Ex-judo champion Inoue to retire after spectacular defeat

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's former Olympic and world judo champion Kosei Inoue said Wednesday he was retiring after failing to qualify for the Beijing Games due to his spectacular defeat at the national championship.

"I have already made up my mind that this will be the last year of my judo career," the 29-year-old superstar said a day after losing to Yohei Takai by an "ippon" knockout in the quarter-finals at the open-class event.

"But I really have no regrets that I have staked everything on judo for 25 years," Inoue said in an interview with the Fuji Television network.

Inoue won the Sydney Olympic under-100kg gold as well as three world titles.

He was aiming for a spot in Beijing to cap his comeback from his loss in the under-100kg quarter-finals at...