TOKYO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japan's three-time Olympic wrestling champion Saori Yoshida said Thursday that she has no regrets as she announced her retirement two days ago, and expressed her hope to help with young Japanese wrestlers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The wrestling legend said she had "done everything she wants to do in wrestling" at a press conference in Tokyo.
"I took this long (to decide on my retirement) because there was a part of me that wanted to compete at the Olympics at home and because people have rooted for me to make up for the silver that I finished with in (2016) Rio," Yoshida said.
"But, when looking back, I knew I did everything I wanted to do," she said.
The 36-year-old, a 13-time world champion, announced her retirement on Twitter on Tuesday.
"I have been able to do my best as an active wrestler because of the cheers and support from many people," she said.
Yoshida has won championships in the women's 55-kg division consecutively at three Summer Games between 2004 and 2012, but has not competed since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where she fell short of a fourth-straight Olympic gold medal with an unexpected loss in the final, settling for silver in the 53-kg division.
As one of the most successful freestyle wrestlers in the world, Yoshida remained almost undefeated since making her senior-level international debut in 2002.
She has won 16 straight titles at the Olympics and World Championships, the longest record in the sport's history.
