Asian Championships Freestyle Preview

Thursday, March 30, 2023 - 15:05 By Mark Pickering

ASTANA, Kazakhstan ( March 30) -- The 2023 Asian Championships will mark the launch of this year's continental chanmpionsips season in Astana from April 9 to April 14 in the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace. Kazakhstan's capital city, which hosted the 2019 World Championships, will welcome Asia's best wrestlers for the 36th edition of the six-day event.

As always, the last two days of the tournament are reserved for freestyle wrestling with 10 gold medals on offer. Undoubtedly the biggest star of the tournament is the World champion Ramham AMOUZAD (IRI) who will enter Astana as the defending champion in 65kg.

Amouzad earned his first continental title last year after beating Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and would like to repeat the same in a field that includes world bronze medalist TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), who has been in terrific form this year, winning the Zagreb Open, Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN), Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

Both Amouzad and Tumur Ochir are aware of the threat their opponents possess. Jalolov won the U20 World Championships and also has a win over Tumur Ochir from last year. He will be Uzbekistan's biggest bet going into the Paris Olympics.

Zholdoshbekov is once again jumping to 65kg after doing so at last year's Bolat Turlykhanov Cup. He has enjoyed a lot of success at 61kg but with the Olympics coming up, making a place for himself at 65kg would be the right move.

Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) finished second Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) at the Emperor's Cup but will be at the Asian Championships after the latter decided to sit out. Anraku won a bronze medal at U23 World Championships last year.

At 57kg, returning silver medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ), 25, won bronze at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event in February to start his season. He suffered a loss to Ravi KUMAR (IND) in the final last year but the three-time Asian champion is not registered this year due to a leg injury.

Kalzhan will back himself to make the run to the final again this year. However, 2021 world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI), world bronze medalist Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), Asian bronze Rikuto ARAI (JPN) and U23 world champion AMAN (IND) have the capabilities to be in the final.

Zandanbud graced the Asian showcase’s podium in 2017. The 27-year-old, who has won medals at his continental championships at the U17, U20 and senior levels, finished second at the event six years ago. His title aspirations this year have been boosted by his victory at the Mongolian National Championships in March.

Arai will be a significant medal threat in the men’s lightest weight category. Nippon Sport Science University graduate Arai, who turned 25 in January, finished 11th at the season-opening Zagreb Open but has a continental pedigree.

Aman has shown his ability to make comeback in the second period and can upset any wrestler on a given day as we saw at the U23 World Championships in which he won gold at 57kg.

After his two outings at 57kg, Tokyo Olympian Minghu LIU (CHN) returns to the 61kg in which he has enjoyed his sole continental championships podium appearance in 2019. The 25-year-old has work to do to return to form after stuttering displays at the Zagreb Open and Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series events this year.

Ibrahim Moustafa gold medallist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and All Japan Championships winner Kodai OGAWA (JPN) could also come to the fore in the 61kg category in Kazakhstan.

Zhumashbek Uulu won the U23 World Championships over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) last year and is also a U23 Asian champion.

The 70kg weight class is the one with the most entries and also the most open category in Astana. Tokyo Olympian at 65kg Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) can be favored over other wrestlers but is not an outright favorite. U20 world bronze medalist Mulaym YADAV (IND) is known for his surprising runs at tournaments and can cause an upset.

U23 Asian champion Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) will fancy his chances as well along with U20 world bronze medalist in 65kg Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN). If Kazakhstan decides to put Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) as the first choice, he will be the favorite to win the weigh class.

At 74kg, Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) undoubtedly has the best chance to win gold after reaching the final in the previous two editions. He won the gold in 2021 but was second in 2022. Kazakhstan is yet to send him or Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ)w who has the experience of the senior level and will be riding on home support in Astana to claim his first Asian Championships medal.

He won the Asian Championships at 79kg in 2021 but Byungmin GONG (KOR) is still waiting for the big break at 74kg. That edition in '21 was the only competition in his career that Gong wrestled at 79kg and has been a regular at 74kg. However, he has only an Asian Games bronze medal to show for it. But with many top wrestlers not entered at 74kg, this could be his chance to get his first breakthrough at 74kg.

YASH (IND) and Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI) can be his biggest challenges as both will come into the tournament with hopes of their own. Yash, a U20 world bronze medalist from 2021, finished ninth in the last year's edition.

Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) will be wrestling at 79kg at the Asian Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) is chasing a third Asian Championships gold medal. The 33-year-old ruled his continent in 2015 and 2017 either side of winning Asian Games titles in 2014 and 2018. But he will be at 79kg in Astana instead of 74kg. He tried dabbling with the idea of moving to 86kg but after suffering losses, he has moved down to 79kg.

