Maki Tsukada: from Olympic gold to national coach

Maki Tsukada is one of Japan’s most successful heavyweight judoka and is now preparing for a new challenge as a leading coach within Japanese judo. The Olympic champion from Athens 2004 built an outstanding career in the +78kg category, later adding Olympic silver at the Beijing 2008 Games after reaching the final against China’s Tong Wen.

Tsukada’s career was marked by consistency at the highest level. She collected four World Championship medals and captured the open class world title in 2007, showing her dominance against opponents from all weight categories. Her talent had already been clear at a young age when she became Junior World Champion in 2000.

At the peak of her career she also reached the number one position on the IJF World Ranking for heavyweights in 2010, confirming her place among the sport’s elite athletes of her era.

After her competitive career, Tsukada remained closely involved in judo and in September 2024 she stepped into a major coaching role. She is expected to become the head coach of the Japanese women’s national team, succeeding Katsuyuki Masuchi, who led the team from 2016 until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

With her Olympic pedigree and deep technical knowledge, Tsukada is seen as the ideal leader to guide Japan’s next generation. Her transition from champion athlete to national coach marks an important new chapter in her remarkable contribution to judo.

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