Fumita returns to book ticket to Belgrade; Sakurai, Ishii make it

Saturday, July 1, 2023 - 16:39 By Ken Marantz

TACHIKAWA, Japan (July 1) -- Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA managed to defy the doctor and recover enough to make it onto the mat for the world team playoff. Having come this far, neither Maito KAWANA nor a nasty gash over his eye was going to stop him.

Fumita defeated Kawana 3-1 to secure the Greco-Roman 60kg spot on Japan's team to this year's World Championships as the seven final places in Olympic weight classes were decided on Saturday in Tachikawa in western Tokyo.

"Among competitions in which I wasn't in perfect condition, I came into this tournament in the lowest I have been, and could not move as I wanted," said Fumita, who was forced to withdraw from the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships two weeks ago due to a torn right hamstring.

The Meiji Cup was the second of Japan's two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships, along with the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships held last December. Winners of both automatically earned places on the team to Belgrade; in cases where the champions were different, a playoff would decide matters.

Also earning tickets to Belgrade were women's world 57kg champion Tsugumi SAKURAI and Ikuei University teammate and world 68kg silver medalist Ami ISHII -- both with dramatic victories -- while world 76kg bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI took a gamble and made it pay off to earn a return trip to the worlds.

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) Kenichiro FUMITA works to turn Maito KAWANA in the Greco 60kg playoff. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo YABUKI)

With his victory, Fumita will get a chance to regain the world title he won in 2017 and 2019 and improve on his bronze-medal finish from 2022. But more importantly, it gives him a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where making amends for his Tokyo silver holds top priority.

The Japan Federation has decreed that any wrestler in an Olympic weight class who wins a medal at the World Championships will automatically fill the spot in Paris themselves.

"The biggest reason [for my win] is that I want to get back to the Olympics and win a gold medal," Fumita said.

Fumita had won the Emperor's Cup by beating Kawana in the final but was forced to miss the Meiji Cup when he tore a hamstring in practice in early May. Kawana won the title in his absence to earn the place in the playoff.

Fumita said that the doctor who diagnosed his injury said it would take 12 weeks to heal. That ruled him out of the Meiji Cup, but he was determined to make it back in time for the playoff.

"At the Meiji Cup, I saw my Nittaidai teammates do so well," said Fumita, using the familiar name for his alma mater, Nippon Sports Science University, where he and other alums still train. "It was tough to watch. But I watched the Meiji Cup with a positive outlook. That really gave me motivation."

Fumita spent three weeks completely away from the mat after the injury and did what he could to prepare, including adding swimming to his training regimen. It worked somewhat, but he acknowledged he wasn't at his best.

"Up to now, I've never cramped during a match," he said. "But it happened now. Usually before a match, I jump in the air twice. But when I jumped today, I already started to feel I was cramping up. I was really surprised. In this condition, I wrestled at my limit."

In the match, Fumita was put into par terre first and, while not even attempting a big throw, managed to lever Kawana over for a 2-point roll. Early in the second period, a clash of heads left him with a bloody gash over his left eye that required his head to be wrapped. When put on the bottom, he resisted and held on for the victory.

"Still, I was able to fight to the end," Fumita said. "I took [the points] that I could get, and defended well to keep from giving up points. I think that was from what I learned while I was injured."

Among the small crowd at Dome Tachikawa Tachihi was the 27-year-old Fumita's wife and baby daughter Hazuki, who was born in January. "I only want my daughter to see me winning," he said with a smile.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) Tsugumi SAKURAI, red, has now beaten Sae NANJO in four of five career matches at women's 57kg, all victories in the final seconds. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo YABUKI)

Sakurai deals Nanjo yet another last-second loss

For the fourth time in five meetings between the two, Sakurai left it until the final seconds in handing world U23 champion Sae NANJO a heartbreaking defeat.

Sakurai scored a 2-point exposure off a front headlock in the last second -- and which was only awarded after a challenge -- to edge Nanjo 2-2 on last-point criteria and earn a shot a defending her 57kg world title.

"The match was tough and I couldn't control the flow," Sakurai said. "At the end, I was fighting on sheer will and was able to get the points and win."

In the Meiji Cup final, Sakurai was awarded a takedown with less than a second left on the clock, which was upheld on a challenge, to defeat Nanjo 5-2 and avenge a loss in the Emperor's Cup semifinals.

On Saturday, Nanjo came out strong and scored a shrug-by single-leg takedown in the first period. It looked like that would be enough as she continually fended off Sakurai's attacks well into the second period.

But Sakurai managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat yet again. Gaining a front headlock with seven seconds left, her first attempt at a roll went nowhere. But she tried again with all of her might, and it just got Nanjo's shoulders to break the 90-degree plane, although the referees did not see it that way.

