Akhmetova Amanzhol Snatches Victory From Jaws of Defeat to Stun Mukaida for 53kg Title; Kawai Sisters Strike Gold

Friday, February 21, 2020 - 17:46 By Ken Marantz

NEW DELHI (Feb. 21)—Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) has been around long enough to know anything can happen in wrestling. But the miracle victory she pulled off left her as stunned as anyone.

Akhmetova Amanzhol was on the verge of losing by technical fall in the women’s 53kg final against world silver medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) when, on what would have been a decisive gut wrench, she stepped over and instead snatched a victory by fall and the gold medal on Friday at the Asian Championships.

“Still now, I can’t believe it because I was losing 8-0 and I could make a fall, so I’m happy,” said Akhmetova Amanzhol, who won her fourth career Asian title and first since winning back-to-back golds in 2013 and 2014.

“It’s the same as in 2013, the final was here in New Delhi,” said the 34-year-old mother of two young boys. “And also in that final match I was losing and I used the same technique, but the opponent was Chinese.”

Akhmetova Amanzhol’s gold was one of two captured by Kazakhstan as the final five titles in women’s wrestling were decided.

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), a bronze medalist in 2019, moved to the top of the podium when she capped the evening with a 2-1 win over world U-23 bronze medalist Mei SHINDO (JPN) in the 72kg final.

The day was hardly a disappointing one for Japan, as sisters Risako and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) and Naomi RUIKE (JPN) seized the three other golds at stake as the East Asian powerhouse won the team title with 209 points.

Host India, which picked up a silver and three bronzes after winning three golds the previous day, finished second with 180 points, followed by Kazakhstan in third with 164.

For Mukaida, the loss added to a history of squandered opportunities in major events. She lost in the final seconds of the final at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, then again in the final at last year’s Asian Championships.

What makes this loss doubly disappointing is that the 2018 world 55kg champion was an absolute dynamo in ripping through the competition in New Delhi. But it all came apart with one sudden lapse that she can only look at as a lesson learned heading to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“From my first match, I kept my feet moving, and I feel my mobility was really good this tournament,” Mukaida said. “Even in [the final], I felt I was moving like I want to. But in the end, I was lax in trying to finish off the roll and it ended up as a fall.”

Up to that moment, Akhmetova Amanzhol had no answer as Mukaida used her trademark low single to score a takedown, then added a roll for a 4-0 lead. She then repeated the process to put her within two points of a technical fall.

Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) was down 8-0 when she planted Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) on her back for the fall in the 53kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Mukaida was on the verge of wrapping it up when she launched a gut wrench. But midway through the roll, Akhmetova Amanzhol managed to loosen the grip and step over Mukaida, who was stopped firmly on her back. The Kazakh only needed to clamp down to end the match at 1:48.

“I couldn’t think about what to do,” Akhmetova Amanzhol said of what her thought process was at 8-0 down. “But it’s wrestling. In wrestling, anything can happen.”

Even more amazing is that Akhmetova Amanzhol was competing despite nursing a right knee injury. “I was wrestling carefully because of my knee,” she said. “It might be because of this that the score was 8-0.”

Akhmetova Amanzhol, who took time off over the years for childbirth, was motivated to return by the desire to get back to the Olympics. She appeared at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, placing fifth at 48kg, and will try to earn a spot at the Tokyo Olympics at the Asian Olympic qualifier next month in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

“My motivation is to wrestle in the Olympic Games because once I was in it before,” she said. “The Tokyo Olympics is motivation for me to return to wrestling and win the gold medal for my family, and dedicate it to my children and country.”

Risako KAWAI (JPN) claimed her fourth Asian title wit ha 10-0 win over Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) in the 57kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Risako Kawai, the Rio 2016 and three-time world champion, secured her fourth career Asian gold and first since 2017 by overwhelming Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) in the 57kg by 10-0 technical fall.

Kawai used an arm drag to a single leg takedown, then secured a lace lock and ripped off four unencumbered rolls to win in 1:37.

With the victory, Kawai secured the top spot in the UWW rankings, making her the top seed at the Tokyo Olympics. Not that she puts much stock in that.

“I’m not really keeping that in mind so much,” Kawai said. “In Rio, Sara won the gold as a non-seed, so I’m not making such a big deal out of it,” she said, referring to 68kg gold medalist Sara DOSHO (JPN). “Even so, I’m glad to be No. 1.”

Kawai’s only regret in New Delhi was that women’s wrestling powerhouses China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea withdrew from the tournament due to circumstances related to the new coronavirus outbreak. That kept her from a highly anticipated rematch of the 2019 world final against RONG Ningning (CHN).

“I was hoping to face the Chinese and North Koreans before the Olympics, and try out different techniques,” Kawai said. “But when it comes to matches, things don’t always go as you want. When I get home, I will work on fine-tuning.”

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) defeated Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 5-1, and grabbed her first Asian gold medal. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Kawai was waiting for her medal ceremony when younger sister Yukako took the mat, allowing her to shout advice as the two always do for each other at tournaments. Not that Yukako needed much.

