Greco-Roman stars maintain top spot in rankings

Monday, May 30, 2022 - 12:08 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (May 28) -- No other style saw as many changes in rankings as Greco-Roman. With intense battles at the European and Asian Championships, wrestlers saw big movements in the rankings.

A few world champion lost their top spots while others consolidated their ranks as the senior World Championships approached in September. Only three more events are remaining in which wrestlers can obtain ranking points.

Here are the big changes in the Greco-Roman rankings after the four continental championships that were held over the last three months. The full rankings can be accessed at uww.org.

Ken MATSUI (JPN) won the 55kg title in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

55kg
World champion in 2021 Ken MATSUI (JPN) still holds the top rank at 55kg with 43000 points. This despite him missing the Asian Championships after failing to win the Japan selection trials.

Bronze medalist at the same Worlds Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) added a European gold medal to take his tally to 39000 points and move past Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) who has now slipped to fourth with his 35000 points. The third spot is taken by Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) with 37000 points as he won a silver medal at the European Championships.

Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) and Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM) had finished fifth at the '21 Worlds and each has 23000 points to be ranked fifth and sixth respectively.

Carrying over 16200 points from the Worlds, Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ) takes the seventh spot

He finished 10th at both the World and European Championships which takes Fabian SCHMITT (GER) to the eighth position with 15400 points.

In a close race from there, Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) takes the ninth spot with 15000 points, followed by Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) who won the Istanbul Ranking event and a silver medal at the Asian Championships. He has 14400 points.

Max NOWRY (USA) won 5000 points for his Pan-Am title which helped him to 13500 points and 11th spot. Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) has 10600 points at 12th.

Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) is 13th with 10000 points followed by Hyeokjin JEON (KOR) at 14th with 8800 points, and Adem UZUN (TUR) at 15th with 8000 points.

Victor CIOBANU (MDA) has 68000 points at the top at 60kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

60kg
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) finished at the Olympics and later won the World Championships to claim the top rank at 63kg. He has not competed in this weight class since but still remains the top wrestler with 68000 points. World silver and Asian champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is a close second with 63200 points.

Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) has slipped to third with 51000 points as he has not competed since winning the gold medal in Tokyo. Neither has Tokyo silver Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) as he is fourth with 41400 points.

Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) won bronze medals at the World and European Championships which have helped him climb to the fifth spot with 40500 points while another European bronze medalist Gevorg GHARIBYAN is sixth with 34500 points.

Bronze medalists in Tokyo Sergey EMELIN (RWF) and Sailike WALIHAN (CHN) have 34200 points each and are ranked seventh and eighth respectively. Stepan MARYANYAN (RWF) silver-medal run at the Worlds earned him the ninth spot with 31000 points before Maksim KAZHARSKI (BWF) finishes off the top-10 at the 10th spot with 25000 points.

Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) won a bronze at the Asian Championships to be ahead of Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) by 200 points as Suzuku has 24700 points to Dahiya's 24500 points.

At the 13th spot comes Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) with 23000 points as he had finished fifth at the Olympics followed by Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI) at 14th with 17000 points.

European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) breaks into the ranking at 15th as he has 16800 points.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is the top ranked wrestler at 63kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

63kg
He could not beat Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) in the World Championships final but Leri ABULADZE (GEO) has beaten the Iranian for the top spot. He now has 50000 points after winning the European title while Dalkhani has 45000 points.

Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) finished fifth at the Worlds, and won a bronze in Istanbul and silver at the European Championships to accumulate 41200 points and reach the third spot in rankings.

World bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) was expected to improve his ranking at the Asian Championships but he finished eighth and got only 4000 points. He now has 35000 points to be ranked fourth.

Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) features in the rankings at 63kg as well as he won a bronze medal at the World Championships at this weight. He has 31000 points in the fifth spot. Erik TORBA (HUN) is ranked sixth with 25000 points which he got for his fifth-place finish at the Worlds.

Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) was seventh at the Worlds and has 18200 points at the seventh spot followed by Deniz MENEKSE (GER) at eighth with 17000 points, Mihai MIHUT (ROU) at ninth with 15500 points and Ahmet UYAR (TUR) at 10th with 14700 points.

Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) missed out on the top-10 as he has 14600 points at 11th. Ibragim LABAZANOV (RWF) is 12th with 14300 points.

Victor CIOBANU (MDA) won a bronze medal at the Istanbul Ranking event at 63kg and finished eighth at the Euros to claim the 14th rank with 13400 points.

