By Jesika Henson
[email protected]
After placing first on April 26 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) judo 220 pound weight class, Senior Dayton Furuta shifted his focus to his next challenge: the state championship title.
“(It) felt good (to win). Just wish more of my teammates could have won first as well,” said Furuta, “But this tournament doesn’t mean a whole bunch to me. My goal is to become the state champion.”
Furuta’s drive to win state champion is an effort recognized by both coaches and teammates, who have supported him throughout his journey in judo. “I would love to see (Furuta) win the rest of his matches this season and win that state championship,” said coach Shiloh Aiu, “I definitely don’t want to jinx it, but I strongly believe he has everything that it takes to win and I will be standing there mat side ready to give him a hug when he does it.” Teammate Senior Tristan Murayama added, “(Furuta’s) attitude at tournaments is different compared to the rest of the team. He’s always confident, never nervous and always smiling. Though he has the talent and skill, his attitude for the sport embodies the way he plays.”
Furuta’s success this past season is recognized by his team, inspiring them to follow in his footsteps. “(Furuta) is a work horse and our top motivator on the team. He’s very vocal and keeps the intensity high. His interactions with his teammates are always positive,” said Aiu. Murayama added, “(Furuta) is an amazing player and keeps the team alive at practice. He works hard at practice and performs well at tournaments. To see him do well throughout the season makes me inspired to perform better.”
Practice makes perfect and Furuta makes time in which he can better himself as an athlete, both in and out of school, although it is sometimes difficult to balance his athletic and academic schedules. “We practice Monday through Friday, and our tournaments are usually on Saturdays (and) my dad and I lift at home to get myself stronger overall,” explained Furuta.
Furuta competed in the state championships this past weekend on May 10.
