Games. The committee also lists his participation in the Jakarta–Palembang Asian Games, where he competed in the men’s flyweight division. His Tokyo medal therefore sits within a broader international amateur career, with three tournament victories carrying him to the Olympic podium.
Sources
- Olympedia Japan boxing results
- Japanese Olympic Committee profile
- Quarterfinal report
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