Gold medalist in Istanbul finished fifth at the Asian Championships Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) jumped to 14th as he now has 13000 points.

African champion Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) and Asian champion Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) have 10000 points each to be ranked 15th and 16th respectively.

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) are one and two in the 67kg rankings. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

67kg
An Olympic and World title in the same year had propelled Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) to the top spot at 67kg and he continues to maintain it with 98000 points. He has since not competed but it is mathematically not possible to remove him from the top.

Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) finished fifth at the Olympics but later returned to win a bronze medal at the World Championships before finishing fifth at the European Championships. He is the closest to Geraei in terms of points as he has 66000 points in second place.

Parviz NASIBOV's (UKAR) silver medal at the Olympics is still good to keep him at the third spot with 43400 points while European champion Murat FIRAT (TUR) is close fourth with 40000 points.

Nazir ABDULLAEV (RWF) won a silver medal at the Worlds and is now fifth with 37000 points while junior and U23 world champion Hasrat JAFAROV trails him by 500 points at sixth with 36500 points. He finished fifth in Oslo and bronze at the Euros.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) got 36200 points for his Tokyo bronze and he is eighth in the rankings while Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) won bronze at Worlds for 31000 points and ninth spot. Morten THORESEN (NOR) is 600 points behind at the 10th spot.

Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) at 11th, Sebastian NAD (SRB) at 12th and Hansu RYU (KOR) at 13th are all within 1000 points of each other.

Artem SURKOV (RWF) with 25000 points takes the 14th spot while Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) is 15th with 22400 points.

Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) is the first Lithuanian to be top ranked in any style. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

72kg
Lithuania's star Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) continues to remain at the top with 48400 points after finishing fifth at the European Championships. He had won a bronze at the World Championships and finished second at the Istanbul event.

A close second is world champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) with 45000 points but he debuted at 77kg at the European Championships this year. Another world bronze medalist Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) takes the third spot with 38000 points. Silver medalist Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) is fourth with 37000 points.

After failing to win a medal at the Worlds, Mohammadreza MOKHTARI (IRI) bounced back to win the Asian Championships and climb to the fifth spot with 35000 points.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) won bronze at Euros after finishing seventh at the Worlds to be placed at sixth with 31980 points while fifth at Worlds Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) is seventh with 28200 points.

The eighth, ninth and 10th spots are taken by Valentin PETIC (MDA) [21800 points], Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN) [21300 points] and Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) [18100 points].

Jiyul LEE (KOR) has racked up 15500 points to be placed 11th while Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) is 12th with 14800 points. 1000 points below at 13th is Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ).

European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) debuts at 14th with 13000 points while silver to him Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) comes in at 15th with 11000 points.

African champion Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) is at 17th with 10000 points.

Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is the top ranked wrestler at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) failed to win the World or European Championships but his consistent performance to at least finish on the podium has earned him the top spot with 57900 points. His bronze at Euros has helped him move past Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) who is second with 54000 points.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) returned to UWW competition after winning the silver at Tokyo with a title-winning performance at the Asian Championships to be ranked third with 51400 points while Tokyo champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) has slipped to fourth with 51000 points. World champion Roman VLASOV (RWF) is fifth with 45000 points.

Shohei YABIKU (JPN) and Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) won bronze medals in Tokyo and have 34200 points to be placed at sixth and seventh respectively. Viktor NEMES (SRB) is eighth with 31200 points while Roland SCHWARZ (GER) is just 200 points behind at ninth. Pan-Am champion Yosvanys PENA (CUB) had finished 10th at the Olympics and the two tournaments have given him 25300 points to be in the top-10.

Oslo fifth-placers Tsimur BERDYIEU (BWF) and Tamas LEVAI (HUN) are 11th and 12th respectively with 25000 points each while European silver medalist Yunus BASAR (TUR) is 13th with 24000 points, Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) is 14th with 23500 points and Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) is 15th with 23000 points.

Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) continues to maintain his top spot at 82kg since winning the world title last year. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

82kg
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) were involved in a close race at the top after the former won the Worlds and silver to him Akbudak won the Istanbul event. But with Huseynov winning the European title while Akbudak winning bronze at the same event, the Azerbaijan wrestler has taken a lead with 65200 points to Akbudak's 56500 points.

Other wrestlers have not accumulated the same amount of points as World bronze medalists Adlan AKIEV (RWF) and Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) placing third and fourth with 31000 points each. Fifth in Oslo Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) and Laszlo SZABO (HUN) remain fifth and sixth with 25000 points each.

