<h3>The absolute ace of the fencing world who won a team bronze medal at the Paris Olympics</h3>
<figure id="attachment_409186" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1512px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409186"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5000c941"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/4c4edb0b44cd17b32498003cfa253c37-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409186" class="wp-caption-text">Taking the camera from our magazine&#8217;s photographer, they said, &#8220;It takes beautiful photos!&#8221; showing their excitement. The medalist is also passionate about their hobbies.</figcaption></figure>
Wearing heavy armor and thrusting swords equipped with sensors, fencing is a sport known for its mechanical nature. In stark contrast, shining with golden hair, it was Misaki Emura (26), the ace of the women&#8217;s sabre team, who dominated the sports world in 2024.
She was entrusted with the important role of flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics last year, and won a bronze medal with the women&#8217;s team. She also appeared on New Year&#8217;s Day’s Celebrity Ranking Check! (broadcasted by TV Asahi), and was in high demand for TV specials during the holiday season. Her blonde hair became her trademark, and now, it’s not something she can easily let go of.
&#8220;As of now, I don’t plan to change my high-tone hair color. I thought I might stop once I got tired of it, but I haven’t gotten tired of it at all (laughs).&#8221;
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<h3>The unexpected reason for her becoming blonde.</h3>
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She first dyed her hair blonde two and a half years ago.
&#8220;After the Tokyo Olympics, I kept going. My energy didn’t stop.&#8221;
At her first Olympic Games, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), she was eliminated in the second round of the individual event (13th place) and finished fifth in the team event. The phrase my energy didn’t stop is something that might be hard for anyone but the athlete herself to understand.
&#8220;I was super frustrated, but at the same time, I thought, maybe I could have beaten the medalists, maybe I could have gotten a medal myself. That gave me hope and energy, and I didn’t feel like resting at all. So, I kept practicing even after the tournament, but one day, I suddenly burned out. I decided to take a break and thought about what could refresh me, and that’s when I thought of dyeing my hair blonde.&#8221;
She was prepared to face criticism from people within the fencing community, but there was no backlash, and on the contrary, it was well-received.
&#8220;I didn’t just want to stand out; it was part of my love for fashion. I just wanted to enjoy it.&#8221;
Emura is Japan&#8217;s first professional athlete in fencing. She is not tied to a particular company, so there are no restrictions on activities outside of competitions. However, there is the risk that if her results don’t match up, she might lose sponsorships.
&#8220;If people don’t want to support me, I won’t even have the funds to go on overseas trips. But maybe that’s just the kind of person I am.&#8221;
After the Tokyo Olympics, Emura made a fresh start, and her results improved. She won back-to-back World Championship titles in 2022 and 2023, becoming the face of the fencing world.
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="He was entrusted with the great role of flag bearer for the Japanese team..."></div>
<figure id="attachment_409188" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409188"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="effbf510"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/5085906db8932797287140074a2ba243-2.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409188" class="wp-caption-text">Emura Misaki / Born in 1998, Oita Prefecture. After graduating from Ohara Gakuen High School, she went on to graduate from the Faculty of Law at Chuo University. She became the first professional fencer in Japan. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she was eliminated in the second round of the individual event and placed fifth in the team event. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she was eliminated in the third round of the individual event and won a bronze medal in the team event.</figcaption></figure>
In May 2024, she was appointed as the sports ambassador for the luxury brand &#8216;DIOR,&#8217; and modeling opportunities started coming her way.
&#8220;I was surprised. I thought, &#8216;Are you sure it&#8217;s me?&#8217; (laughs). I had never said I liked DIOR before, and I had never worn expensive clothes myself. Later, I found out that the current head designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri (60), is apparently a fan of fencing, and she offered me the opportunity.
I&#8217;ve always been conscious of the fusion between sports and fashion, often wearing earrings, necklaces, and rings on my left hand when not holding a sword. Maybe those aspects resonated with them.&#8221;
<h3>The role of flag bearer was not a burden</h3>
Additionally, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she was assigned the significant role of flag bearer for the Japanese team, following the same honor at the 2023 Asian Games. This reflects the high expectations the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) had for the world champion, Emura.
&#8220;It wasn’t a burden. The JOC took great care to ensure it didn’t add to the pressure of the competition, and I personally didn’t let being the flag bearer affect my approach to the event. But after it was over, I definitely felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.&#8221;
Even during her second Olympics, there were moments of regret. In the individual event, where gold medal expectations were high, she was eliminated in the third round.
&#8220;Did I give it my all? I still question that. To put it simply, I wasn’t fully prepared. Looking at it from a long-term perspective, I think there were things I could have done better in Japan. Also, after entering the Olympic Village in Paris, I had trouble sleeping, which affected my ability to adjust my condition on the day of the match.&#8221;
However, the impact of bringing home the bronze medal in the women’s team event was significant.
&#8220;I don’t think medals are everything. But in terms of making those who supported me happy by bringing them a medal to celebrate, I’m glad I was able to bring one back.&#8221;
At the Paris Olympics, the Japanese fencing team achieved remarkable success, winning two golds, one silver, and two bronzes. Emura’s media appearances surged, likely because of the increased attention on the sport itself.
&#8220;Even when I performed as well as the other athletes in different sports, there were few opportunities to have fencing highlighted. Many people learned for the first time that fencing has three events (epée, foil, sabre). I’m honestly happy about that.&#8221;
Athletes shine brightest and appear most beautiful during their competition. However, in fencing, the mask conceals their expressions. That’s why, when Emura removed her mask after a match, her striking blond hair and dignified expression created a powerful contrast that captivated the nation.
<h3>Thoughts on the Los Angeles Olympics</h3>
Emura has already stated that he is aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2008.
I want to make it to Los Angeles as if it were my last,&#8221; he said. My goal is to win both individual and team gold medals. I took a good break from fencing for about three weeks after the competition this time, taking advantage of what I learned from the last time I competed. Short?　No, no, this is still the longest vacation ever (laughs).
During the break, he traveled to Hokkaido and &#8220;ate as much as I wanted,&#8221; he said, and also met with people he had been estranged from for some time.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="I want to run through the Los Angeles Olympics."></div>
<h3>Thoughts on the Los Angeles Olympics</h3>
Emura has already declared her intention to aim for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
&#8220;I want to go all out, with the feeling that Los Angeles might be my last. My goal is to win gold medals in both the individual and team events. Learning from my past experience, this time I took about three weeks off from fencing after the competition to rest properly. Is that short? No, no, this is actually the longest break I&#8217;ve ever taken (laughs).&#8221;
During her brief vacation, she traveled to Hokkaido and said, &#8220;I ate as much of my favorite food as I wanted,&#8221; and also reconnected with people she hadn&#8217;t seen in a while to recharge.
 
