Katsutoshi Naito

1924 Paris Olympics

  • NUMBER OF PENN STATERS COMPETING: 7
  • NUMBER OF PENN STATERS IN ALL ROLES: 7
  • NUMBER OF OLYMPIC ALTERNATES: 1

 

Five track and field stars working under Nate Cartmell at Penn State competed for the U.S. Olympic team for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Alan Helffrich claimed a gold medal as the anchor of a world-record setting 4×400-meter relay team. Arthur Studenroth earned a silver medal in cross-country as part of the U.S. team effort. Schuyler Enck took bronze in the 800-meter race, as did Bill Cox in the 3000-meter team relay. John Romig just missed out on a podium spot, finishing fourth in the 5000-meter race.

 

Profile: Katsutoshi Naito

Katsutoshi Naito
Katsutoshi Naito in wrestling pose (Pennsylvania State University, Intercollegiate Athletics, Athlete and Athletics personnel files)

But perhaps the most influential member of the Penn State community to compete in 1924 participated neither on the track nor for the United States. Hiroshima native Katsutoshi Naito was a trailblazer in many regards, enrolling in 1921 on a foreign student scholarship as the first Japanese student to attend Penn State University. Earning a spot on the wrestling team as a junior, the judo expert and agriculture student finished second at the 135-pound weight class in his first year of varsity competition. Selected as captain of the team in his senior season, Naito finished undefeated with only one draw and became the first Japanese wrestler to win the intercollegiate championship.

On the heels of his success in the championship tournament at Yale University, Naito learned in April 1924 that he had been selected as one of three wrestlers to compete for Japan at the 1924 Paris Olympics when Japanese Ambassador Hanihara wrote to Penn State President John M. Thomas to announce the news. The selection broke another barrier as Naito became the first foreign representative of a Penn State sports team to compete for his country at the Olympic Games.

Despite injuring his hand while training on the ocean crossing to France, Naito wrestled well enough in the freestyle category to secure the bronze medal. In the process, Naito also became the first Japanese athlete to win a medal in any event at the Olympics. After graduation, Naito briefly returned to Japan before immigrating to Brazil. Naito’s legacy continued in South America, where he is credited with introducing judo and kendo to Brazil. The Japanese trailblazer also put his Penn State degree to good use, building a successful business over four decades and serving for a period as the president of the Brazil Horticulture Association before his death in 1969.

 

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