The 16-year-old Takahashi went to her mother’s home province of Davao when she was 10 and that’s when she developed her love for Filipino food.
“My favorite is steak. But I also love pancit and lechon,” said the senior high school student at Shukugawa Gakuin High School.
She was the youngest gold winner for Team Philippines after winning the women’s -70-kilogram gold Sunday in the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.
“My strength is in-born. My father influenced me,” she said through judo officials Lorna and Takeshi Nakano. The Nakanos are parents of bronze winners Shugen and Keisei.
Takahashi honed her skills in Hyogo, a district in Japan which has a very strong women’s judo team.
Her father played judo for Aichi district and he helped his only child Mariya learn the ropes.
But back in the district level, Takahashi said her best achievement was only second place.
In this SEA Games, however, she’s the No. 1.
source: sports.inquirer.net