Abdurakhmonov will make the short trip from Uzbekistan to neighboring Kazakhstan with an appetite for hardware in the 79kg field, just as he achieved in Egypt in February with a bronze medal at the Ibrahim Moustafa tournament.

Former U20 Asian Championships gold medalist Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) has made a bright start to his year by clinching silver at the Ibrahim Moustafa in Egypt. The 24-year-old could make a strong impression in Astana.

Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL), a former U23 world bronze medalist, saw his medal tilt fall away at the Asian Championships in the bronze medal bout in 2022 as the 27-year-old narrowly lost out to Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) to match his 2018 fifth-place finish at 74kg. He finished with a silver medal at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June at 74kg but it is yet to be seen how he will fair at 79kg.

Reigning Asian Championships winner Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will be the man to watch in the 86kg category. The 29-year-old struck world bronze in 2022 and could prove to be unstoppable in front of a partisan crowd. Three-time world medalist Alireza KARIMI (IRI) will be aiming to spoil the host nation’s 86kg gold medal plans.

The 29-year-old is a big-event performer and has won three Asian Championships titles -- 2015, 2017 and 2019 -- in addition to Asian Games glory in Indonesia in 2018. The two wrestled at the World Cup tie between the All-World team and Iran in Round 3 and the Iran wrestler walked away with a 4-0 win.

The category also has Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), a former U20 world champion, looking for his first Asian Championships medal. If his Zagreb Open performance is any indication, Ishiguro should end the medal drought in Astana.

Veteran Gwanuk KIM (KOR) will be looking for his second Asian medal after winning a bronze in 2021. He has finished fifth on three different occasions.

Four-time Asian Championships medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) will be crucial to his country’s fortunes in Kazakhstan as part of a new-look team. Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Punia, 22, missed the World Championships last year with a hand injury. Wrestling is in the DNA of the Indian hotshot, who followed his father into the sport, and he could top the Asian Championships podium (92kg) for the first time at the senior level.

The category will also house Arashk MOHEBI (IRI) who won the Dan Kolov tournament in March and will have his spirits high. U23 Asian champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) will also present a strong challenge to the field.

Not to forget Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) and Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB) who possess the ability to defeat any wrestler on a given day.

World medalist and former Asian champion Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) will be the favorite to win his second continental title. The former U23 world champion faces little to no competition at 97kg. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) and Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) are the only two wrestlers who can force Goleij onto the backfoot.

World silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) is looking for his first Asian title at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

World silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) is returning to the mat after four months, a forced break due to an injury. He will be in an interesting battle with the young star and U20 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI). While Munkhtur has the experience, Masoumi will use his conditioning to put Munkhtur under pressure.

Tokyo Olympian Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 35, is also in the mix as he returns to the continental championships after four years. In 2019, he lost the 125kg final to Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI) in Xian, China. An elusive gold medal at a major event would be the crowning achievement of his long and fruitful career.

Former Asian Championships winner Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) finished 12th at the Tokyo Olympics but has an equal chance to finish on the top of the podium like others. The 27-year-old began this season with a bronze medal at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event.

To follow the Asian Championships action, download the UWW app -- The Home of Wrestling.

#wrestlebishkek

Ozaki Avoids Carnage that Hits Japan in Bishkek Semifinals

Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 05:34 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 9) -- In what was turning out to be a miserable semifinal session for Japan, two-time Asian champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) restored normal order as she reached the 62kg final at the Asian Championships in Bishkek.

Japan saw two of its returning medalists -- Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) and Sara NATAMI (JPN) -- get pinned in their respective semifinals at 53kg and 57kg before Ozaki stepped on the mat for her own 62kg semifinal.

She left no room for error in securing a fall over Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) in just under two minutes. After grabbing a single-leg takedown, Ozaki spun behind for a 4-0 lead. She stayed on the offensive, getting an exposure before securing a cradle, by which she ended the match. Ozaki, who was dealt an upset loss herself last year when she had to settle for a bronze, will be look to add to the Asian titles she won in 2022 and 2024.

"[My condition] is not bad]," Ozaki said. "I didn't want to let up and was determined to keep fighting to the end. That's how I could have matches like my first one and this one. It went well."

If Ozaki wants to win the gold medal on Friday, Ozaki will have to beat one of the few wrestlers who have dealt her an international loss -- Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK).

The two had clashed in the final of the Asian Games in 2023 when Mun secured a 6-6 criteria win over Ozaki for the gold medal On Thursday, Mun reached the final with a dominant 11-0 victory over Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) using her strong gut-wrench sequences.

Ozaki is looking to the challenge of facing Mun again, especially a month before the Meiji Cup.

"This time, the [DPR] Korea team was entered in few weight classes," she said. "But looking ahead to the Meiji Cup, I came to this competition expecting to face opponents who are as strong as the top-class wrestlers in Japan."

