Seiko Yamamoto is a highly successful Japanese wrestler and grappler, famous for his ability to dominate the sport. She became a four-time World Wrestling Champion and a two-time Asian Wrestling Champion.
Coming from a family of wrestlers, her father and siblings were all famous athletes, which helped shape her career.
In addition to her achievements on the mat, she also gained public attention thanks to her marriage to Yu Darvish, a Major League Baseball pitcher.
Seiko’s transition from an active wrestling career to coaching has allowed her to continue to have an impact on the sport, especially in her role on the United States Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Team.
File
- – Full name: Seiko Yamamoto
- – Date of birth: August 22, 1980
- – Age: 44 years old
- – Gender: Female
- – Place of birth: Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- – Nationality: Japanese
- – Occupation: Wrestler, coach
- – Height: 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm)
- – Parents: Ikuei Yamamoto (father)
- – Siblings: Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (older brother), Miyuu Yamamoto (sister)
- – Spouse: Yu Darvish (m. 2016), previously married to Hideaki Nagashima (m. 2006, div. 2014)
- – Children: Five
- – Relationship status: Married
- – Religion: Not applicable
- – Ethnicity: Japanese
- – Net worth: 1 million USD
Early life and education
Seiko Yamamoto was born on August 22, 1980 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan and is 44 years old this year. She grew up in a family with a deep wrestling tradition; Her father, Ikuei Yamamoto, was an Olympic wrestler, and her siblings, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Miyuu Yamamoto, also pursued martial arts careers.
Seiko was soon immersed in the world of wrestling and began training under her father’s guidance. She attended Tokiwamatsu Gakuen middle and high school before attending Nihon University, where she completed her studies. Her ethnicity is Japanese, and although details about her religion are unknown, her family’s dedication to wrestling shaped her from an early age.
Personal life
Seiko Yamamoto’s personal life has had important milestones, especially in her two marriages. She first married handball player Hideaki Nagashima in 2006 and the couple has a son together.
However, they divorced in 2014. Seiko began a relationship with professional baseball pitcher Yu Darvish the following year, with whom she welcomed a son in 2015.
The couple married in 2016 and expanded their family to four sons and a daughter. Seiko and Yu maintain a relatively private life, balancing career and family. Their home is currently based in Evanston, Illinois.
Career
Seiko Yamamoto’s wrestling career is nothing special. She is a four-time World Wrestling Champion, winning the title from 1999 to 2003, and is a two-time Asian Wrestling Champion. Her dominance in women’s wrestling made her one of the most respected athletes in the sport.
However, she faced a significant setback when she lost to Saori Yoshida in the Queen’s Japan Cup, which prevented her from competing at the 2004 Olympics. After leaving professional wrestling, Seiko ventured into into the field of training.
She played a key role in establishing the United States Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Team and her coaching tenure saw Helen Maroulis win the first Olympic gold medal for an American female wrestler at the Games Rio 2016.
Seiko also competed in grappling, winning a gold medal at the ADCC Asia and Ocean Championships and a bronze medal at the 2013 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships.
Prize
- – 4 times world wrestling champion (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
- – Two-time Asian wrestling champion (1997, 2006)
- – ADCC Asian and Oceanic Wrestling Champion (2013)
- – Bronze medal, ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship (2013)
- – Tokyo Sports Wrestling Special Award (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
Net worth
Seiko Yamamoto’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million. Her wealth mainly comes from her successful wrestling career and coaching role. In addition to her income as an athlete, her marriage to Yu Darvish, a famous MLB player, may have contributed to her financial stability.
Social Media
