Photo: Russian Presidential Press Service; crop by User:Pruneau / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, Yasuhiro Yamashita is one of those guys where the word "judo" basically conjures his face for me. This big, immovable presence from Yabe in Kumamoto, 180 centimeters of pure mountain energy standing on the tatami like nothing could budge him. The moment everyone remembers is the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where he tore a calf muscle and still hobbled his way to open-weight gold, and honestly that image gives me chills every time. The man strung together a winning streak that's almost cartoonish, the kind where losing just wasn't on the menu. National Honor Award, the whole deal. What I love is how cleanly he pivoted from unbeatable competitor to mentor, coaching at Tokai University, leading the Japanese Olympic Committee and picking up Russian honors like some quiet judo diplomat. The 2023 fall that left him almost completely paralysed was a cruel blow. No flash, just a thick, unshakable core. Total legend.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
Overview
Yasuhiro Yamashita is a Japanese judoka born on June 1, 1957, in Yabe (now Yamato), Kumamoto Prefecture. He graduated from Tokai University and went on to become one of the most celebrated judo competitors in history, winning a gold medal in the open-weight category at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In recognition of his achievements, he received the People's Honor Award in 1984 and the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2007, and has also been honored with Russian state decorations. He later became president of the Japanese Olympic Committee and an IOC member; in 2023 a fall at a hot-spring resort left him almost completely paralyzed.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yasuhiro Yamashita
- Name (Japanese)
- 山下泰裕
- Reading
- やました やすひろ
- Born
- June 1, 1957 (age 69)
- Origin
- Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 180 cm
- Occupation
- Judoka / Judo coach
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
2. Background
- University
- Tokai University
Awards & achievements
- Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation (year unknown)
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (2007)
- People's Honor Award (1984)
- Russian Order of Honor (year unknown)
- 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg Commemorative Medal (year unknown)
3. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.yamashitayasuhiro.com
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E4%B8%8B%E6%B3%B0%E8%A3%95
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q272469
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Yasuhiro Yamashita born?
Yasuhiro Yamashita was born on June 1, 1957 and is 69 years old.
Where is Yasuhiro Yamashita from?
Yasuhiro Yamashita is from Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
What does Yasuhiro Yamashita do?
Yasuhiro Yamashita works as Judoka, Judo coach.
How tall is Yasuhiro Yamashita?
Yasuhiro Yamashita is 180 cm tall.
Where did Yasuhiro Yamashita study?
Yasuhiro Yamashita attended Tokai University.
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