In the final against Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), Kawai picked up the lone point of the first period via the activity clock, then just missed beating the clock herself when she scored a takedown in the second. She added a lace-lock roll to win 5-1 for her first senior Asian title.

In the 65kg final, Ruike improved on her silver medal from 2019 when she scored a spin-behind takedown in the first period, which held up for a 2-0 win over two-time bronze medalist Sakshi MALIK (IND).

The two had faced each other earlier in the day in the group stage, with Ruike notching a 2-1 win in which all points were scored on the activity clock.

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) edged Mei SHINDO (JPN), 2-1, in the 72kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 72kg, Bakbergenova scored a double-leg takedown with 1:40 left and held on to beat Shindo to become the second member of her family to take home a medal. Sister Madina won a bronze at 59kg the previous day.

Meanwhile, world 62kg champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) assured she would not go home empty-handed when she won a bronze medal with an 11-0 technical fall of teenager Sonam SONAM (IND).

Tynybekova had lost her opening match to Yukako Kawai in a rematch of both last year’s Asian final and a second-round clash at the World Championships. Tynybekova had won both previous meetings.

The tournament continues with the start of the men’s freestyle on Saturday, with action in the 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg categories.

Day 4 Results

Women’s Wrestling

53kg (10 entries)
GOLD – Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) df. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) by Fall, 1:48 (2-8)
BRONZE – Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Thi Ly KIEU (VIE) by TF, 10-0, 2:52
BRONZE – Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA df. Chantha THONGART (THA) by Fall, :26 (2-0)

57kg (8 entries)
GOLD – Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 1:37
BRONZE – Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB), 4-1
BRONZE – Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ) df. Thi Huong DAO (VIE) by Fall, 4:15 (4-2)

62kg (8 entries)
GOLD – Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 5-1
BRONZE – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Sonam SONAM (IND) by TF, 11-0, 4:24
BRONZE – Nomin Erdene PURVEE (MGL) df. Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE) by Fall, 1:15 (4-1)

65kg (6 entries)
GOLD – Naomi RUIKE (JPN) df. Sakshi MALIK (IND), 2-0
BRONZE – Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB), 7-4

72kg (6 entries)
GOLD – Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Mei SHINDO (JPN), 2-1
BRONZE – Preet Kaur GURSHARAN (IND) df. Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL), 5-2

#WrestlePontevedra

Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume

Thursday, September 5, 2024 - 23:02 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 5) -- Three minutes and 33 seconds on the mat, 40-0 in four bouts and zero points conceded.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) could not have asked for a better debut at the U20 level as she won the 59kg gold medal at the World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on Thursday.

Ever since her heartbreaking loss in the U17 World Championships final in 2022, Onishi has not looked back and won the U17 and U20 World titles without giving up points. Her title run on Thursday saw her finish the 59kg final against Alexis JANIAK (USA) 10-0 in 43 seconds.

Not that her earlier bouts were any different.

The 18-year-old won her first bout against Elena KUROVA (AIN) 10-0 in a minute, defeated KOMAL (IND) in 34 seconds in the quarterfinals and humbled former U17 world champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) 10-0 in a minute and 16 seconds.

"This was my first win in the U20 category," Onishi said. "I am grateful to my family, friends, and coaches and I wanted to give something back. So I'm honestly really happy that I was able to win.

"I was able to show what I had been practicing, and my challenge this time was to attack aggressively. I was able to accomplish that and win without conceding a point. I'm really satisfied with that."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) used the leg lace as her go-to attack throughout the tournament. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier this year, Onishi joined the Nippon Sports Science University, whose current and former wrestlers won a combined five gold medals at the recently concluded Paris Olympics. In the short period she has been there, Onishi has trained majorly with 53kg Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

"Akari really has nothing but positives for me," she said. "It's been a really short period of time since I entered NSSU, but during that time, I've been able to do various training sessions with them, and it's been an opportunity for me to become stronger."

Before coming to Spain, Onishi made a name for herself in Japan when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (nee KAWAI) in the Meiji Cup in May. She won the gold medal and earned a playoff against Kinjo for the Non-Olympic World Championships next month.

Onishi led 5-0 at the break in the playoff but Kinjo scored two points going behind for a takedown and adding a 2-point exposure to cut the lead to 6-4. With :15 on the clock, Kinjo got in on a single and managed to lift up the leg and expose Onishi's back with eight seconds left, putting her ahead 6-6 on criteria. But Onishi squirmed back to her feet and with a mighty charge, went for a double-leg takedown that forced Kinjo out just as time expired. The referee gave her 1 for a stepout, but after an agonizing wait for the challenge review, it was nullified as Kinjo's foot was just centimeters from the edge when the clock hit all zeroes.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) won the 59kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While Onishi was disappointed to have not made it to her first senior worlds, she made her loss to Kinjo a driving force for future competitions.

"It was my first experience to wrestle the same person [Kinjo] twice in one day," she said. "I was really disappointed that I couldn't make it at the very end, but on the other hand, it gave me confidence, and I used that energy to reach even higher heights. My desire to win overwhelmingly next time."