Ranet KALJOLA (EST) is seventh with 22800 points while Edgar BABAYAN (POL) comes in at number eigth with 18200 points.

Mihail BRADU (MDA) won a silver in Istanbul followed by a fifth-place in Budapest to be placed at ninth with 16400 points while Hannes WAGNER (GER) is 10th with 15500 points.

Tarek ABDESLAM (BUL) takes the 11th position with 14300 points while European silver medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) is 12th with 13000 points.

Dias KALEN (KAZ) won silver at Asian Championships to be ranked at 13th with 11520 points while Tamas LEVAI (HUN) is just 20 points behind at 14th.

Four wrestlers have 10000 points each but African champion Abd OUAKALI (ALG) is 15th, Asian champion Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI) is 16th and Pan-Am champion Daniel GOMEZ (MEX) at 17th.

No wrestler can replace Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) from the top at 87kg till the September World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

87kg
World champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) had developed such a big lead over his opponents in the rankings that despite missing out on gold medals in Istanbul and Budapest, he still takes the top spot with 92600 points. The second best is Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) with 51000 points.

The rankings don't change for the next four spots with Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) claiming the seventh spot with 38000 points. He won the European title in Budapest after finishing fifth at the Worlds. Denis KUDLA (GER) is eight with 34200 points while Metehan BASAR (TUR) has some catching to do as he is ninth with 28700 points. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) takes the 10th spot with 28200 points.

Tokyo Olympian and African champion Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) moves up to 11th with 26200 points while Kristoffer BERG (SWE) moves to 12th with 25600 points. Istvan TAKACS (HUN) got 25000 points for his fifth-place finish in Oslo but he has slipped to 13th.

Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB) has moved past Tokyo fifth-placers Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) and Ivan HUKLEK (CRO). They have 23000 points each while the Cuban has 500 more points to be at 14th.

A close 17th is Islam ABBASOV (AZE) with 22900 points as he has two big wins over world champ Datunashvili.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) takes the top spot at 97kg with 79200 points. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

97kg
Tokyo bronze and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) continues to maintain his top spot with 79200 points while silver medalist Alex SZOKE (HUN) is second with 60000 points. Olympic champion Musa EVLOEV (RWF) comes in at the third spot with 51000 points.

Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) has medal-winning performances in Istanbul and Budapest after finishing fifth at the Olympics which has helped him to the fourth spot over bronze medalist in Oslo Tracy HANCOCK (USA). Savolainen has 47400 points, 200 more than Hancock. Kiril MILOV (BUL) won the European Championships and has climbed to the sixth spot as he now has 45500 points.

Silver medalist in Tokyo Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) has 41400 points and sits at the seventh spot ahead of Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) who has 39213 points. Giorgi MELIA (GEO) is ninth with 31700 points while World bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (RWF) is 10th with 31000 points.

Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) takes the 11th spot with 27500 points while Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) comes in at 12th with 26620 points. Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) is 13th with 26400 points while Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) and Peter OEHLER (GER) have 25000 points each to be 14th and 15th respectively.

Top-ranked at 130kg Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) has 20800 point lead over second rank. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

130kg
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) finished eighth at the European Championships but his silver at the Olympics and bronze at the Worlds have helped him to the top spot with a considerable lead. He has 76200 points even as European champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) tries to catch up with 55400 points.

Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) won bronze at the Pan-Ams and has climbed to third with 54500 points, moving ahead of Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) who has 51000 points at the fourth spot. World champion Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) is fifth with 45000 points he got for his gold in Oslo.

Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RWF) takes the sixth spot with 37000 points followed by Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) with 36000 points.

Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) has 34400 points at the eighth spot while Olympic bronze Sergei SEMENOV (RWF) is ninth with 34200 points. At 10th comes Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) who has 32000 points.

Oslo bronze medalist Oskar MARVIK (NOR) has slipped to 11th for his 31000 points while Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) is 12th with 30900 points.

Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is 13th with 28000 points while Tokyo fifth-placer and U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is 14th with 23000 points.

African champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) takes the 15th spot with 18500 points.

#JapanWrestling

Murayama upends Kiyooka, twice, to make Japan's world team

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - 16:41 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 21) -- When Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI announced she was moving up to 57kg, it seemed that everyone was ready to bequeath the opening at 53kg to
reigning world 55kg champion Moe KIYOOKA.

On Saturday, Haruna MURAYAMA said not so fast. Not once, but twice.

Murayama defeated Kiyooka in the women's 53kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships in Tokyo, then came back a short time later and did it again in a playoff to earn a place on Japan's team and a shot at a fourth world gold at this year's World Championships.

