Ryoko Tani retires from judo

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ryoko Tani has announced her retirement from judo.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tani said that she decided to step back from the frontlines of the sport.

Tani, aged 35, is a towering figure in judo, having won the World Championships 7 times. She has also appeared in 5 consecutive Olympics, winning gold medals at the 2000 Games in Sydney and the 2004 Games in Athens.

After the 2008 Beijing Olympics when she gained a bronze medal, Tani took leave from competitive judo to have a second child and to recover from an injury.

In July this year, she ran in the Upper House election as a candidate for the governing Democratic Party of Japan, and won a seat in the Diet.

At that time, Tani had expressed willingness to continue her judo career, saying she would aim for a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.