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."

#WrestleSofia

Perfect Japan sweeps 5 golds at U20 Worlds

Thursday, August 18, 2022 - 21:44 By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Japan has won every women's team title at the U20 Worlds they have participated in. But when the USA won the team title in Ufa last year in Japan's absence with Russia finishing second and India third, talks of other nations catching up with Japan were ripe.

But on Thursday, Japan once again reminded the world about the gulf in class between them and other nations in women's wrestling.

In what was a day of utter dominance on the mat, Japan swept all five gold medals on offer on Thursday at the U20 World Championships in Sofia, astonishingly only in 14 minutes and 45 seconds.

While Umi ITO (JPN), Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and Ami ISHII (JPN) finished their bouts in a total of eight minutes 45 seconds, only Ayano MORO (JPN) wrestled the full six minutes.

Moreover, all five wrestlers did not let any of their opponents score a single attacking point with Moro giving up a passivity point in the final.

U20 Asian champion Ito got it going with a 10-0 technical superiority over Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) in the 50kg final. Like all other of her bouts, she never looked in any kind of trouble.

Ito and Jimenez scrambled for the initial takedown but it was the former who got the upper hand. She then added another before getting a roll to lead 4-0. Two go-behinds got her the win in just two minutes and 22 seconds.

The 2017 U17 world champion was injured in the semifinal loss against world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) at the Meiji Cup. But Ito said that the injury healed just in the nick of time for the U20 Worlds.

"I had the injury two months ago," Ito said. "But I overcame the injury, so like I did in the final, I was able to move well in my matches. Anyway, I'm relieved."

Wrestling at her first U20 Worlds, Ito did not feel any pressure whatsoever to win the title or begin the session with gold for Japan.

"I didn't feel any pressure," she said. "I was able to stay relaxed and I fought without feeling pressure."

With the win, Ito continued her unbeaten record internationally, extending back to 2017.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) scored a 10-0 win over Albina RILLIA (UKR) in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Returning to Sofia for her second age-group World Championships, Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) repeated as the champion, this year at 55kg. Wrestling U20 European bronze medalist Albina RILLIA (UKR), Kiyooka finished the bout in three minutes and 36 seconds.

Aware of how the world looks up to Japan as the gold standard in women's wrestling, Kiyooka wanted to keep it the same way.

"Japan [women], of course, every year in international tournaments wins team titles," Kiyooka said. "Every country looks at Japan as a strong team. More than pressure, I'm aware that my country is strong so I prepare to go out and give everything in matches."

And she had a special motivation all the way from Japan going into the gold medal bout on Thursday.

Kiyooka's brother, Kotaro, won his first national collegiate title for Nippon Sports Science University at freestyle 65kg earlier on Thursday. Before his sister's final, he sent a text saying 'ganbatte', which translates to fight hard.

"It motivated me that my brother was watching," she said. "I heard that my older brother had won the title. I was very happy. It made me want to fight hard and achieve the goal of having us siblings win double gold. It became a source of energy and it made me twice as powerful."

Evident on the mat as she did not let Rillia even come close to finishing an attack. For Kiyooka, the performance was similar to any even if it was not the World Championships.

"No matter the tournament, I go into it thinking I will definitely win the title," she said. "More than being concerned about my opponents, I focus on putting out an effort that makes use of what I did in training up to now, and to have matches that I have no regrets about."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) secures the fall over Viktoria BORSOS (HUN) in the 59kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two senior world team members gave a peek into what to expect from them at the senior World Championships in Belgrade as both outclassed their opponents in the final.

At 59kg, Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) secured a fall over Viktoria BORSOS (HUN) using a cradle in just one minute and 11 seconds. After the final, Motoki said she learned the move recently.

"I thought I would try a new technique that I was taught, and it was really good that I did it well," Motoki said.

While she secured a fall in the final, her semifinal was a tight affair as she scraped past Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) 2-2 after a late takedown. Motoki said it was the nervousness of wrestling at a World Championships that got to her.

"I had a very disappointing match [semifinal on Wednesday]," she said. "I had to put that behind me and clear my head [for the final]. I felt the pressure. I'm also going to the [senior] World Championships, so yesterday [Wednesday, the nervousness and anxiety caused me to not wrestle so well."

Taking lessons from the U20 Worlds, Motoki, whose father Yasutoshi competed in Greco-Roman 63kg at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will now train for Belgrade.

"In my training, I want to add new moves and develop more patterns of attack," she said.

The four medalists at 68kg including gold winner Ami ISHII (JPN), second from left. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ami ISHII (JPN) was the second senior world team member to win the gold on Thursday. She was the quickest of the lot to finish her final, taking just a minute and 36 seconds. She pinned Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) for the gold.

The former U17 Asian champion had to beat world silver medalist Rin MIYAJI (JPN) in the semifinal of the Meiji Cup and Naruha MAYSUYUKI (JPN) in the final and playoff to make the senior world team.

"Yes, there was [pressure]. I am going to the [senior] World Championships, so I thought that I absolutely have to win this tournament," she said.

Ishii is aware that the competition in Belgrade will be much tougher, especially at 68kg. Olympic champion Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA), world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), Olympic silver Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), 65kg world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA), Feng ZHOU (CHN), and Alla BELINSKA (UKR) are expected to be in Belgrade. But Ishii is up for the challenge.

"I know that the matches will be a lot tougher, so in the short time remaining until then, I will do everything that I need to do to be prepared," she said.

Ayano MORO (JPN) extending her unbeaten streak to 35 bouts. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The final gold was won by Ayano MORO (JPN) who had to work hard for a 3-1 win against two-time U17 world champion Priya MALIK (IND) in the 76kg final.

Moro was called passive in the first period but she scored a stepout to lead 1-1 on criteria at the break.

Malik shot for Moro's legs on a few occasions in the second period but failed to score. Moro, however, hit a low double and scored a takedown and defended her 3-1 lead till the time expired.

With the win, she extended her unbeaten record to 35 bouts, a streak that began in 2017. Her last loss was to Ishii in the 57kg final at the National Junior High School Invitational 2017.

Out of her 35 wins, the bout against Malik was only the second in which she did not secure a fall or technical superiority. The final did leave Moro in tears as she was surprised that it took her six minutes to win the gold medal in Sofia.

"These tears are not for winning gold but for not dominating the final," Moro said. "I want to be at the Olympics and win it but not with this performance. I wrestled very poorly here."

ANTIM (IND) ended Japan's winning run in Sofia. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Antim stops Japan

Japan had the chance to put all 10 of its wrestlers in the final but ANTIM (IND) pinned Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) in the 53kg quarterfinals to dash its hopes. Japan, however, still has the chance to win 10 medals as Antim reached the final by beating Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), 11-2, in the semifinal.

Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) will try to stop Antim from becoming India's first woman to be U20 world champion after she defeated Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) via fall. The bout was closer than the scoreline shows as Shagayeva was almost pinned by Mohamed when the referees stopped the bout as the Egypt wrestler pulled Shagayeva's singlet.

The bout began in par terre and the Kazakhstan wrestler got the gut wrench to make it 5-1 before a final-second fall.

Sofia MACALUSO (USA) reached the final at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Sofia MACALUSO (USA) entered the finals after three wins via fall. She defeated two returning medalists and Melda DERNEKCI (TUR) in the semifinals.

Macaluso will have Ruka NATAMI (JPN) in the final. The Japanese wrestler defeated Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), 7-1 after trailing for most of the bout. Bayanova kept 1-1 criteria lead and Natami was called passive for the second but she scored an underhook for four.

The second USA wrestler to reach the final was returning U20 world champion Amit ELOR (USA), who moved past REETIKA (IND) 12-1 with ease. With a win away from her second U20 title, Elor will face Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) in the final.

Panassovich was the second wrestler to beat a wrestler from Japan in a thrilling semifinal. Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) led 6-5 with just 15 seconds but Panassovich hit a double leg and scored a takedown to win 7-6. A lost challenge added one more point.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is a win away from becoming a U20 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

A battle between two former U17 world champions will be seen in the 62kg final as Asian champion and senior world bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) reached the final and Tokyo Olympian Sonam MALIK (IND) made it to the gold bout from the other side.

Ozaki defeated Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 10-0, using a leg lace while Malik scored a fall over Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ).

Another India-Japan final will take place as PRIYANKA (IND) booked the spot against Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) at 65kg.

Priyanka used an armbar to pin Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) while Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) defeated Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 10-0.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Umi ITO (JPN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) df. Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL), via fall
BRONZE: Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) df. Natalia WALCZAK (POL), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) df. Pei LIAO (TPE), via fall
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. MANJU (IND)

59kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Viktoria BORSOS (HUN), via fall

BRONZE: Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) df. Bhagyashree FAND (IND), 3-1
BRONZE: Madina AMAN (KAZ) df. Aleksandra WITOS (POL), 4-1

68kg
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), via fall

BRONZE: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. ARJU (IND), 6-4
BRONZE: Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER) df. Luciana BEDA (MDA), 5-1

76kg
GOLD: Ayano MORO (JPN) df. Priya MALIK (IND), 3-1

BRONZE: Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) df. Melisa SARITAC (TUR), 7-5
BRONZE: Tristan KELLY (USA) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: ANTIM (IND) vs. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)

SF 1: ANTIM (IND) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), 11-2
SF 2: Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) df. Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY), via fall (7-1)

57kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. Sofia MACALUSO (USA)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), 7-1
SF 2: Sofia MACALUSO (USA) df. Melda DERNEKCI (TUR), via fall (12-3)

62kg
GOLD: Sonam MALIK (IND) vs. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)

SF 1: Sonam MALIK (IND) df. Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ), via fall (8-0)
SF 2: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: PRIYANKA (IND) vs. Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN)

SF 1: PRIYANKA (IND) df. Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ), via fall (5-0)
SF 2: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)

SF 1: Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) df. Sumire NIIKURA (JPN), 8-6
SF 2: Amit ELOR (USA) df. REETIKA (IND), 12-1

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

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Perfect Japan sweeps 5 golds at U20 Worlds