Arisa Tsubata: From Nurse to Olympic Boxer
How the pandemic almost knocked the dream out of her
Once a humble nurse on the outskirts of Tokyo, Arisa Tsubata has pulled herself back into the spotlight. While the world was stuck behind masks, Arisa’s ambition to box at the Olympics hit a roadblock. Qualifying bouts were canceled, and the rules for spot allocation were rewritten faster than a nurse can rustle up a triage chart.
Friday, July 23 – the Opening Ceremony that taught grit
On the day the Games officially opened, Arisa made an unlikely splash: she was a solitary runner on a treadmill at the ceremony. It was a gutsy nod to how athletes had to train in isolation, all while keeping the team spirit alive.
The Struggle and the Comeback
- COVID‑19 slowdown: Lockdowns punched the pulse of international boks—making it hard to secure a spot.
- New qualifying criteria: Old school was flipped, forcing someone like Arisa to regroup.
- An Olympic dream: Despite the chaos, she kept the fire lit, turning her nursing expertise into a tactical advantage in the ring.
Where Tokyo Organisers Meet the Pandemic Hurdle
Organisers are juggling everything from athlete safety to spectator limits, all while keeping the Games alive. In this juggling act, Arisa’s story shines as a beacon of perseverance.
Moving Forward
With a heart full of hope and a fist that’s ready to punch, Arisa’s future in the boxing ring looks brighter than ever. She’s proving that even pandemics can’t stop the hustle.
<img alt="" data-caption="Arisa Tsubata, a nurse and a boxer, practices with her work colleague Yuki Yamashita, a karate practitioner and the head doctor at the the Life Support psychiatric clinic, where they work, during a morning training session at the gym inside the clinic in Tokyo, Japan, April 19, 2021. Tsubata has trained around her work shifts for over a year to prepare for a final Olympic boxing qualifier in the hope of making it to the Tokyo Games this summer. That dream was shattered earlier this year after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to cancel the boxing qualifiers due to take place in June and to allocate spots based on the rankings of recent years instead. "I can't say I am aiming for the next Olympics in Paris, but what I can do is try to keep working hard step by step, at any competitions ahead, small or big," Tsubata said.
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From Hospital Hero to Olympic Stage Sensation
Meet 26‑year‑old Nurse Tsubata, who’s traded a high‑pressure hospital shift for a quieter gig at a psychiatric clinic – all in order to chase her boxing bliss.
Midnight Training, Day‑Long Dreams
- January: Quits the major hospital to take a lower‑pay, less‑burning role.
- May: Grabs a pep‑talk from Reuters about her Olympic frustration.
- July: Nashes six rehearsal sessions – “I kept it to my parents.”
- August: Performs at the Paris‑style opening ceremony, spinning the “treadmill treadmill” vibes into a that-centimillion‑club meme.
Why the Olympics? Why the Heart?
She told us, standing amid the roar of the National Stadium, “I came in as a performer, but I am dying to compete next time.” She’s eyeing the medal spotlight like a bright‑colour bubble float on the river of her life.
Feelings on the Frame
A Twitter watcher dubbed the treadmill scene “the perfect metaphor for 2020‑21.” But Tsubata says, “I basically prepped to get excited, not nervous. I want to push people to go forward with a “small fragment” of the energy I shared.”
What’s Next?
She’s ready to swing into her next competition – with her heels on the ground, not the Paris Olympics of 2024, but rather whatever rings she can touch today.