"I only had two matches today, but I totally focused on each one in turn," said Murayama, whose previous world titles came under her maiden name of OKUNO.

"After that, it was important to win, but because I want to keep going at 53kg, this tournament had more meaning. Of course, I was aiming for a good result, but I wanted to get something out of this tournament."

Murayama and Kiyooka had beaten each other a number of times, but Kiyooka got the upper hand when she won a playoff last year for the Non-Olympic World Championships, where she succeeded Murayama as the gold medalist at 55kg.

With Fujinami was still on her post-Olympic hiatus, Kiyooka moved down to 53kg and won the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December, the first of two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships along with the Meiji Cup.

Winning both tournaments secured an automatic place on the world team, while a playoff determined the spot if case of different winners.

Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) Haruna MURAYAMA reacts after beating Moe KIYOOKA in the world team playoff at women's 53kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Murayama won the 55kg title at the Emperor's Cup, but took a risk and dropped down to 53kg to challenge Kiyooka at the Meiji Cup, a move that paid off and left her young opponent in tears.

"Olympic weight classes and non-Olympic weight classes are completely different," Murayama said. "I've been in international tournaments as well as domestic meets at various weights, and, I can't really put it into words, but you can feel it in your skin.

"I won at a non-Olympic weight at the Emperor's Cup and if I had entered that weight here and won, I would have gone to the World Championships at 55kg. It would be rude to say it is meaningless, but in a career that is limited, you want to compete at the highest level. So I want to continue at 53kg from here."

The 26-year-old Murayama won her first world title at 55kg in 2017, added a second at 53kg in 2018, then went five years before adding a third at 55kg in 2023. In between she suffered the heartbreak of having her Olympic dreams smashed twice, first by Mayu MUKAIDA (now SHIDOCHI) before the Tokyo Olympics, and then by Fujinami in the runup to Paris.

Her performance at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym -- which included a quarterfinal victory over Shidochi, who was returning after a two-year layoff -- puts her smack in middle of discussions for the 2028 Los Angeles.

Murayama did it with nearly identical victories over Kiyooka, winning 3-1 in the Meiji Cup final and then 4-1 in the playoff.

In both matches, she gained an activity point in the first period, then scored a takedown off a low single in the second. Kiyooka, who wore a headgear after suffering a recent skull injury in practice, was constantly kept at bay and only launched one attack that Murayama fended off.

"The rules now favor the aggressor, and that also leads to activity points," Murayama said. "I'm not the type who goes for tackles much at the beginning. But I came up with a style where my tying up leads to tackles.

"Recently, it wasn't working so well. I've been having more chances to face younger opponents, and they like to go on the attack right away, which makes me feel pressure. There were many matches that went awry at the end that I couldn't finish off. This time, I was able to keep her under control in the first period, then wrestle my way to end the match."

Ironically, Murayama and Kiyooka were teammates at a pair of international tournaments earlier this year, where they had positive results. Murayama won the 55kg title and Kiyooka the 53kg gold at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournament in Tirana in February, then took a bronze and a silver, respectively, at the Asian Championships in March in Amman, Jordan.

"I recently was able to go to some international tournaments, and the overseas wrestlers have gotten better," Murayama said. "We're in an era where you can soon view a video of a match and I feel that I have been well scouted. I look forward to using my skills against them."

Ami ISHII (JPN) Ami ISHII secures a fall over Seia MOCHINAGA to secure her ticket at women's 68kg to the World Championships. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Ishii cruises to world berth; Aoyagi bounces back in playoff

In other action on the third day of the four-day tournament, Ami ISHII, who won the women's 72kg gold at the non-Olympic worlds as consolation for missing out on the Paris Olympics, will be heading back to the regular World Championships at 68kg.

Ishii easily won out in a four-women field that was thinned to three by injury, finishing up with a victory by fall over Seia MOCHINAGA in her final round-robin match.

Ishii said she is looking forward to possibly facing Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who recently won the U.S. trials at 68kg. And she wants to not only win, but win big.

"I won't be seeded, so I don't know when or if I will face her," Ishii said. "It doesn't have to be the final. I want it to be one of those matches where you go, 'Wow.' I want to win big with a technical fall like Masanosuke ONO. I don't want it to come down to the wire."

