By Grace Goulding
His grandfather founded the judo club and coached Olympians. His father is an Olympian and his current coach. His brother will be his training partner for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
For USA's Jack Yonezuka, judo is truly a family affair.
And, although the Olympics runs in his family, 21-year-old Jack will be the first to actually compete.
Read on to learn about Jack's story, his family legacy, and his hopes for Paris 2024.
Jack Yonezuka: “I was naturally born into this sport”
For Jack Yonezuka, judo is a legacy deeply intertwined with his family’s history and Japanese heritage. “My dad was an Olympian in 1980. And then my grandfather was also an Olympic coach, so I was naturally born into this sport,” he told Olympics.com.
The Yonezuka judo story began 62 years ago when Jack’s grandfather, Yoshisada Yonezuka, left Japan—the birthplace of judo—and settled in Cranford, New Jersey. There, he established the Cranford Judo Karate Center in 1962, bringing the revered Japanese martial art to American soil.
Yoshisada coached the US Olympic team at Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992, and was eventually inducted into the USA Judo Hall of Fame
Jack’s father, Nick, followed in these footsteps, training in the family club and eventually winning the 1980 US Olympic trials. However, Nick would not make it to the Olympic tatami, as Team USA did not participate at Moscow 1980.
Despite this, Nick’s Olympic dream will come true in another form: as his son’s coach at Paris 2024.
“At the end of the day, everything comes full circle,” Nick told NBC. “Now I’m going to the Olympics with Jack. It’s great. Everything happens for a reason, and it is what it is. I’m just grateful to be able to go with him now as a coach.”
Jack and his brother, Nicolas, donned their first judo gi at the age of five, training at their family’s historic club. They compete together year-round on the World Judo Tour, and Nicolas will join Jack in Paris as his training partner.
He admits that they were never pressured into starting judo; rather, their family wanted to pass on the sport’s values.
“My family knew that judo was going to teach me a lot of values for life moving forward. And whatever you decide to do in the future, it's always good to have those values that judo teaches you.”
Judo is more than just a sport; it is a way of life grounded in eight core values. For the Yonezuka family, these principles are not just taught—they are lived and passed down from generation to generation.
The ultimate birthday gift: Jack Yonezuka qualifies for first Olympics
Despite the rich family tradition in judo, Yonzeuka revealed to Olympics.com his desire to forge his own unique path in the sport.
Bursting onto the international scene in 2022, Yonezuka captured a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships, marking the first time in three decades that an American male stood on that podium. A year later, he surpassed this feat, claiming the silver medal in 2023.
Yonezuka reflected on his first junior world medal: “I only qualified three days before the event. My teammate was not able to go and I was the next person in line to qualify as a wild card. So, the day I found out I booked a flight and went straight to the airport. I flew to Ecuador, I weighed in, I fought and I got a bronze medal, so, like, that kind of shocked the world.”
But transitioning to the senior level presented its own set of challenges. “It was a hard transition,” Yonezuka admitted. “These guys are incredibly skilled and focused. One mistake, and they’ll capitalize on it. Everything has to be perfect. One slip, and you lose the fight against these seasoned players.”
In March 2024, he captured his first senior medal, winning bronze at the Grand Prix Upper Austria.
Yonezuka clinched his Olympic spot following a grueling qualification cycle, sealing his spot for Paris 2024 at the World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi—on his birthday, no less.
“This year was tough, with so many events. I spent nearly a month overseas. It was competition, training camp, competition, another training camp,” he recalled. “When I found out I had qualified, the relief was immense. It was actually on my birthday.”
The Olympic berth was an unexpected gift for Yonezuka and his family, who had initially set their sights on LA 2028. Now, heading to Paris, he is ranked among the top twenty in the world in the -73kg category.
His father and coach, Nick, is keeping expectations grounded. “He’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain. At his level, there’s no one he can’t beat.”
Yonezuka: "I hope to be a team leader" for LA 2028
As Paris 2024 approaches, Yonezuka is the epitome of focus.
He admits that although he is excited to experience all the Olympics have to offer, it will have to wait until after the competition: “For sure, it's going to be exciting, really exciting. But the most important thing is performing on the mat,” he stated firmly.
Despite facing the best judoka in the world on the biggest stage, Yonezuka remains unfazed, emphasizing that he does not fear even the category’s best. “I'm not really mesmerized by that. It’s another judo match, and I'm there to win. And if I lose, well, I’ll learn from the mistakes that I made.”
The New Jersey native is one of four athletes named to the US Judo team. At 21, he is the youngest member.
Yonezuka is poised to lead his team into the next Olympic cycle, with dreams of competing on home soil in LA 2028.
“I think I have already inspired quite a few people, especially my peers, to believe they can do it too,” Yonezuka shared. “I want people to look up to me, and I hope to be a team leader for the next one [LA 2028].”
Yonezuka will compete in the -73kg category on 29 July at the Champ du Mars Arena.
- How to qualify for judo at Paris 2024
- Click here for a detailed schedule
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