Yojiro Uetake

Yojiro Uetake (上武 洋次郎, Uetake Yōjirō, born January 12, 1943) is a Japanese wrestler and Olympic champion in Freestyle wrestling. He was introduced into the FILA Hall of Fame in 2005.[1] He is considered the greatest wrestler in the history of Oklahoma State University, being the only Cowboy to have gone undefeated for the entirety of his college career. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.[2]

Yojiro Uetake
Medal record
Representing  Japan
Men's Freestyle wrestling
Olympic Games
1964 TokyoBantamweight
1968 Mexico CityBantamweight

Life and career

Uetake had originally hoped to learn judo, but was considered too light. He became a high school wrestling champion. The commissioner of the Japanese Wrestling Federation sent Uetake to the Oklahoma State University as a promise to head coach Myron Roderick. Roderick considered him "by far the best wrestler he ever saw or coached". Later he went back to Japan as a coach.[3]

Olympics

Uetake competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo where he received a gold medal in Freestyle wrestling, the bantamweight class.[4]

He also received a gold medal in 1968.[5] Despite suffering a separated shoulder in the second round while trailing 0-2, Uetake managed to even the score at 2-2 and end up with the gold medal in the 57 kg division.

References
  1. "Kevin Jackson, Yojiro Uetake among 11 inducted into FILA Wrestling Hall of Fame". TheMat.com. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06.
  2. "THE GREATEST EVER: Japanese import Uetake honored by Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  3. "Two-Time Olympic Champion Wrestler Yojiro Uetake Part 2: Born in Japan, Made in America". theolympians.co. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  4. "1964 Summer Olympics – Tokyo, Japan – Wrestling" Archived 2007-08-26 at the Wayback Machine databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on September 2, 2008)
  5. "1968 Summer Olympics – Mexico City, Mexico – Wrestling" Archived 2008-09-29 at the Wayback Machine databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on September 2, 2008)


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