One other women's world team spot was filled, with Asian bronze medalist Nodoka YAMAMOTO beating Yasuha MATSUYUKI 3-1 to win the round-robin at 76kg as Paris Olympic champion Yuka KAGAMI continues to remain out of competition.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) Yoshinosuke AOYAGI works to turn Shoya MIURA in the world team playoff at freestyle 70kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Among the three world team playoffs in freestyle, world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI bounced back from his stunning semifinal loss on Friday by romping to an 11-0 victory over Shoya MIURA.

Aoyagi chalked up a pair of takedown-roll combinations in the first period, then ended the match by using his leg to catch Miura on his back during a scramble.

"I was down [after the loss] and still felt that way today," Aoyagi said. "But to do it, I had to pull myself together. I got advice from various people, and keeping in mind all of those supporting me, I was finally able to come around."

Miura had won the title with a 6-5 victory over world U20 champion Ryoya YAMASHITA, who had stunned Emperor's Cup champion Aoyagi in the semifinals. Miura's win can be credited to a 4-point counter throw that could have gone either way but was awarded on challenge.

Aoyagi acknowledged that Miura presented a less formidable foe, although he would have liked to have had a chance to avenge his loss to Yamashita.

"I wanted to get revenge and of course I had come up with a plan and asked around for advice," Aoyagi said. "Next week, we're going to Nittaidai [Nippon Sport Science University] for joint practice and I'll ask him to spar with me. I lost and will be the challenger, but I will turn the tables."

There was one thing that Aoyagi did before the playoff that left many people befuddled.

Normally, a wrestler who goes to a playoff after losing before a final skips the bronze-medal match, which is held a few hours earlier.

But Aoyagi showed up for his match, which he won with an 11-0 victory in 3:44. Why even bother?

The 23-year-old Aoyagi, who joined the corporate team Clean-up out of Yamanashi Gakuin University, said he did it out of loyalty to his company and its employees, who formed a small supporting section in the stands.

"I thought that at the very least, I had to get a medal from the standpoint of my company," Aoyagi said. "There were many people from the company who came in support and I wanted them to know they could believe in me and I would give it my all. If I didn't do that match and only went to the World Championships, it might leave a bad impression."

Aoyagi, who won the Muhamet Malo tournament and finished third at the Asian Championships this year, said he will be confident but wary in Zagreb, which will be his last tournament at 70kg before making a planned move up to 74kg.

"Last year I finished second and I'm currently ranked No. 1, but it's not going to be so easy," Aoyagi said. "I placed third at the Asian Championships and strong opponents are constantly coming up. The luck of the draw is important, but I will practice harder and become a wrestler who doesn't present openings. If I prepare thoroughly for the World Championships, of course I can win the title."

In another playoff, Emperor's Cup champion Ryunosuke KAMIYA avenged a semifinal loss to Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI by beating him 3-0 for the freestyle 79kg ticket to Zagreb. Gharehdaghi had taken the title with a 2-2 win over Subaru TAKAHARA.

At 61kg, Takara SUDA, the Emperor's Cup champion who had to miss the tournament, scored a late takedown to defeat 2021 world bronze medalist Toshihiro HASEGAWA 4-3. Suda was not entered after his school, Yamanashi Gakuin University, reportedly missed the registration deadline.

Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) Yuri NAKAZATO puts the pressure on Takahiro TSURUDA in the Greco 97kg final of the Meiji Cup. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In Greco, Yuri NAKAZATO will get a chance to see if he can make a breakthrough for Japan in the upper weights after he defeated Takahiro TSURUDA 4-0 to take the 97kg crown and secure a place on the world team.

The Okinawa native, a 2023 world U23 bronze medalist, showed some potential by winning a silver medal at this year's Asian Championships. That made him the first Japanese to make the final in a weight class 90kg or over in 11 years, and just the ninth ever.

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) Mayu SHIDOCHI, right, assured she would not go home empty-handed from her first tournament in two years by taking a bronze medal at women's 53kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Shidochi finishes up comeback with bronze

Tokyo Olympic champion Shidochi bounced back from her loss to Murayama by winning her bronze-medal match at 53kg, beating Saki YUMIYA 5-0.

After gaining an activity point in the first period, Shidochi pulled away in the second with a takedown and gut wrench.

Shidochi was competing for the first time since losing to Fujinami in the semifinals at the 2023 Meiji Cup, giving birth to her first child in the interval.

"When it comes down do it, I lost yesterday and it's really hard to take," Shidochi said. "But I came back and won the third-place match, which I hope will lead to better things. I was able to bounce back and, although it wasn't the gold medal, I could still finish up with a medal."

