Judo player Shohei Ohno, from Yamaguchi City, will take a break from competing in tournaments and go to England for two years under the JOC's overseas training program. He will not be aiming for the Paris Olympics, but he said he does not want people to think of his retirement as a small framework and announced that he will be starting a "second career." On the 7th, a press conference was held in Tokyo. More than 10 television cameras were lined up at the venue. Ohno appeared in front of the press in a suit and bowed deeply. What he said was...Shohei Ohno: "I would like to announce that I have decided to go to England for two years next year using the JOC's overseas training program." He announced that he will be teaching in England for two years. He will be taking a break from competition for now. As for how he will approach judo in the future... Ohno: "Retirement or stepping back from the front line is really not that important to me, I don't really care about it. I'm still pursuing the path of judo, so to be honest, I don't care." Top-level training and consecutive Olympic victories Ohno started judo in Yoshiki, Yamaguchi City before entering elementary school. When he was little, he would sometimes cry as he desperately tried to hang on to bigger opponents. He left his parents' home in junior high school and trained at the top level in Tokyo and Nara. He won various competitions both in Japan and overseas. His first Olympic Games as Japan's ace was in Rio at the age of 24. At the moment of his submission, the cheering hall in Yamaguchi City was filled with cheers. Seiji Ueki, then head of the Matsumi Judo Sports Club, who coached Ohno for seven years until he was in sixth grade, said, "I'm really happy, and I don't think I've ever been happier teaching judo." He challenged for consecutive victories in Tokyo. The final was a fierce battle that lasted over nine minutes, and Ohno became the seventh person in Japanese judo history to win consecutive Olympic victories. Ohno described this as a turning point in his judo career. Looking back on his career, Ohno said, "I've always wanted to be easy to understand and have monstrous strength, so I wanted to get closer to those kinds of judoists and athletes. No one expected a boy from the countryside of Yamaguchi to get this far, so I think I've passed." Ohno talks about his feelings for his hometown, Yamaguchi. In January of this year, Ohno taught children about the rigors and joys of judo at a judo class held in Yamaguchi City. In an interview with TYS, he spoke about his feelings for his hometown. "I had a strong feeling that I hadn't been able to contribute much to Yamaguchi on the path I've taken, so I've been thinking about the right timing to give back to the people who have allowed me to win the Olympics twice." During the press conference, he also expressed his feelings for his hometown, Yamaguchi, and other places he has connections with. Ohno: "I would be happy to be actively involved in places like Yamaguchi, Tokyo, Nara, Miyazaki, and other places that I have traveled, and to actively promote judo and give back to children." The press conference lasted an hour, longer than scheduled. He ended with a smile. Ohno: "I would like to produce juniors who will inherit my judo and liven up the judo world once again. When asked at the press conference, I was asked, "I used to play with a scary face," so from now on I will be friendly and smile." For more details, see NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/ty...