2021.04.05
The challenge to increase her value continues
Misaki Emura, a sabre fencer, has qualified for a place at the Tokyo Olympics. “I want to increase my value. I hope to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and prove not only to myself but also to junior fencers some new possibilities.”
Experiencing the joy of winning and raising her confidence
Inspired by her parents who had been Japan national team players, Emura began fencing when she was in third grade. She initially specialized in the foil event, but participated and won in a sabre event at a tournament right before entering middle school, and subsequently changed events.
While the foil and épée are based only on “thrusting,” the sabre includes “cutting,” and Emura was fascinated by its dynamic offense and defense. When she was in her third year in middle school, she won at the London tournament of the World Cadet (over 14 and under 17 years old) Circuit Championship and advanced into the global arena.
Upon entering high school, Emura joined the JOC Elite Academy, where top Japanese athletes train, and from around this time she was coached by the current Japan national team coach, Lee Wook-Jae, and built up her basic techniques. Emura controls her 170-cm-tall body with freedom, meticulously analyzes videos of her opponents, and won’t miss even the slightest instant when her opponent’s guard is down in order to execute a myriad of techniques. From a situation where she is maintaining distance from her opponent, all of a sudden, Emura executes a long attack, which has become synonymous with her style.
Paving the path as a pioneer
Emura will be graduating next spring, and even though her fellow students have begun job hunting, she wants to “create a path as a professional female athlete.” As a result, she has decided to forgo signing an affiliate contract with a company and search instead for sponsors on her own. In order to obtain an environment where she can focus on fencing, Emura negotiates how high she can sell herself. “It’s a joy to receive support and be able to compete in a sport which I love. All I can do is produce results, be successful, become a player who will be an inspiration to children, and create an environment where junior fencers don’t have to worry about their careers and can continue pursuing the Olympics as a matter of course.”
Emura consecutively won the 2018 and 2019 All Japan Fencing Championships tournament, and overseas she won the individual bronze medal at the World Cup tournament held in Greece in March 2020. It was the second time for Emura to stand on top of a World Cup podium after her initial individual silver medal at the 2018 World Cup tournament in the US. She became the first Japanese female sabre fencer to gain several medals. Now that she has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, Emura continues to advance forward as a pioneer.
“Fencing’s appeal is that it looks cool. Victory or defeat is determined by differences in dynamic but sensitive movements. Fencers pursue movements based on millimeter units, and it’s great if you can win with a spectacular technique.”
Emura does not think that her ultimate goal is winning a medal at the Tokyo Olympics. “There is the next Olympics in Paris and Los Angeles after that. I want to continue achieving results and increasing my value.”
Misaki Emura’s philosophy
Continue achieving results to realize your goals
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