Boxing is a sport that cannot exist without an opponent, and because it is dangerous, it is very important to respect your opponent during the match. Of course, during the match, I fight with the desire to win, but there are many things that can be conveyed by actually clasping hands, such as power and strength of will, and I naturally feel a desire to praise my opponent. I often become friendly with my opponents after the match, and I find this kind of communication through competition very appealing.

When boxers reach university, the category of amateur boxers rises to senior, 19 years of age or older. The fighting methods they used in their junior years up until high school were no longer effective against senior boxers who had superior strength and experience, so they had to completely rethink their techniques and physique. Boxing is often thought of as a sport in which victory or defeat is decided by knocking down the opponent with punches, but women's amateur boxing is an "impression sport" in which the gloves are large and protective gear is worn, so the majority of wins and losses are decided by the judge's decision. Therefore, the key is to "show" the judges how fair your fighting style is and how dominant it is.

I am tall at 167cm, but I am in the third lightest weight class, the light flyweight class. There are many small fighters in this class, so as a tall person, my ideal boxing style is to make the most of my long reach. I have studied how to keep my arms at an extended distance to avoid receiving punches from my opponent, and the angle of my punches to effectively appeal to the judges watching from below the ring, and I have also increased the amount of core training and worked to strengthen my muscles.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to practice at university for a time, and tournaments were canceled, so I struggled to maintain my motivation, but my family set up a practice field for me at my grandmother's house, and I was able to continue practicing to my satisfaction thanks to the support of my father, who is my coach. I think I've become able to calmly play matches by identifying my opponent's habits, thinking about strategies such as what angle and speed to attack at, and where to create the climax of the match.

I have a goal of teaching boxing to children as a coach in the future, so I chose Department of Education College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies to learn how to teach elementary and junior high school students. When I have a match or other reason that makes it difficult for me to attend class, I ask my teacher to send me handouts through the learning support system so that I can study on my own, or I review with friends who are taking the same class, so that I don't fall behind as much as possible.

One of the most interesting classes in the undergraduate program was Professor  Kazuyuki Ogiso 's "Physical Education Theory," where we learned how physical exercises in elementary school physical education classes contribute to the growth process based on the body's mechanisms. I enjoyed learning how to imagine instructing children and think about what movements are effective, and what is needed to build basic physical strength through play, rather than thinking of it as training. Wanting to gain more knowledge, I will be joining Professor Ogiso's seminar from my third year.

During the rest of my time at university, I plan to study psychology to learn strategies for shaking up my opponents' emotions in boxing, and conversely, how to motivate children when coaching them. With my sights set on next year's Paris Olympics and the following Los Angeles Olympics, I will do my best to fight to the best of my ability in each match and achieve results on the big stage.

*The links to each subject's "Lecture Content Details" are for the 2022 academic year.