The process to be at the next year's senior World Championships begins in December for Onishi. She will be part of the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup next year. She will try to win both and earn a spot on the senior team for the World Championships.

As far as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics go, Onishi expressed her desire to be there. But for that, she will have to decide if she wants to cut to 57kg or jump to 62kg. In both weight classes, defending Olympic champions are waiting for her. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) at 57kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg will be her biggest challenges.

"I haven't decided on my weight class yet, but I definitely want to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics," she said. "No matter what weight class I'm in, I'm determined to beat the current champion."

Yu ZHANG (CHN) celebrates after winning the 50kg final at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Onishi was the only gold medalist of the day for Japan. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) wrestled in the 50kg final against Yu ZHANG (CHN) but lost a close final in the last 10 seconds.

After winning two age-group Asian titles, Zhang dropped the U20 Asian final against Rinka OGAWA (JPN) in June. But she left nothing to chance in Pontevedra, pulling off a suplex in the final 10 seconds to beat Morikawa 7-6 and clinch her first gold medal at any World Championships.

Morikawa was the first to get on board as Zhang spun on her back to give two points to Morikawa. It became 4-2 for Morikawa at the break as Zhang got two points for a counter lift while Morikawa was awarded two for exposure as Zhang's hand opened after she finished the lift.

Zhang for the criteria on 4-4 as she scored a two-point exposure over Morikawa, who answered with an underhook to slam Zhang on the mat and score two points. She had 26 seconds to defend her two-point lead but Zhang used a semi-duckunder to step behind Morikawa and lock her in her arms. She completed the throw for two points and a 6-6 criteria lead. Japan challenged the decision but it only added a point to Zhang's score for the lost challenge.

"I have performed well," Zhang said. "After finishing the tournament, I feel that I am still very happy."

Former U23 world champion Yumeka TANABE (JPN) has been the coach for China's U20 team and Zhang acknowledged her inputs for the match.

"I need to mention that I have a lot to learn from Tanabe," she said. "I hope that after this competition, I can improve myself, find out the problems, and solve them to reach an advanced level."

Zhang's twin sister Jin will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal against Calra JAUME SOLER (ESP), Spain's first-ever World Championships finalist in wrestling.

"I want to tell her that she can confidently and boldly perform to her level tomorrow," she said as advice to her sister Jin. "She can also win a gold medal."

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) celebrates after winning the 76kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

India and the United States also crowned champions to remain in the race to win the team title on Friday.

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) won the 76kg gold medal after beating Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0, in the 76kg final. This is the second year in a row that India has won the gold medal in the heaviest weight class.

Berwal won the first point when Orlevych was put on the activity clock and she failed to score. The Indian then added a stepout to lead 2-0. Orlevych was called for passivity in the second period as well and she failed to score giving Berwal another point. A few bad attempts from Orlevych ended in Berwal capitalizing and scoring a two-point takedown to stretch the lead to 5-0.

The gold medal is India's fifth in Women's Wrestling at the U20 World Championships, an impressive number for a country that got its first U20 world champion in Women's Wrestling in 2022.

Berwal, a former 72kg silver medalist at the U23 World Championships, now faces the tough challenge of making it to the senior team. But for that, she will have to win against 2023 U20 world champion Priya MALIK (IND), U23 world champion and Paris Olympian REETIKA (IND) and other up-and-coming youngsters.

"I am satisfied with my wrestling," Berwal said. "Now that I have decided to the Olympic weight class 76kg, there is no turning back and back myself to prove it."

For the United States, Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) took less than a minute to pin Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and win the 55kg gold medal for her country.

Byambasuren was trying to get Rodriguez uncomfortable but the American tossed her on the mat and held her back to secure a fall in the final. This was the second fall of the tournament for Rodriguez who won her four bouts without conceding a point.

At 68kg, U20 European champion Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) handed Ayse ERKAN (TUR) a 12-2 defeat in the final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN), 7-6

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), 7-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. MUSKAN (IND), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall

BRONZE: Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) df. Karina HONDA (JPN), via fall (8-7)
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (AIN), 12-2

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU) df. Uladzislava KUDZIN (AIN), via fall
BRONZE: KOMAL (IND) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), via fall (12-2)

BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN), 7-0

76kg
GOLD: Jyoti BERWAL (IND) df. Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Naomi SIMON (USA) df. Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 8-2

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Jin ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. JYOTI (IND), 4-3
SF 2: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Nethmi AHINSA (SRI), via fall

57kg
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) vs. Bertha ROJAS (MEX)

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Bertha ROJAS (MEX) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-4

62kg
GOLD: NITIKA (IND) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: NITIKA (IND) df. Nagisa ITO (JPN), 7-3
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 4-3

65kg
GOLD: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) vs. Beyza AKKUS (TUR)

SF 1: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Zaixue RUI (CHN), 10-0
SF 2: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (AIN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) vs. Yuqi LIU (CHN)

SF 1: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall
SF 2: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Elvira ERSSON (SWE), 10-0

Akhmetova Amanzhol Snatches Victory From Jaws of Defeat to Stun Mukaida for 53kg Title; Kawai Sisters Strike Gold

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Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume