Osamu Watanabe

{{short description|Japanese freestyle wrestler}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name =

| image =Osamu_Watanabe_1964b.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Osamu Watanabe at the 1964 Olympics

| birth_name =

| fullname =

| nationality =

| residence =

|birth_date ={{birth date|1940|10|21}}

| birth_place = Wassamu, Hokkaido, Japan

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|10|1|1940|10|21}}

| death_place = Tokyo, Japan

| height = {{convert|1.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|63|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| country =

| sport =Freestyle wrestling

| club =

| retired =

| olympics =

| highestranking =

| alma_mater=Chuo University

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{JPN}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }}

File:Olympic rings.svg

{{MedalGold|1964 Tokyo|63 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships }}

{{MedalGold|1962 Toledo|63 kg}}

{{MedalGold|1963 Sofia|63 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition|Asian Games}}

{{MedalGold|1962 Jakarta|63 kg}}

}}

{{Nihongo|Osamu Watanabe|渡辺 長武|Watanabe Osamu|October 21, 1940 – October 1, 2022}} was a Japanese freestyle wrestler. In 1962, he debuted internationally and retired shortly after the 1964 Olympics. During his brief career Watanabe won all his few hundred bouts. He is considered one of the best wrestlers in Olympic history.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/news/flawless-watanabe-secures-featherweight-wrestling-gold|title=FLAWLESS WATANABE SECURES FEATHERWEIGHT WRESTLING GOLD|publisher=olympic.org|access-date=2019-10-12}}

In the early 2000s Watanabe resumed competing internationally in the masters category. He died of a heart attack on October 1, 2022.[https://www.sankei.com/article/20230511-LTBSC6MLGJLTBLPRIMFNJXPA44/ 渡辺長武さんが死去、心臓発作で 64年東京五輪金メダリスト レスリング協会発表] {{in lang|ja}}