Soon after Ozaki, two more Japanese wrestler made it to the finals. Nana IKEHATA (JPN) and Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) will look to add golds to Japan's tally at 65kg and 72kg, respectively.

In the 65kg semifinals, a takedown in each period was enough for Ikehata to secure a 4-0 win over Hanbit LEE (KOR) and reach her first Asian Championships final. She will face LILI (CHN) for the gold medal.

Lili, a world bronze medalist in 2023, earned a shot at an Asian gold by muscling her way to a victory by fall over Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB). Lili opened the scoring by shrugging by and getting behind for a takedown. After being put back on their feet, the two were on their knees when Esenbaeva suddenly found herself on her back, courtesy of a powerful pancake. The fall came at 2:09.

At 72kg, Yoshitake pinned HARSHITA (IND) in the semifinals. Harshita opened the scoring in the match with a takedown and she was working on a second one, when Yoshitake escaped and caught Harshita in a quad-pod. The Japanese then threw Harshita directly to danger to get four points. India challenged the call but lost it to give one more point to Yoshitake who led 5-2 at the break.

There was no more scoring sequence in the match until the last 15 seconds when Harshita tried to throw Yoshitake for a four-pointer. She almost succeeded but the Japanese did not land in danger and used a headlock to secure the fall just as the time expired.

Yoshitake will have to beat former 65kg world champion Jia LONG (CHN) to win the gold medal. Long defied the vocal home crowd and took out Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with an 11-1 win.

Long, who moved up from 68kg, struck first with a single-leg takedown and gut wrench, but gave up a reversal point when Nurtaeva stepped over on a second roll attempt, making it 4-1 at the break. In the second period, Long added a stepout, then whizzered Nurtaeva to her back in countering a takedown shot to make it 7-1. A scramble resulted in her getting behind for 2 more, from which she used her high gut wrench to end the match in 4:32. Long will get a chance at a second Asian gold, having won the 65kg title in 2023.

The two upsets for Japan came at 53kg and 57kg. In a rematch of the 2024 world final at 55kg, Jin ZHANG (CHN) avenged that loss in Tirana in devastating fashion by catching Kiyooka in a momentary lapse and securing a victory by fall in their 53kg semifinal in Bishkek.

Kiyooka, the silver medalist last year, opened with a low single for a takedown and a 2-0 lead. But when she shot in again later, Zhang put in double underhooks and pancaked the Japanese onto her back, ending the match at 2:32. Kiyooka, the 2024 champion at 55kg, will find little comfort in completing her collection of Asian medals with a bronze in Bishkek.

Jang will face MEENAKSHI (IND) in the gold medal bout on Friday. Meenakshi, who defeated two-time world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) to make the team for the Asian Championships, booked her spot in the final after a 4-2 win over Seoyoung PARK (KOR). Down 2-0 till the last 30 seconds of the semifinals, Meenakshi used a slick pick to throw Park in danger for four points.

At 57kg, Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) was too much to handle for defending champion Sara NATAMI (JPN). She opened the scoring with a takedown and almost got a fall. However, the Japanese survived but not before giving up two points. A stepout for Natami cuts Batkhuyag's lead to 4-1 at the break.

Both wrestlers got into a bear hug in the second period but it is the Mongolian who managed to trip Natami and held the Japanese down for the fall.

Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) will challenge Batkhuyag in the final. Hong overwhelmed Youngjin KWON (KOR) with a 10-0 win in 31 seconds.

Hong got a quick takedown and, as Kwon clinged to a leg, Hong reached back for the head and turned the Korean over. From there, she got an arm between the legs, lifted and chalked up three more exposures to end the match.

Hong's Bronze Age included taking home medals of that color at the 2023 Asian Games, 2024 Paris Olympics, 2025 Asian Championships and 2025 World Championships.

Qualification Session Higlights

12:46: LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist, charges into the 65kg semifinals with a solid 10-0 win over former Asian bronze medalist Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) that she completes with a takedown with two seconds left in the first period. Lili started the rout with a slick backwards trip for a 4-point takedown.

12:46: Nana IKEHATA (JPN), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series and the 2024 world U20 champion, breaks open a close match with two-time world U23 bronze medalist MONIKA (IND) in the final minute of their 65kg quarterfinal, scoring a takedown, arm-bar exposure and two lace-lock rolls for a 10-1 victory.

12:41: Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB) opens with a 4-point takedown, and that will prove crucial when Narkhajid NYAMSUREN (MGL) continually chipped away at the lead in their 65kg quarterfinal.

