Who is the woman that posed as a man to become judo champ?
It took 50 years, but she finally got gold. A Brooklyn judo champ stripped of her first place medal when judges realized she was a woman competing in a contest against men secured her place in the history books Friday. It was a sweet moment for Rena (Rusty) Kanokogi, who became a pioneer for her sport – and a champion for equal rights – after her 1959 victory turned sour because she was the wrong gender. “[The medal] should have never been taken away from me,” the 74-year-old said. “But we’re righting a wrong, that’s what counts.” Kanokogi is now frail, battling cancer, and walks with a cane. But she vividly recalls the moment she took on her opponent in the New York State YMCA judo championships. She was an alternate, and had to step in when a male team member was injured. Although women were not explicity barred from the YMCA contests, no female had ever tried to take part. Because her hair was as short as a boy’s and she had an athletic build and tape around her breasts, Kanokogi’s
It took 50 years, but she finally got gold. A Brooklyn judo champ stripped of her first place medal when judges realized she was a woman competing in a contest against men secured her place in the history books Friday. It was a sweet moment for Rena (Rusty) Kanokogi, who became a pioneer for her sport – and a champion for equal rights – after her 1959 victory turned sour because she was the wrong gender. “[The medal] should have never been taken away from me,” the 74-year-old said. “But we’re righting a wrong, that’s what counts.” Kanokogi is now frail, battling cancer, and walks with a cane. But she vividly recalls the moment she took on her opponent in the New York State YMCA judo championships. She was an alternate, and had to step in when a male team member was injured. Although women were not explicity barred from the YMCA contests, no female had ever tried to take part. Because her hair was as short as a boy’s and she had an athletic build and tape around her breasts, Kanokogi’s
It took 50 years, but she finally got gold. A Brooklyn judo champ stripped of her first place medal when judges realized she was a woman competing in a contest against men secured her place in the history books Friday. It was a sweet moment for Rena (Rusty) Kanokogi, who became a pioneer for her sport – and a champion for equal rights – after her 1959 victory turned sour because she was the wrong gender. “[The medal] should have never been taken away from me,” the 74-year-old said. “But we’re righting a wrong, that’s what counts.” Kanokogi is now frail, battling cancer, and walks with a cane. But she vividly recalls the moment she took on her opponent in the New York State YMCA judo championships. She was an alternate, and had to step in when a male team member was injured. Although women were not explicity barred from the YMCA contests, no female had ever tried to take part. Because her hair was as short as a boy’s and she had an athletic build and tape around her breasts, Kanokogi’s
