Japanese Olympic superfan back with a bang in Paris after missing Tokyo games

Japanese superfan Kyoko Ishikawa attends the judo of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Champ-de-Mars Arena, in Paris on July 27, 2024. — Photo: Jack Guez/AFP

Japanese Olympic superfan Kyoko Ishikawa had to watch the Tokyo Games from her couch three years ago, but she is back with a flag-waving, whistle-blowing bang in Paris.

The 54-year-old businesswoman had not missed a Summer Games since 1992 until a pandemic-enforced spectator ban meant she had to watch an Olympics taking place in her home city on TV.