Kevin Asano
Encyclopedia
Kevin Yoshimi Asano is a retired judoka from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, who won the silver medal in the men's extra-lightweight competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

. On his way to capturing the medal he beat Shinji Hosokawa
Shinji Hosokawa
is a retired Japanese judoka who won two Olympic medals during the 1980s.-Biography:Hosokawa began judo in junior-high school, and won the Japanese inter-high school judo competition in 1977...

, who was the reigning world champion and 1984 Gold Medalist. Asano came close to winning the gold medal, but lost it on a one-point penalty to Kim Jae-Yup
Kim Jae-Yup
Kim Jae-Yup is a retired South Korean judoka.At the age of 19, he became runner-up in the extra-lightweight division in the 1984 LA Olympics, losing to Shinji Hosokawa of Japan, who was the resigning world champion, by ippon.But three years later, Kim went up against Hosokawa in the final again...

 of South Korea.

Personal life

Asano graduated from Pearl City High School
Pearl City High School (Hawaii)
-Basic Information:Pearl City High School And Pearl Grammar School - Taunsa Campus is located in the Waimalu CDP in the City and County of Honolulu in the state of Hawai'i, adjacent to the Pearl City CDP....

 in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 in 1981, and went on to study at San José State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...

 where he graduated in 1990 in Accounting. In 2008, Kevin Asano's autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...

, Step Onto the Mat: Journey to True Success, was published by White Mountain Castle Publishing, LLC
White Mountain Castle Publishing, LLC
White Mountain Castle Publishing, LLC is a private publishing company in Hawaii. It originated in 1996 under the non-profit organization Jesus Christ Is Calling You Evangelistic Ministry, Inc. with Paradise Calls: Spellbinding Story of Hawaii's Evangelist, an autobiography featuring the survival...

. He co-founded Pacific Wealth Strategies, LLC, a financial planning organization. He has served as President of Hawaii Judo, Inc., the state judo governing body.

Awards and honors

USA Judo announced Kevin Asano among its inaugural Hall of Fame inductees in 2008 along with Edward Liddie
Edward Liddie
Edward J. Liddie is an American former judoka. He represented his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and was the bronze medalist in the men's extra-lightweight division . He also won judo medals at the Pan American Games in 1979 and 1991.-References: *...

, Mike Swain
Mike Swain
Michael Lee Swain is one of the most successful American judokas. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984.- Biography :...

 and Jimmy Pedro
Jimmy Pedro
James A. Pedro is one of the most successful American judo competitors ever, having even won two bronze medals in the Olympics.Pedro was the World Champion at 73 kg in 1998...

. He is also a member of the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame 2000 inductees is also a member of the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame. In 1988, Asano was named the US Olympic Committee's US Judo Athlete of the Year.

Books authored

Asano has authored the following book:
  • Step Onto the Mat (White Mountain Castle Publishing, LLC, 2008) ISBN 978-098152-191-6

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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