Shidochi gives herself credit for not taking the easy path in her return to the mat.

"I decided to make a challenge at an Olympic weight and I realize that in reality, it is not so easy," she said. "In the second round I faced world champion Haruna. I had lost to her the last time and wanted to get revenge, but I wasn't able to do it and that's disappointing.

"It was my first tournament in two years. It comes down to getting that match sense again, and I was pretty nervous this time. There are many things I need to work on."

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Rin SAKAMOTO df. Rikuto NAGAI, 7-4
SF 2: Kento YUMIYA df. Rikuto ARAI, 2-1

61kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Toshihiro HASEGAWA df. Akito MUKAIDA by TF, 15-5, 4:51

BRONZE: Taichi YAMAGUCHI df. Aiki KAWAI, 7-0
BRONZE: Meiryu AKAMINE df. Takuto OSEDO, 5-3

World Team Playoff: Takara SUDA df. Hasegawa, 4-3

65kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Kaisei TANABE df. Ryuto SAKAKI, 5-0
SF 2: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Yuto NISHIUCHI, 8-1

70kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Shoya MIURA df. Ryoya YAMASHITA, 6-5

BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Raita MATSUDA by TF, 11-0, 3:44
BRONZE: Makoto HOSOKAWA df. Yamato FUKUI by TF, 13-2, 3:46

World Team Playoff: Aoyagi df. Miura by TF, 11-0, 3:50

74kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Kota TAKAHASHI vs Hikaru TAKATA by TF, 12-2, 5:40
SF 2: Masaki SATO df. Toki OGAWA, 6-0

79kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Subaru TAKAHARA, 2-2

BRONZE: Kohei KITAMURA df. Ryunosuke KAMIYA by Def.
BRONZE: Natsura OKAZAWA df. Hirotaka ABE by TF, 11-0, 3:39

World Team Playoff: Kamiya df. Gharehdaghi, 3-0

Greco-Roman

60kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Kaito INABA df. Seima TOKUHARA by TF, 11-1, 4:32
SF 2: Yu SHIOTANI df. Koto GOMI by TF, 10-0, 1:49

67kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Katsuaki ENDO df. Kensuke SHIMIZU, 7-3
SF 2: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Haruto YABE, 13-6

77kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Kodai SAKURABA df. Shu YAMADA by TF, 9-1, 4:50
SF 2: Nao KUSAKA df. Naoki KADODE by TF, 12-1, 2:04

87kg (7 entries)
GOLD: So SAKABE df. Tatsuya FUJII, 9-0, 2:18

BRONZE: Isshin ONITSUKA df. Genki YAHAGI by Fall, 2:27 (10-0)

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Takahiro TSURUDA, 4-0

BRONZE: Masayuki AMANO df. Ryosei KATAMATSU by TF, 8-0, 1:51
BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Asahi IMAMURA by TF, 9-0, 1:51

130kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Yuta NARA df. Sota OKUMURA, 3-1

BRONZE: Shion OBATA df. Ayumu IWASAWA, 6-1

Women's Wrestling

50kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Remina YOSHIMOTO vs Mai OGAWA by TF, 10-0, 5:27
SF 2: Umi ITO df. Miyu NAKAMURA, 6-0

53kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Haruna MURAYAMA df. Moe KIYOOKA, 3-1

BRONZE: Haruna MORIKAWA df. Natsumi MASUDA, 3-0
BRONZE: Mayu SHIDOCHI df. Saki YUMIYA, 5-0

World Team Playoff: Murayama df. Kiyooka, 4-1

57kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Sara NATAMI, 3-1
SF 2: Sae NANJO df. Ichika ARAI, 9-0

62kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Nonoka OZAKI df. Misuzu ENOMOTO, 10-2
SF 2: Sakura MOTOKI df. Shirin TAKEMOTO by TF, 10-0, 2:23

68kg (4 entries)
GOLD: Ami ISHII (3-0)
SILVER: Seia MOCHINAGA (2-1)
BRONZE: Kaede MATSUYAMA (1-2)

Key match: Ishii df. Mochinaga by Fall, 2:06 (6-0), in Round 3

76kg (4 entries)
GOLD: Nodoka YAMAMOTO (3-0)
SILVER: Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-1)
BRONZE: Mizuki NAGASHIMA (1-2)

Key match: Yamamoto df. Matsuyuki 3-1 in Round 3

Greco-Roman stars maintain top spot in rankings

Comments

Murayama upends Kiyooka, twice, to make Japan's world team