<h3>&#8220;It might be that my personality has become brighter.&#8221;</h3>
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Before a match, she listens to Chanmina&#8217;s music, which she usually enjoys. Her hobby is using a mirrorless camera.
&#8220;I love taking pictures of objects, like capturing my favorite items in a cute way, or taking shots at cafes. I feel like the depth is completely different from a smartphone camera.&#8221;
On her YouTube channel, she mentioned, &#8220;I love taking photos with my camera, but I’m not great at being in front of the camera.&#8221; Because of this, she had a cool impression before meeting, but upon meeting in person, she was very approachable, and instead, people found her to be friendly.
&#8220;Maybe my personality has become brighter than before.&#8221;
As the face of fencing and a medalist, it seems her standing has only amplified her charm.
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<figure id="attachment_409190" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1667px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409190"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="56824740"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/7e43340d1785dab4135a20c3a5c63ec6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409190" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished Cut: Misaki Emura, the &#8220;Blonde Fencer,&#8221; Resolves to &#8220;Keep Running Until the 2028 LA Olympics.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409191" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1667px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409191"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f42a6f28"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/09f02fc9287dd3b22571d85fc1edd92f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409191" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished Cut: Misaki Emura, the &#8220;Blonde Fencer,&#8221; Resolves to &#8220;Keep Running Until the 2028 LA Olympics.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
From the “FRIDAY” January 24–31, 2025 Issue

 Yuji Yanagawa (nonfiction writer)

 Hiroyuki Komatsu

 Misaki Emura, a fencer with golden hair, swept the sports world in 2012. She was entrusted with the major role of flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, and won the bronze medal in the women's team competition. She talks about the surprising reason why she dyed her hair and her thoughts on the L.A. Olympics.

Misaki Emura Sets Sights on 2028 LA Olympics

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