JapaneseJudokaOlympic medalistAsian Games medalist

Hiroaki Hiraoka

Hiroaki Hiraoka is a Japanese judoka who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and multiple medals at the World Judo Championships.

1. Early Life and Education

Hiroaki Hiraoka was born on February 6, 1985, in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. His journey in judo began at the young age of six, under the tutelage of his father, who also had a background in the sport. He attended Hatsukaichi Municipal Ajinadai Junior High School and Kinki University High School Fukuyama. During his third year of high school in 2002, he achieved a significant milestone by winning the Inter-High School Championships. Following his high school graduation, Hiraoka furthered his education and judo training at University of Tsukuba. After completing his university studies, he joined Ryotokuji Gakuen as a staff member, where he remained until March 2016.

2. Judo Career

Hiroaki Hiraoka's judo career spanned over a decade, marked by consistent progression from junior successes to major international and domestic achievements, culminating in an Olympic silver medal.

2.1. Early Career and Junior Achievements

Hiraoka quickly established himself as a promising judoka in his formative years. In 1999, he earned a second-place finish at the National Junior High School Judo Tournament. He continued to perform strongly in the junior circuit, securing third place at the All Japan Junior Judo Championships in both 2001 and 2002. Also in 2002, he emerged victorious at the German Junior International tournament and claimed the title at the Inter-High School Championships. His early international exposure included wins at the Belgium International and Polish Junior International tournaments in 2003, the same year he won the All Japan Student Weight Category Championships and the Asian Junior Championships. In 2004, Hiraoka won the Czech International, placed third at the All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships, and earned a bronze medal at the 2004 World Judo Juniors Championships in Budapest in the under 132 lb (60 kg) category. He also took second place at the Kodokan Cup All Japan Judo Weight Category Championships.

2.2. Major International Competitions

Hiraoka's senior international career was characterized by regular participation and medal-winning performances at the highest levels of judo, including multiple World Championships and two Olympic Games.

2.2.1. Olympic Games

Hiraoka competed in the Olympic Games twice, experiencing both disappointment and triumph.

2.2.2. World Championships

Hiraoka was a consistent presence on the podium at the World Judo Championships, demonstrating his enduring excellence in the under 132 lb (60 kg) category.

At the 2009 World Judo Championships in Rotterdam, Hiraoka secured a silver medal. Despite this significant achievement, he expressed dissatisfaction, stating, "losing in the first round or finishing second is the same," reflecting his strong desire for a gold medal. The following year, at the 2010 World Judo Championships held in Tokyo, he earned a bronze medal. In 2011, Hiraoka once again reached the final at the 2011 World Judo Championships in Paris, securing another silver medal, narrowly missing the top spot.

2.2.3. Other International Series

Beyond the Olympic and World Championship stages, Hiraoka achieved notable success in various other major international judo tournaments. In 2006, he placed second at both the Georgia International and France International tournaments, and won the East Asian Judo Championships. In 2007, he claimed gold at the Georgia International and the Kano Cup Tokyo International Tournament, and was also part of the victorious Japanese team at the World Team Championships. His success continued in 2008 with a gold medal at the France International and a bronze at the Austria International.

Hiraoka consistently medaled in the IJF Grand Slam series, earning silver at the 2009 Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam and the 2009 Tokyo Grand Slam, and a bronze at the 2011 Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam and the 2011 Tokyo Grand Slam. He secured a gold medal at the 2010 Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam. In the IJF Grand Prix series, he won gold at the 2011 Düsseldorf Grand Prix, silver at the 2010 Düsseldorf Grand Prix, and bronze at the 2009 Hamburg Grand Prix.

He also earned medals at the Judo World Masters, taking silver at the 2010 Suwon World Masters and bronze at the 2012 Almaty World Masters. At the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Hiraoka suffered a knee injury in the final match, which impacted his performance and led to a silver medal finish. His coach, Shinichi Shinohara, commented on Hiraoka's susceptibility to injuries, suggesting there was "something missing" in his overall game.

2.3. Domestic Competitions

Hiraoka's career included numerous triumphs in Japanese national judo championships. He won the All Japan Student Weight Category Championships in 2003. A testament to his dominance in the under 132 lb (60 kg) class, he secured the All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships title five consecutive times, from 2008 to 2012. This remarkable streak was instrumental in his selections for both the Beijing and London Olympic teams. Furthermore, in 2015, after transitioning to a new weight class, he won the All Japan Business Judo Individual Championships in the under 146 lb (66 kg) category.

2.4. Weight Class Transition and Retirement

In 2013, Hiraoka decided to move up in weight class, transitioning from the under 132 lb (60 kg) category to the under 146 lb (66 kg) class. His first competition in the new division was the Kodokan Cup, where he faced an early exit, losing in the first round. His efforts to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the new weight class proved challenging. At the 2015 Kodokan Cup, he finished in seventh place, which effectively ended his bid for a spot on the Olympic team.