Sakurai's look of despondency suddenly turned to joy when the mat chairman announced that she had indeed earned the points.

"Honestly speaking, I wasn't sure if I turned her or not," said Sakurai. "I had to go for it and just tried the move. Seeing the video, it looked like I got her over."

At the Emperor's Cup, Nanjo had finally gotten the best of Sakurai by taking a five-point lead and holding on for a 5-4 win in the semifinals. That was after Sakurai had scored last-second victories in their two previous meetings, at the 2021 Emperor’s Cup and at last year's Meiji Cup.

"I've been in this situation before and I was able to win, so I wasn't anxious," Sakurai said. "I've faced this opponent a number of times and I've gotten single-leg takedowns, but she was on the lookout for that. There was a moment in there I thought I was going to lose, but my desire to go to the Paris Olympics made me fight to the end."

On the path to Belgrade, Sakurai also defeated Tokyo Olympic champion Risako KINJO in the semifinals of the Meiji Cup.

"Japan has incredible depth and to win out gives me confidence," Sakurai said. "I want to be the one who takes the Olympic gold next and I'll do what I have to do to get there."

Ami ISHII (JPN) Ami ISHII looks for an opening the women's 68kg playoff against Miwa MORIKAWA. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo YABUKI)

Ishii assured she will join teammate Sakurai on the plane to Belgrade by holding on for a nail-biting 2-1 win over world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA, avenging a loss to her in the Meiji Cup semis.

Ishii scored a double-leg takedown in the first period and, after giving up an activity point in the second, fended off Morikawa's attacks for the victory.

"I worked to fix what went wrong at the Meiji Cup, but I also worked on strengthening my usual techniques," Ishii said.

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) Yuka KAGAMI keeps hold of Ayano MORO's leg during a key point in their women's 76kg bout. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo YABUKI)

At 76kg, Kagami followed up on her Meiji Cup victory over world U20 champion Ayano MORO by scoring a takedown with 50 seconds left to win 2-2 in a bout that hinged on a risky challenge by the Kagami side.

The 18-year-old Moro had opened the match with a single-leg takedown, then scrambled out of several scoring chances by Kagami. In the second period, Kagami got in deep on a single, but Moro worked around to the back into a grapevine-like situation and was given a 2-point takedown.

Kagami, however, had never lost her grip on Moro's leg, and Toyo University coach Shogo MAEDA decided to challenge the call, even though a rejection would put her into a deeper five-point hole.

The referees' call was overturned, and Moro's two-point lead restored, opening the door for Kagami to win with just one score.

"I myself thought she didn't get it," said Kagami, who had shoulder surgery in January after defaulting at the Emperor's Cup. "If I challenged it, it could make it 5-0 and make it tougher for me. I thought for a moment about rejecting it, but I looked at my coach and he said it was alright. I left it up to my coach."

Maeda acknowledged that the challenge was risky, but concluded it was worth it because in essence being down five points is not much different than being down by four.

"The opponent was being very cautious of tackles," Maeda said. "If [we didn't challenge and] it became four points, it would have been difficult. But if we got it, it would just be a difference of one takedown. To have a chance, we needed it to be 2-0. I understood the risk."

The three other playoffs were in Greco-Roman, with 2022 world U23 bronze medalists Kyotaro SOGABE (67kg) and Nao KUSAKA (77kg) prevailing, along with 2018 Asian silver medalist Masato SUMI (87kg).

The playoffs in the non-Olympic weight classes will be held on July 17.

All wrestlers who finished in the top two in an Olympic weight at either the Emperor's Cup or Meiji Cup are eligible to make a challenge in a non-Olympic weight. Among notable wrestlers who are eligible, but as yet undecided, are Kinjo and Morikawa.

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Kiyooka, Kusaka secure chance to add first world titles to Paris golds

Sunday, June 22, 2025 - 17:13 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 22) -- Kotaro KIYOOKA and Nao KUSAKA both lived up to their lofty status as Olympic champions. Now each will get a chance to add a first world title to their Paris gold.

Kiyooka and Kusaka, competing in their first major competition since triumphing at Paris 2024, both won titles on the final day of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships, then returned to mat to beat the same opponent in a playoff for this year's World Championships.

In one of the most anticipated duels of the tournament, Kiyooka, the Paris champion at freestyle 65kg, pulled off a double victory over former Nippon Sports Science University teammate and Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, whose chances were hampered by a knee injury in the playoff.

"It's my first time to be involved in a playoff and to face the same opponent twice on the same day," Kiyooka said. "It was a learning experience and a good opportunity."

