Paris Olympics hopeful Ryuju Nagayama topped the podium Friday as Japan claimed three gold medals on the opening day of judo's Hungary Masters.
Nagayama was victorious in the men's 60-kilogram class, and Wakana Koga took women's 48-kg gold, while Ryoma Tanaka won the men's 66 kg.
Nagayama scored two waza-ari to beat Mongolia's Enkhtaivan Ariunbold in the final after Tokyo Games gold medalist and Paris Olympic selection front-runner Naohisa Takato took bronze in the wake of a quarterfinal defeat.
"While being careful of mistakes, I wanted to aim for throws with attacking judo in the final," said Nagayama, who won four of his five matches by ippon. "I was able to finish the match at my own pace."
The 27-year-old Nagayama needs to make up ground if he is to earn an Olympic berth, but he was bullish about his chance after the victory in Budapest.
"I'm going make sure I get ahead and win selection," he said.
Koga beat Maria Celia Laborde of the United States by ippon in the women's 48-kg final, while Tanaka also scored ippon to defeat Romania's Denis Vieru for men's 66-kg gold.
The All Japan Judo Federation in late June named Tokyo Olympic gold medal-winning siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe as Paris Games representatives in the men's 66-kg and women's 52-kg classes, respectively, among four early qualifiers for 2024.
Three-time women's 48-kg defending world champion Natsumi Tsunoda and first-time 70-kg world champion Saki Niizoe were also handed early tickets to Paris.
