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Serving As Your Voice of the Nikkei Community Since 1902
Vol. 63, Issue 20 / May 07, 2008
Tracy Nagai competes for 2008 Olympics Judo
Shihou Sasaki
The North American Post
Tracy Nagai practices at Budokan. She is an Olympic contender in the 52 kg division.
 | When the Olympics season comes closer, Budokan Judo's evening practice in the Seattle Japanese Language School starts heating up, especially around the shortest and smallest person and the only woman of the day, Tracy Yayoi Nagai.
Judo is not her life work, but this year, the 27-year-old Seattle-born Nisei (second generation Japanese American) takes a big opportunity. She could be one of the 2008 U.S. Judo Olympic Team's top contenders competing in a trial tournament with other seven athletes in the 52 kg division on June 13 and 14 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Nagai is nationally ranked second in the 52 kg division as of this Monday. Including her, about 15 Nikkei around the country could participate in the Olympic Trials this year. According to the selection system, the first-ranked players just before the trials will have a big advantage for the Olympic team. The first-ranked players will be named to the national team after winning the Las Vegas trials. The other players need to win the trials to advance for a best-of-three playoff against the first-ranked competitor.
"I am just happy to have the opportunity," Nagai said. "When you watch the Olympics as a child, it looks really cool," she said. "You just knew it looks amazing. It's not just as a sport winning championships. It would be cool to be there. It's something special because athletes are special."
Playing soccer, tennis, basketball, softball and wresting, Nagai's life has always been belonging to sports activities. But she recalled the first encounter with judo was quite a moment. She was instructed by former 1996 Olympian Marisa Pedulla in her freshman year at Washington State University in Pullman, and with her wrestling background, the judo-beginner placed third in the U.S. college national event.
"People said, 'I will be good,' and coach was really proud of me," Nagai said. "I have never had a trophy before until I started doing judo. It's really special."
PROFILE
Name: Tracy Nagai
Age: 27
Sports: Judo (Budokan)
Dan: First Degree Black belt
Favorite Waza: Seoi Nage
 | She added that judo is a sport that both taller and shorter people can take advantage in each technique and movement.
"That's another reason I like judo," she said. "In judo, it goes both ways. And being short, it's good to go in the U.S."
As a fitness specialist of the Columbia Athletic Club, Nagai said that she knows how to train efficiently in her limited training time including just-twice-a-week judo practice and open-hour workouts after a regular job.
"I think Tracy's situation is really unique given that judo is her hobby and not her career," said Calvin Terada of Budokan. "… [She] is a young lady that is holding down a job, practicing judo when she has time, and then takes vacation days to compete in local, regional and national level events."
Terada is also the president of Washington State Judo, Inc., and the Referee Chairman for the Northwest region, possibly a future judge in the Olympics.
"Tracy's story is one of a grassroots judo competitor that through lots of hard work, gained enough points to earn her a spot to try and make to the Olympic team," he added.
Last year, she went to Japan to acquire a black belt and joined a practice in Teikyo University in Tokyo, where the 48-kg-division Olympic champion Ryoko Tani has trained. She confessed the level of judo in her parents' home country, even in college, was higher than she thought earlier.
"That was a good lesson," she said of the practice in Japan.
Competing nationally and seeing international levels, she realizes the training knowledge cannot cover all disadvantages in practice time, facilities and training partners. But at the same time, she added she never thought of reaching the point where she is now.
"10 years ago, I never thought of getting a black belt or competing nationally," she said. "I am lucky in some way, having good coaches, maybe a natural talent, sort of a gift. I just took this opportunity. I try this a little bit harder to see if it's right to get me."
Now win or loss, all depends on her. The big events will come next month.
"I think, 'I am pretty strong,' that really helps [to compete]," she said.
"And of course, luck."
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