12:40: Defending champion at 57kg Sara NATAMI (JPN) muscles her way into the semifinals with a 13-2 technical superiority over Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ). She scored a stepout before blocking an arm-spin from Raimova to score a takedown during the Kazakhstan wrestler's activity time, making her lead 4-0. Raimova began the second period completing the arm-spin and getting two points. Natami regroups and pancakes Raimova for four points before turning her for two more. She finishes the match 12-2 with a takedown and one more point for a lost challenge.

12:37: Asian Games champion Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) spins behind for a takedown early in the second period and holds on for a 3-0 victory over former world bronze medalist MANSI (IND) to advance to the 62kg quarterfinals.

12:27: MANISHA (IND), the 62kg champion last year who has dropped all the way down to 57kg, falls at the first hurdle, sent to an 8-2 defeat by Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) in their quarterfinal clash.

12:21: Two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) looks like a woman on a mission as she aims to make up for a bronze-medal finish last year. In what could have been regarded as the marquee matchup of the session, Ozaki puts on a takedown clinic in forging out a 10-0 victory over former world and Asian champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) to advance to the 62kg semifinals. Ozaki gains her fifth takedown of the match at the 2:37 mark.

12:20: Former Asian champion Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) drops her 72kg bout against HARSHITA (IND) despite on a scoring spree in the final minute. Down 6-2, Bakbergenova scored a stepout and a takedown to make it 6-5. She tried got another stepout just as the clock expired which made the score 6-6 but Harshita kept the criteria. Kazakhstan challenged for a foul but on review, even the last stepout point was removed as Harshita was still inside when the time expired. That made Harshita a 6-5 winner.

12:17: World, Asian and Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) quickly secures her spot in the 57kg semifinals, gaining a takedown against Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), securing a lace lock and getting the requisite four spins for a 10-0 win :35.

12:06: Former world and Asian champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), aiming to improve on her silver medal from last year, faces stiff resistance from 2025 bronze medalist Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) in their 53kg quarterfinal, but grinds out a 10-0 win that she finishes with a takedown at 3:58.

12:05: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), the 2024 Asian champion at 65kg, is into the 72kg semifinals with victory by fall over Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB). Yoshitake gets a 2-point exposure countering a takedown attempt, then turns Polvonova to secure the fall in 1:50.

12:01: Jia LONG (CHN), owner of a full collection of world medals and an Asian champion in 2023, finishes off a 10-0 win over Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL) just inside the first-period buzzer to book her place in the 72kg semifinals.

12:00: Asian Games champion Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) and former world champion Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) don't give any chance but Sukhee is called passive in the second period and Mun gets a 2-1 lead. She holds on to that lead to win the 62kg bout.

11:59: World bronze medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) breaks through the defense of Soobin KIM (KOR) for a single-leg takedown, then applies the lace lock and that's all she wrote in their 72kg qualification round match. Four quick spins and Nurtaeva is a 10-0 winner and into the semifinals.

11:55: It was a repechage bout but Paris bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) and Asian bronze medalist NEELAM (IND) put on one of the most exciting bouts of the tournament. Feng had a comfortable 8-2 lead but Neelam found a way to score a takedown and two turns to take an 8-8 criteria lead with just about a minute remaining. But Feng stepped over in a scramble to get a two points and lead 10-8. However, Neelam also exposed Feng and she was awarded two points making her a 10-10 winner. China challenged the call as it may have been after the time expired. On review, it was called no points as the clock did it zero before the Feng was in danger. Neelam is distraught while Feng will wrestle for a bronze medal later

11:41: Defending Asian champion Sara NATAMI (JPN) fell behind against Laylokhon SABIROVA (UZB), 2-2, on criteria with more than a minute remaining but Natami with an exposure and then holds Sabirova's back on the mat to claim a fall and advance to the 57kg quarterfinals.

11:39: Blink and you missed the 10-0 whitewashing by returning bronze medalist and former champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) of Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) at 62kg. Zhang gets a quick takedown and uses a trap arm to turn her opponent four times.

11:37: Former world and Asian silver medalist Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) gets her campaign at 57kg off to a strong start with a 10-0 over Tancholpon KYBALBEKOVA (KGZ), needing just 1:10 to complete the rout.

11:35: Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ) gets the ball rolling for the home team with a 12-1 win at 53kg over Pabasara GAMAGE (SRI). After a takedown and two exposures, Keldibekova is close to scoring another tilt when Gamage goes over the back and gets a reversal. But Keldibekova repeats her initial sequence and she's into the quarterfinals.

11:34: Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) gets the action started on Mat A with a 30-seconc fall of Ya Hsin CHEN (TPE) in their 53kg qualification-round bout.

11:30: Asian Championships third day and we have five more Women's Wrestling weight classes in action. Japan had four finalists on Wednesday. Will it continue it's hot streak?

Asian Championships Freestyle Preview

Comments

Ozaki Avoids Carnage that Hits Japan in Bishkek Semifinals