Gerard Takayawa has continued his family’s legacy in judo at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The 18-year-old, hailing from a family that has made its mark in Fiji judo, is the latest member to compete at the Olympics, showcasing the Takayawa name on a global stage.
A former student of Suva Grammar School, Takayawa, who is currently studying in Japan, became the youngest in his family to qualify for the Olympics. In the round of 32, he faced 25-year-old Slovakian Marius Fizel, who is currently ranked 16th in the world, but was defeated just 19 seconds before the match concluded.
Expressing his feelings about the experience, Takayawa said, “I feel proud and honoured. I wasn’t expecting to be at the Olympics at this age; I was expecting to be in my mid-20s, but reaching this stage has been an unbelievable experience.” He noted the excitement of the crowd, which motivated him to push harder during the competition.
Gerard is the nephew of Tevita Takayawa, who competed in judo at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. The family’s judo tradition began with Viliame Takayawa, who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, and continued with Nacanieli Takayawa-Qerewaqa in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Games.
Despite his loss, Takayawa remains determined to succeed in his sport. He stated, “Even though I lost, I will continue to do my best in the sport. I’ll go back, continue training and try to get back in the next Olympics.”
Having started judo at the age of 12 and making his competitive debut at 15, Takayawa recently secured a silver medal at the 2024 Santiago Panamerican Open in Chile. Currently, he is a first-year law student at Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan.