Homebound for Now, Susaki Never Wavers from Revived Quest for Olympic Gold

Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - 15:03 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO -- Having seen her Olympic dream all but crushed, and then suddenly revived through a twist of fate over which she had no control, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) knows she must take advantage of whatever opportunities life throws her way.

And if she has to wait another year to achieve her goal at the Tokyo Olympics, then she is going to look for the silver lining in the delay of her quest for gold.

"This is the first time for me to be away from wrestling for so long," Susaki said in an interview by email. "I really want to wrestle again as soon as possible. Even so, there is also the plus side that I can use this time to do image training while watching videos, and put together a training regimen for the parts where I am weakest."

In what area Susaki, who will turn 21 on June 30, has a weakness, or if she has any at all, might be up for debate, but the two-time senior world champion in the women's 50kg class does not want any more missteps along the way. Like the majority of the sports world, Susaki has spent the past month training at home, preparing for the day when she can get back on the mat.

There is a possibility that the National Training Center might be reopened following the lifting of the nationwide state of emergency by the Japanese government, but as of this writing, a definite date had not yet been decided. Susaki also cannot train at Waseda University, where she is a student and which has been closed since March.

So, limited to keeping in shape at her home in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, Susaki said she goes through two workouts a day of about an hour each. She runs three to five kilometers and exercises or weight trains in a local park or at home.

She does get a chance for some wrestling-oriented training. Her older sister Mai joins Yui to work on takedowns. Like their father Yasuhiro, Mai wrestled at Waseda, and once finished third at the Klippan Lady Open. "On the weekends when my sister is not working, we train together with takedown drills," Susaki said.

The family reunions are a welcome bonus as they deal with the societal effects of the crisis, which means an absence of contact with friends and teammates. For Susaki, it is the longest she has spent time with her family since she left home in the second year of junior high school to join the Japan Olympic Committee Elite Academy.

"To spend so much time with my whole family is really a fresh feeling and I'm really happy," Susaki said. "The time is so valuable. They look forward to seeing me perform on big stages like the Olympics and World Championships, and are with me through their support. This really hit me as we spend so much time together. My determination [for success] is also for my family."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) starts each match off in her patented low-level stance. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

In between her training sessions, Susaki participates in online classes at Waseda, where she is enrolled in the Faculty of Sports Sciences, which includes among its professors two-time Olympic freestyle medalist Akira OTA (JPN). It was significant that Susaki opted to follow in the family footsteps and enroll in Waseda instead of going to wrestling powerhouse Shigakkan University.

Shigakkan, previously known as Chukyo Women's University, has produced every Japanese Olympian in women's wrestling since it was added to the Olympic program at Athens 2004. That includes such luminaries as Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and Kaori ICHO (JPN), and current stars Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Sara DOSHO (JPN), who will aim to defend the Olympic titles they won at Rio 2016.

Under the assumption that the Tokyo Olympics will be held as rescheduled in summer 2021, Shigakkan's monopoly will end as world 76kg silver medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), who competed collegiately at Ritsumeikan University, has already clinched her place on the Japan squad.

For Susaki to join her, she needs to first secure a place at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament, currently set for Xi'an, China, in March 2021. At the time that she won the 50kg title at the All-Japan Championships in December last year to earn the right to enter the qualifier, she had two months to prepare. Little did she or anyone else know that it would stretch to 15 months after first being moved out of China then postponed altogether.

"It was very difficult to prepare myself for the competition under the circumstances where we didn't know if it would be held or not," Susaki said. "When it was postponed a year, I thought about the positive side, as it gives me another year to get stronger. From now, I will get stronger."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) celebrates after defeating rival Yuki IRIE (JPN). (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

A 0.01 Percent Chance
That Susaki will be taking the mat in Xi'an, barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances, is a testament to the unpredictability of sports.

Susaki's Olympic dream appeared to be shattered when she lost a playoff to nemesis Yuki IRIE (JPN) for a place on the team to the World Championships in Nur-Sultan last September. That held major significance, as an expected medal in the Kazakh capital would have clinched a place at the Tokyo Olympics for Irie, the only wrestler in the world who has beaten Susaki since elementary school.

But Irie suffered a heartbreaking 13-12 loss in the quarterfinals to Rio 2016 bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN). Then, more significantly for Susaki and her fans around the globe, Sun was beaten by eventual champion Mariya STADNIK (AZE) in the semifinals--knocking Irie out of a place in the repechage and a chance for a bronze medal.

Susaki had continued practicing, taking to heart her coach Shoko YOSHIMURA's words that "if there is still a 0.01 percent chance, you have to keep fighting."

"I had practice at the time, so I didn't see the match between Sun Yanan and Irie in real time," Susaki said. "I did see the match between Sun Yanan and Mariya Stadnik."

That unlocked the door to the Olympics, but to open it up, she first had to make it to the Asian qualifier. And to do that, she had to beat Irie--and Rio 2016 gold medalist Eri TOSAKA (JPN), for that matter--which she did with a razor-thin 2-1 victory in the final at the All-Japan, also known as the Emperor's Cup.

"I went into the match against Irie at the Emperor's Cup regarding myself as the 'challenger'," Susaki said, adding that she told herself, "'This is your last chance. Definitely make this yours and get to the Tokyo Olympics.' That feeling was so strong.

"When I lost in the playoff, I was confused and lost confidence in myself. But making use of that time, I was able to compete confidently at the Emperor's Cup, for all of the people who believed in me and supported me as well as myself."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) celebrates with her coach after winning her second consecutive senior-level world title. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Success Comes Early, Often
Her Olympic aspirations began burning not long after Susaki started wrestling as an elementary school first-grader at the local Matsudo Junior Wrestling School. By third grade, she had her first age-group national title and began dreaming of emulating Yoshida and win an Olympic gold.

The next year in 2009, she lost in the fourth-grade 26kg final to future world junior champion Saki IGARASHI (JPN)--Susaki would not lose again until 2015--but came back to take the national crowns in fifth grade and sixth grade.

Success continued in junior high school, where she won both of the major national titles all three years and never tasted defeat. She also made her mark on the global stage, winning cadet titles at the Klippan Lady Open three years in a row, and the first of three consecutive world cadet golds.

In her second year of junior high school, she was recruited to join the JOC Elite Academy under Yoshimura, a former five-time world champion who still mentors her today.

Asked what sets Susaki apart from other top wrestlers, Yoshimura said, "The skill and physical strength to achieve a goal cannot be gained without having the will. Since she has a strong will and the energy, she can increase the amount of practice, effort, and training. She thinks of a methodology for applying various things to wrestling."

Moving on to high school, Susaki followed up her victory at the 2015 world cadet by making the final in her debut at the Emperor's Cup. In the gold-medal match, she was dealt the first of three career losses by Irie, who rolled to a 10-0 technical fall. That ended an 83-match winning streak dating back to her first year of junior high school and not including elementary school, although she came back the next year to win her first All-Japan title.

In 2017, she made the jump directly from cadet world champion to senior world champion, winning the 48kg gold in Paris, which made her the first high schooler to win a world title since Icho in 2002. That year began and ended in vastly different ways, as she won at the Yarygin Grand Prix in her senior debut, but lost to Irie in the Emperor's Cup semifinal, snapping a 63-match winning streak.

Entering Waseda in April 2018, she beat Irie at the All-Japan Invitational Championships, then again in a playoff to earn a ticket to that year's World Championships in Budapest, where she manhandled Stadnik in the 50kg final for her second straight gold. That victory came a little over a month after she added a world junior title to her collection.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) smiles after a win at the '19 Women's Wrestling World Cup. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The Joy of Wrestling
In the video of her rout of Stadnik, the American commentator made this observation of Susaki: "She absolutely loves wrestling. When you see her wrestle, she smiles, she's really enjoying it, she's having fun, she's relaxed out there."

Asked if this was an accurate assessment, Susaki confirmed that it was.

"Yes, it's accurate," she said. "I really love wrestling and always enjoy being in a match. It's fun for me when I get the most out of my abilities to win a gold medal at the World Championships or I defeat a powerful opponent.

"I get nervous before a match, but I know the effort I made preparing for the match, and how hard I practiced for the purpose of winning. I go into the match in the spirit that, 'I know I am OK. Now just put everything into enjoying the match.'"

Susaki's fierce determination and bubbly personality has endeared her to fans both at home and abroad. Given the chance to address her international fans in this UWW story, Susaki wanted to convey her gratitude for their support, and encourage them to continue efforts to overcome the pandemic.

"I am very happy to all my fans around the world and am grateful from the bottom of my heart," she said. "They encourage me when I lose, and they share the joy when I win. Thanks to all of the fans, I have able to do my best.

"Right now, the coronavirus has caused a serious crisis around the world. We can all pull together to get through this and look forward to the day when we can wrestle again and have matches again. I'm going to do everything I can to make progress and again give everyone a good show on the world stage."

#JapanWrestling

Takatani stretches streak of national titles; Kanazawa wins historic GR crown

Thursday, December 22, 2022 - 17:22 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 22) -- As veteran Sohsuke TAKATANI balances a number of off-the-mat pursuits, he still managed to extend his streak of national titles to the second-longest ever, while a Tokyo high schooler nearly half his age also etched his name in the history books.

Takatani held on for a 12-8 victory in the freestyle 92kg final over teen collegian Arashi YOSHIDA to notch his 12th straight title on the opening day of the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships on Thursday in Tokyo.

A short time earlier, Kohaku KANAZAWA became the first-ever high schooler to win a national crown in Greco-Roman when he scraped out an 8-7 victory over world U20 bronze medalist Taiga ONISHI at 55kg in the tournament serving as the first of two domestic qualifiers for next year's World Championships in Belgrade.

And in the first of what will be a succession of battles between current Olympic and/or world champions and medalists over the four-day event at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, world silver medalist Ami ISHII and world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA advanced to a highly anticipated final in the women's 68kg division.

The clashes of the titans on tap are all due to the tournament's link with the 2024 Paris Olympics. As the Japan federation has decreed that a wrestler who wins a medal in Belgrade in an Olympic weight will automatically fill the spot in Paris that they have secured, that has added urgency to qualify for Belgrade, particularly among the women, where a world medal is accessible. It has also funneled the top wrestlers into the six Olympic divisions in each style.

All wrestlers who lose here will get another shot in June at the second qualifier, the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships. Winners of both tournaments will automatically earn a ticket to Belgrade, with a playoff determining the spot if the winners are different.

For this year's Emperor's Cup, the federation tweaked the format by running the Olympic weight classes over two days, the same as is done at the Olympics and the worlds. Non-Olympic weights are being started and ended on the same day.

Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) Sohsuke TAKATANI rolls Arashi YOSHIDA early in the freestyle 92kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Takatani, the 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg who plans to move down to 86kg at the Meiji Cup in a bid to make his fourth Olympics, advanced to the 92kg final with a pair of technical falls, but met some unexpected resistance there from national collegiate champion Yoshida of Nihon University.

The 33-year-old Takatani stormed to an 8-0 lead with a driving takedown and three rolls off a lace lock. But Yoshida, whose Iranian father runs the kids' wrestling club in nearby Chiba Prefecture where he got his start, came back with a takedown to cut it to 8-2 at the break.

In the second period, Yoshida scored three more takedowns to offset a takedown and two stepouts by Takatani, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the champion, whose run of titles has come over four different weights. The 12 crowns overall also put him in fifth place on Japan's all-time list of total titles, one behind both Kaori ICHO and Saori YOSHIDA.

"I've been working hard every year and I've kept it going well for 12 years," Takatani said. "Many young wrestlers have put up a challenge and it's my mission to keep from losing."

As he keeps his career going, the outgoing Takatani also stays busy as the head coach at his alma mater, Takushoku University, by preparing for a doctoral course at Tsukuba University, and as a new father after his wife gave birth to their first child, a son, in September.

"I thought about entering at 86kg here, but I thought that if I put out energy too early, I would peter out in the second half," he said. "So I decided I will build up a little more [mentally and physically] and then go for it. If I get a chance, I might give 97kg a try. But I think that would irritate some people."

Kohaku KANAZAWA (JPN) High schooler Kohaku KANAZAWA and Taiga ONISHI grapple for position in the Greco 55kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

In the Greco 55kg final, Kanazawa trailed 2-4 going into the second period against Waseda University's Onishi, but went ahead 5-4 with a gut wrench from par terre. Onishi came back to take the lead with a takedown to the back, but it was only temporary, as Kanazawa quickly reversed to go ahead 6-6 on criteria. He then added a takedown, and allowed only a late stepout for the win.

"I didn't feel any pressure and just went all out," said Kanazawa, who finished fifth at this year's world U17 in his international debut. "I'm surprised."

Kanazawa is a second-year student at Jiyugaoka Gakuen High School, the alma mater of 2021 champion Yu SHIOTANI, the world bronze medalist who has moved up to the Olympic weight of 60kg and a possible clash with Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) Moe KIYOOKA, left, and Rino KATAOKA, teammates at the recent World Cup, square off during the women's 55kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

Meanwhile, Moe KIYOOKA, who pulled off an age-group double this year with titles at both the world U20 and world U23, defeated two of her World Cup teammates en route to her first senior national title at women's 55kg.

Kiyooka scored a first-period takedown and made that hold up for a 2-0 victory over Rino KATAOKA, who wrestled at 53kg on the young Japanese team that lost two close matches at the World Cup two weeks ago in the U.S. The top Japanese wrestlers skipped the World Cup because of its proximity to the Emperor's Cup.

In her opening match in the quarterfinals, Kiyooka chalked up an 11-0 technical fall over Ruka NATAMI, the Japan team's 57kg entry in Coralville.

"We didn't talk about this All-Japan tournament in particular," said Kiyooka, a freshman at Ikuei University. "But for me, while we were warming up, I kind of got an idea of how I could do and I felt that if there was something lacking, I had a week until the All-Japan and could make adjustments."

It was at the World Cup that Kiyooka was dealt her first career loss by a non-Japanese wrestler when she fell 3-0 to the world bronze medalist at 57kg Alina HRUSHNYA (UKR).

"The match I lost at the World Cup was one that I have to reflect on because it showed how weak-hearted I can be," Kiyooka said. "The opponent faced [Ikuei teammate] Tsugumi SAKURAI at the World Championships and I was there for that match, so I have an image of her as being strong. That made me feel weak. But because of that, I made sure to brace myself for this All-Japan."

Kiyooka said her goal remains a gold medal in Paris and at this point, she plans to drop to 53kg for the Meiji Cup, which would mean getting on a collision course with Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI and 2021 world champion Akari FUJINAMI. Kiyooka faced Shidochi in this year's Meiji Cup final at 55kg and lost by technical fall.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) Miwa MORIKAWA clamps down on Miyu IMAI in holding on for a 3-0 victory in the women's 68kg semifinals. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

Morikawa's striking means of motivation

When the dust settled at women's 68kg, Morikawa and Ishii were the last left standing in a field that included four current or past world gold or silver medalists, not to mention a pair of former world junior champions.

Morikawa advanced to Friday's final with a 3-0 victory over 2018 world junior champion Miyu IMAI in a rematch of last June's Meiji Cup final, also won by Morikawa. Imai, who went to the World Cup and split her two matches at 65kg, had set up the clash by edging 2021 world 72kg champion Masako FURUICHI, 2-1.

"Unlike recent competitions, I didn't have to cut any weight, so my condition was a little flat going into the tournament," Morikawa said. "I wondered if I would be alright."

Morikawa said that she moved up to 68kg -- her natural weight -- because her previous experience of dropping to 62kg left her too drained and she missed out on the Tokyo Olympics.

"Up to now, I've built up experience in the non-Olympic weight of 65kg, but I still have regrets to this day of not making it to the Tokyo Olympics," Morikawa said. "I thought that I don't want to have that feeling ever again.

"It's not like I want to win this tournament so much that I'll die for it, but I want to take the mat feeling that will definitely win it. I hope I can win it and get off to a good start [heading to the Olympics]."

Before each match, Morikawa showed what was providing her with extra motivation. As she waited at matside for the previous match to end, she wore a Japan national soccer team T-shirt with the No. 8 of striker Ritsu DOAN.

Japan's run into the knockout round of the recent World Cup in Qatar, where the Samurai Blue stunned powerhouses Germany and Spain in the group stage, thrilled and inspired the nation, none more so than Morikawa and her soccer-loving family.

"I watched more than half of the World Cup matches," Morikawa said. "I saw the final this week. On the Japan team, I really like Doan. I think there are parts of me that are similar to Doan's boldness. So when I wear his t-shirt or use his towel, it raises my motivation and gets me ready for what's ahead."

Ishii advanced to the final with a 12-2 technical fall over 2019 world U20 champion Naruha MATSUYUKI, but that came after surviving a scare against 2021 world silver medalist Rin MIYAJI in which she overcame a four-point deficit to post a 6-4 victory.

The 2022 world silver medalist looked flat in giving up a pair of first-period takedowns to Miyaji. But she used her counterattack to get back into the match and went ahead 4-4 on criteria with a takedown with 25 seconds left.

Ishii scored a last-second takedown when Miyaji stopped fighting after the back of her head collided with Ishii's front teeth. That opened up a cut that caused Miyaji to be taken to the hospital.

It was another physically painful ending for Miyaji. At the 2021 World Championships, her shocking victory by fall over Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) in the semifinals was tempered by a serious knee injury she suffered in a loss in the final to Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

Ayano MORO (JPN) Teenager Ayano MORO prepares for battle ahead of her semifinal match with Nanaha TAKASU at women's 76kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki/Japan Wrestling Federation)

One anticipated match-up that didn't come off Thursday was at women's 76kg, where world bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI pulled out of the competition with a torn right pectoralis major muscle after winning the opening match of her round-robin group.

That kept Kagami from a potential first meeting with 17-year-old world U20 champion Ayano MORO, who won all three of her matches by technical fall to make Saturday's final against Nodoka YAMAMOTO.

Moro, who is making her first appearance in a senior-level tournament, has not lost since being beaten by Ishii in the final of the national junior high school invitational in 2017. That run includes a 4-2 victory in the final of the Junior Queen's Cup in April over Yamamoto, who notched two impressive victories at the World Cup.

"This was my first Emperor's Cup, but I'm aiming to make the 2024 Paris Olympics, so it doesn't matter if it's the first," Moro said. "It's only natural to think of winning. That's what I practiced for. Since I started high school, I think this is the best I've ever wrestled."

Kagami said she suffered the injury 10 days ago in practice, and after being unable to launch any form of attack in her 2-1 victory over Yamamoto -- all points were scored on the activity clock -- she decided to withdraw.

Had there been one more entry in the seven-women field, she said she might have stuck it out, as it would have meant a straight knockout format and a maximum of three matches. But she said the prospect of four more matches would be too much to bear.

"During the match, I could hear it popping," Kagami said. "At the time, I could withstand the pain, but after the match, I couldn't move and had no power.

"Two and a half years ago I injured my ankle, and because it was my leg, I couldn't move. This time, I could use my left arm, so I tried to think of a way I could win. Still, this doesn't mean the Paris Olympics is completely gone. I can still reach [No. 1] at the next World Championships, so at least my goal has become clearer."

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

74kg (14 entries)
Semifinal - Daichi TAKATANI df. Jintaro MOTOYAMA by TF, 10-0, 3:oo
Semifinal - Kirin KINOSHITA df. Kota TAKAHASHI, 4-4

92kg (14 entries)
Gold - Sohsuke TAKATANI df. Arashi YOSHIDA, 12-8

Bronze - Takeshi YAMAGUCHI df. Akinobu TAKEUCHI by Fall, :20 (2-0)
Bronze - Ryoichi YAMANAKA df. Hikaru ABE by Fall, 4:51 (4-2)

Semifinal - Sohsuke TAKATANI df. Takeshi YAMAGUCHI by TF, 11-0, 3:21
Semifinal - Arashi YOSHIDA df. Hikaru ABE by TF, 11-0, 3:44

97kg (10 entries)
Semifinal - Takashi ISHIGURO df. Toyoki HAMADA by TF, 11-0, 3:45
Semifinal - Hibiki ITO df. Hiroto NINOMIYA, 4-2

125kg (10 entries)
Semifinal - Daiki YAMAMOTO df. Takuya HIGUCHI by Def.
Semifinal - Ryusei FUJITA df. Yuji FUKUI, 7-3

Greco-Roman

55kg (15 entries)
Gold - Kohaku KANAZAWA df. Taiga ONISHI, 8-7

Bronze - Shoya ITO df. Shu HIRATA by TF, 10-1, 1:54
Bronze - Mizuki ARAKI df. Kagetora OKAMOTO by Def.

Semifinal - Kohaku KANAZAWA df. Shoya ITO, 10-6
Semifinal - Taiga ONISHI df. Kagetora OKAMOTO by TF, 8-0, 2:21

87kg (10 entries)
Semifinal - Masato SUMI df. Daisei ISOE by TF, 8-0, :32
Semifinal - So SAKABE df. Kaito MIYAMOTO by TF, 9-0, 1:58

97kg (11 entries)
Semifinal - Yuta NARA df. Yuri NAKAZATO, 5-0
Semifinal - Masayuki AMANO df. Kyo KITAWAKI by Fall, 1:15 (8-0)

130kg (10 entries)
Semifinal - Shion OBATA df. Daigo NISHI by TF, 9-1, 3:57
Semifinal - Sota OKUMURA df. Ryuta KONO by TF, 11-2, 4:52

Women

55kg (14 entries)
Gold - Moe KIYOOKA df. Rino KATAOKA, 2-0

Bronze - Kanon YAMASHITA df. Ruka NATAMI, 9-4
Bronze - Neon GOMI df. Misaki YOSHIBA, 2-1

Semifinal - Moe KIYOOKA df. Kanon YAMASHITA, 12-6
Semifinal - Rino KATAOKA df Neon GOMI, 4-2

65kg (10 entries)
Gold - Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Rin TERAMOTO, 5-3

Bronze - Misuzu ENOMOTO df. Nagisa ITO by TF, 10-0, 2:09
Bronze - Momoko KITADE df. Kaede HIRAI, 5-1

Semifinal - Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Misuzu ENOMOTO, 12-10
Semifinal - Rin TERAMOTO df. Momoko KITADE, 2-2

68kg (9 entries)
Semifinal - Ami ISHII df. Naruha MATSUYUKI by TF, 12-2, 5:55
Semifinal - Miwa MORIKAWA df. Miyu IMAI, 3-0

76kg (7 entries)
Semifinal - Nodoka YAMAMOTO df. Mizuki NAGASHIMA, 4-0
Semifinal - Ayano MORO df. Nanaha TAKASU by TF, 10-0, 1:10

Homebound for Now, Susaki Never Wavers from Revived Quest for Olympic Gold

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Takatani stretches streak of national titles; Kanazawa wins historic GR crown