3-TIME WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMP YAMAMOTO TO MAKE BID FOR 2012 OG

TOKYO (June 15) – Miyu Yamamoto, who won her first world title at the tender age of 17 in 1991, has told reporters that she will make a bid for a position on the Japanese Olympic team for the 2012 Games in London.

Yamamoto, listed as Miyu Ikeda in the international wrestling database, won world titles in 1991, 1994 and 1995. Yamamoto, who turns 37 in August, last appeared in the world championships in 1998 when she finished with the silver medal.

Yamamoto joins younger sister Seiko Yamamoto in her Olympic quest and actually decided to make a comeback during a training session with Seiko.

Yamamoto will attempt to qualify at 48kg, a category currently owned by reigning world champion Hitomi Sakamoto. Seiko is trying to qualify at 63kg.

Yamamoto said she planned to train in Canada until autumn and will return to Japan for the Japan Women's Open in October in order to qualify for the All-Japan Championships, one of the key qualifiers for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team.

Yamamoto attempted to qualify for the 2004 Olympic squad but lost in the Japan Queens Cup tournament in February of that year and has not wrestled competitively since then.