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Kusaka, who has a 2023 world bronze to go along with his Paris gold at Greco 77kg, showed little effects of a recent back injury that curtailed his preparation in defeating Kodai SAKURABA to earn a ticket to the World Championships to be held Sept. 13-22 in Zagreb.

The four-day Meiji Cup at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym was serving as the second of two domestic qualifiers for the team to Zagreb, along with the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December. A victory at both tournaments earned an automatic spot, while a playoff was held at the end of each day to decide between separate winners.

Both Kiyooka and Kusaka had participated in the German Bundesliga in the autumn after the Paris Olympics, but otherwise had joined the vast majority of Japan's medalists who reaped the rewards of their new-found fame, attending special events and appearing on variety TV shows.

They, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg, were the only ones among Japan's eight gold medalists who decided to return to the mat in earnest at the Meiji Cup.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) Kotaro KIYOOKA scores four with a unique throw in the freestyle 65kg playoff with Kaisei TANABE. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

For the 24-year-old Kiyooka, making it to his first World Championships gives him a chance to prove that his victory in Paris was no fluke and that he is no one-hit wonder.

"Before the Olympics, the word out there was that I wouldn't win, but I managed to turn that idea on its head," Kiyooka said. "Still, I'm a champion who came out of the blue, so I'm really not the established king. I want to take the world title so that people both at home and abroad recognize that Kotaro Kiyooka is the true champion."

He and Tanabe, who won his first career Emperor's Cup title in December, have often sparred together in practice, but had never faced each other in an official match.

In an entertaining final that featured a constant tangle of legs and arms amid wild scrambles, Tanabe struck first with a takedown, but Kiyooka responded with a takedown-gut wrench combination to go into the second period ahead 4-2.

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Sydney Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, put the pressure on, but could only manage a late stepout as Kiyooka held on for a 4-3 victory.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) Kotaro KIYOOKA works for a takedown against Kaisei TANABE during the freestyle 65kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the playoff, Kiyooka opened with a stepout off a scramble, then received an activity point. But when he scored a stepout late in the period, Tanabe was slow to get up and indicated he had suffered a knee injury.

Tanabe bravely forged on and scored 2 off a counter lift off a Kiyooka takedown attempt, but Kiyooka kept his leg hold and made it 7-2 with an intriguing 4-point move.

With Tanabe on his back, Kiyooka stood straight up, then moved to the edge, where he launched an aerial cartwheel that caused Tanabe to land flat on his back.

"I wanted to lift him up and get a big point," Kiyooka said. "But Tanabe is a competitor with a high level of talent and athleticism, and if I didn't do it right, he could be the one to get the points. I was glad that I gave it a try.

"To get a big score provides an advantage later on. From now, I'm going to need a move like that, because without it, I'll have to settle for one or two points, which makes it easier for the opponent to catch up. I'm going to add it to my regular practice."

Tanabe stayed down and took an injury timeout, and it was soon after that Kiyooka put the match away with a counter lift and two exposures to win 13-2 in 5:45.

"My opponent's condition wasn't very good in the final, and then his knee became painful in the playoff," Kiyooka said. "So he wasn't at his best, but I couldn't let that sway me and I had to fight to the end.

"At this tournament, the main thing was to win, as it was where I was making my return. I'm also also making a new start with a new company affiliation and wanted it to go right, so I'm glad I could win the title and make the team to the World Championships."

Kiyooka, whose younger sister Moe lost a playoff at women's 53kg on Saturday, said the extended layoff caused him some concern.

"There was some anxiety, but as long as I did what I needed to do, I thought it would lead to a result like this," Kiyooka said. "There are only so many days until the Los Angeles Olympics, and this have given me an idea of what I will need to work on to put it all together."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) Nao KUSAKA bulls his way to a takedown in the Greco 77kg playoff with Kodai SAKURABA. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Kusaka never seemed in danger in either of his matches against Emperor's Cup champion Sakuraba, nor did he show the dominance that led to Olympic gold.

In the Meiji Cup final, Kusaka came away with a 5-1 win in which he scored no technical points. In the first period, he received a passivity point, then when Sakuraba tried to escape from the bottom of par terre, he was hit with a 2-point penalty for a leg foul, and an unsuccessful challenge made it 4-0. Kusaka then received a second passivity point in the second period and that was it.

Kusaka was more productive in the playoff, bulling his way to a takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second in chalking up a 4-1 victory.

"I became more fatigued that I expected," Kusaka said. "It's been awhile since I went all out. No matter how much you build up in practice, you don't get the tension that you get in a match."

Kusaka revealed that his preparations were curtailed when he suffered a serious back strain while weight training in late May. He said the injury was so serious, it was first time he ever had to be transported on a stretcher.

