BIRIBO Kinaua

General
LATE BLOOMER
She first became involved in judo in 2019 having previously wrestled. She made her international debut at the 2021 Grand Slam event in Kazan, Russian Federation. "Judo is a whole new world for me. Most in my country don't know the sport, even though it is a worldwide sport. Training is tough, which I expected, and every day is a learning opportunity. Most participants [at her training base in Japan] are very talented, knowledgeable, and experienced; whilst I am a beginner coming from a small island. I am so proud to represent Kiribati on the international stage. I saw the flag of my country hanging up when I entered the arena in Kazan. It was very moving. It is difficult to imagine what that represents and I want to tell all the inhabitants of Kiribati to do judo because it allows us to discover the world and to set a new frontier." (ijf.org, 07 May 2021; Humans of Kiribati Facebook page, 28 Jul 2020)

LIVING IN JAPAN
In early 2020 she went to Japan intending to train there for one month, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic she became stuck in Japan. "A little over a year ago [speaking in May 2021], I had the opportunity to go to Japan to train for a month, but with the explosion of the global pandemic, the month became two, then three and I am now stranded there. I cannot go home. The borders are closed. I really like Japanese culture and especially the food. It's so good for your health. On the other hand, all these mountains, it's complicated for me, coming from a country which barely exceeds the surface of the ocean and which is threatened by the rising waters." (ijf.org, 07 May 2021; osfoceania.org, 16 Aug 2020; Humans of Kiribati Facebook page, 28 Jul 2020; bpa.org.ki, 17 Feb 2020)