Brazilian judoka Luiz Yoshio Onmura died on Friday night (1), aged 64, in the city of Santos, where he lived, on the coast of São Paulo. Olympic bronze medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Onmura was diagnosed with cancer in 2022.
Born on June 29, 1960, in São Paulo, Onmura began his career in the traditional dojô of Vila Sônia. A student of sensei Massao Shinohara, the only 10th Dan in Brazil, he participated in three Olympic Games: Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988.
Luiz Yoshio Onmura won bronze in the lightweight category – up to 71 kg – during the 1984 edition, putting an end to Brazil’s 12-year drought since the first medal in the sport, won by Chiaki Ishii, in Munich 1972. He was also a silver medalist in three editions of the Pan American Games – San Juan 1979, Caracas 1983 and Indianapolis 1987.
In his career in Olympic sport, the judoka was also two-time champion of the Pan-American Championship, in 1980 and 1988, and South American champion in 1979. The former athlete also represented the Flamengo club and was also an eight-time Brazilian champion. , five-time champion of São Paulo and São Paulo.
The CBJ (Brazilian Judo Confederation) lamented the death of the former athlete this Saturday (2). In a statement, he highlighted him as the first Olympic medalist born in Brazil. “It is a moment of great sadness and consternation. On behalf of Brazilian judo, I send my sincere condolences to the family, friends, students of Luiz Onmura, who was a warrior in his last fight, the most difficult, I believe, against cancer” , said the president of CBJ, Silvio Acácio Borges.
The entity will pay tribute to the memory and legacy of Luiz Onmura this weekend, during the Brazil Judo Trophy, which takes place in Belo Horizonte, with the participation of the main Brazilian judokas. “We will forever remember his achievements, which gave great joy to the judo family and the Brazilian people. His legacy will be eternal”, concluded Acácio Borges.
The São Paulo Judo Federation spoke of deep regret over the death of Onmura, considered an icon of his generation. “Sensei Onmura leaves an invaluable legacy for national judo, not only for the achievements that elevated Brazil to the highest levels of the sport, but also for the example of strength, dedication and character that he always transmitted to those who had the privilege of knowing his trajectory” , says the entity.
In a note, the federation also recalls that Onmura trained talents in the sport, being one of the greatest exponents of São Paulo and Brazilian judo. “His absence leaves an irreparable gap in the judo community and in the lives of those he loved, especially his wife and daughters”, adds the São Paulo entity.
Diagnosis
With the end of his athletic career, Onmura took the exam for the São Paulo Civil Police, where he worked as a shooting instructor and defense teacher until his retirement.
The cancer diagnosis came in 2022. During a dental implant, the sensei discovered a lesion on the tongue, later diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. It is the second most common type of skin cancer, after basal cell carcinoma.
With the progression of the disease and the financial difficulties that worsened, Luiz Onmura and his wife, Stefania Ribeiro da Silva Onmura, with whom the former athlete leaves two daughters, Giulia Onmura and Yumi Ribeiro Onmura, began to count on the help of judokas , who promoted at least two online fundraising campaigns in support of the Olympic medalist’s oncological treatment.