"I had good luck when it came to the Olympics, but this time I had to go through that," he said. "For two weeks, I couldn't wrestle at all and I spent a week in bed."

Like Kiyooka, Kusaka wants to enhance his relatively slim resume with a world title.

"I've been wrestling 21, 22 years, and it's something I've always aspired to," Kusaka said. "I'm getting attention as an Olympic champion, but I want to be active around the world. The 2024 season went extremely well and I received the MVP award, which was great. But I don't want to be a one-hit wonder. I have to keep getting results."

Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) Kyotaro SOGABE squares off with longtime rival Katsuaki ENDO in the Greco 67kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Another playoff of note occurred at Greco 67kg, where Paris Olympian Kyotaro SOGABE secured his latest triumph over longtime rival and fellow NSSU alum Katsuaki ENDO.

Endo won the Emperor's Cup in Sogabe's absence, but the latter set up the playoff with a 4-0 victory in the Meiji Cup final in which he twice received passivity points, scoring a gut wrench after his second chance at par terre. In the playoff, Sogabe never gave Endo an opening and rolled to a 9-0 victory.

Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) Teenager Rin SAKAMOTO gestures after securing his ticket to the senior worlds at freestyle 57kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Among the two men's weight classes that did not need to go to a playoff, teenager Rin SAKAMOTO secured his ticket to Zagreb at freestyle 57kg by crushing Kento YUMIYA 10-0 to complete the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double.

The 19-year-old Sakamoto is a maverick among Japanese wrestlers, in that he decided to pursue a collegiate career in the United States, where he now competes for powerhouse Oklahoma State University.

He admittedly had trouble at the Emperor's Cup adjusting back to freestyle after practicing in the American folkstyle. But this time, with the U.S. collegiate season over, he was able to focus exclusively on the international style.

Sakamoto had a disappointing showing at the Asian Championships, where he lost in the bronze-medal match, but returned to Japan in April and won the qualifying tournament for the World U20 Championships.

Regarding making his first senior worlds, Sakamoto said, "I'm excited," citing the fact that he can match Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, who was also 19 when he won the world title in 2018. Unfortunately, should Sakamoto triumph in Zagreb, he will fall one month short of Otoguro's record for Japan's youngest-ever male world champion.

At Greco 60kg, Emperor's Cup champion and two-time Asian medalist Kaito INABA defeated Yu SHIOTANI 5-2 in the final to earn his first trip to the World Championships.

Asian and world U23 champion Kodai TAKAHASHI will get another shot at the senior worlds after he defeated Emperor's Cup champion Hikaru TAKATA 3-0 in the freestyle 74kg playoff.

Takahashi, who missed the Emperor's Cup due to an injury suffered while competing at 79kg at last year's non-Olympic worlds, secured a place in the playoff by beating Takata in Saturday's semifinals. then topping Masaki SATO 3-1 in the Meiji Cup final.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Rin SAKAMOTO df. Kento YUMIYA by TF, 10-0, 2:22

BRONZE: Rikuto NAGAI df. Kodai NAKAISHI by TF, 10-0, 5:59
BRONZE: . Rikuto ARAI df. Fuga SASAKI, 4-1

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaisei TANABE, 4-3

BRONZE: Shinnosuke SUWAMA df. Ryuto SAKAKI, 8-5
BRONZE: Yuto NISHIUCHI df. Takuma AKIYAMA by TF, 10-0, 5:45

World Team Playoff: Kiyooka df. Tanabe by TF, 10-0, 5:45

74kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI df. Masaki SATO, 3-1

BRONZE: Kanata YAMAGUCHI df. Hikaru TAKATA by Def.
BRONZE: Toki OGAWA df. Tenju HOSAKA, 2-1

World Team Playoff: Takahashi df. Takata, 3-0

Greco-Roman

60kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Kaito INABA df. Yu SHIOTANI, 5-2

BRONZE: Seima TOKUHARA df. Eiru TAKAYAMA, 5-2
BRONZE: Koto GOMI df. Maito KAWANA, 7-7

67kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Katsuaki ENDO, 4-0

BRONZE: Kensuke SHIMIZU df. Chiezo MARUYAMA, 3-2
BRONZE: Haruto YABE df. Kojiro HASEGAWA, 8-5

World Team Playoff: Sogabe df. Endo by TF, 9-0, 5:50

77kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA df. Kodai SAKURABA, 5-1

BRONZE: Fuga MISAIZU df. Shu YAMADA by Def.
BRONZE: Isami HORIKITA df. Naoki KADODE, 5-3

World Team Playoff: Kusaka df. Sakuraba, 4-1

Fumita returns to book ticket to Belgrade; Sakurai, Ishii make it

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Kiyooka, Kusaka secure chance to add first world titles to Paris golds