In March 2016, Hiroaki Hiraoka formally announced his retirement from competitive judo. Concurrent with his retirement from the mat, he resigned from his position at Ryotokuji Gakuen. He subsequently enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School, commencing his studies in April 2016, signaling a shift in his focus towards academic pursuits, potentially in preparation for a coaching or research role within judo.

3. Personal Life

On March 4, 2011, it was publicly reported by Nikkan Sports that Hiroaki Hiraoka had married Mashiomi Miyazaki, a sports writer and former actress. Miyazaki later confirmed on her blog that their marriage had officially taken place on January 1, 2011. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, on June 2, 2011.

4. Post-Retirement Activities

After retiring from competitive judo in March 2016, Hiroaki Hiraoka transitioned into a new phase of his life. He left his role at Ryotokuji Gakuen and, in April 2016, began doctoral studies at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School. This move indicated his commitment to further his education and potentially pursue a career in academia or coaching.

5. Career Summary and Records

Hiroaki Hiraoka's career is marked by consistent high-level performance and numerous medals across international and domestic stages, solidifying his status as one of Japan's prominent judokas in the extra-lightweight category.

  • Major International Medals:**
    • Olympic Games:
      • Silver: 2012 London (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • World Judo Championships:
      • Silver: 2009 Rotterdam (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Bronze: 2010 Tokyo (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Silver: 2011 Paris (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • Asian Games:
      • Silver: 2010 Guangzhou (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • Asian Judo Championships:
      • Gold: 2008 Jeju (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • Judo World Masters:
      • Silver: 2010 Suwon (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Bronze: 2012 Almaty (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • IJF Grand Slam:
      • Gold: 2010 Rio de Janeiro (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Silver: 2009 Rio de Janeiro (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Silver: 2009 Tokyo (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Bronze: 2011 Rio de Janeiro (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Bronze: 2011 Tokyo (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • IJF Grand Prix:
      • Gold: 2011 Düsseldorf (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Silver: 2010 Düsseldorf (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Bronze: 2009 Hamburg (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • World Juniors Championships:
      • Bronze: 2004 Budapest (under 132 lb (60 kg))
    • Asian Junior Championships:
      • Gold: 2003 Macau (under 132 lb (60 kg))
      • Career Highlights (Chronological List):**
        • 1999: 2nd place, National Junior High School Judo Tournament
        • 2001: 3rd place, All Japan Junior Judo Championships
        • 2002: Winner, German Junior International; Winner, Inter-High School Championships; 3rd place, All Japan Junior Judo Championships
        • 2003: Winner, Belgium International; Winner, Polish Junior International; Winner, All Japan Student Weight Category Championships; Winner, Asian Junior Championships
        • 2004: Winner, Czech International; 3rd place, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; 3rd place, World Junior Championships; 2nd place, Kodokan Cup All Japan Judo Weight Category Championships
        • 2005: 3rd place, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; Winner, German Open International
        • 2006: 2nd place, Georgia International; 2nd place, France International; 2nd place, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; Winner, East Asian Championships; 3rd place, Kodokan Cup All Japan Judo Weight Category Championships
        • 2007: Winner, Georgia International; 3rd place, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; Winner, World Team Championships; Winner, Kano Cup Tokyo International Tournament
        • 2008: Winner, France International; 3rd place, Austria International; Winner, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; Winner, Asian Championships
        • 2009: 3rd place, Grand Prix Hamburg; Winner, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; 2nd place, Grand Slam Rio; 2nd place, World Championships; 2nd place, Grand Slam Tokyo
        • 2010: 2nd place, World Masters; 2nd place, Grand Prix Düsseldorf; Winner, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; Winner, Grand Slam Rio; 3rd place, World Championships; 2nd place, Asian Games
        • 2011: Winner, Grand Prix Düsseldorf; Winner, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; 3rd place, Grand Slam Rio; 2nd place, World Championships; 3rd place, Kodokan Cup; 3rd place, Grand Slam Tokyo
        • 2012: 3rd place, World Masters; Winner, All Japan Selected Weight Category Championships; 2nd place, London Olympics
        • 2015: Winner, All Japan Business Judo Individual Championships (under 146 lb (66 kg)); 7th place, Kodokan Cup
        • Head-to-Head Records against Notable Opponents:**
        Head-to-Head Records
        NationalityOpponentRecord

        link=Uzbekistan
        link=Uzbekistan

        		Rishod Sobirov3 wins, 4 losses

        link=Ukraine
        link=Ukraine

        		Georgii Zantaraia1 win, 2 losses

        link=Russia
        link=Russia

        		Arsen Galstyan3 wins, 3 losses

        link=Azerbaijan
        link=Azerbaijan

        		Ilgar Mushkiyev1 win

        link=Mongolia
        link=Mongolia

        		Dawadorj Tumurkhuleg1 win

        link=South Korea
        link=South Korea

        		Choi Gwang-hyeon3 wins