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."

#WrestleAmman

Olympic champs prevail as Iran bounces back with 4 golds

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 19:27 By Ken Marantz

AMMAN, Jordan (March 26) -- With its two Olympic champions in action, it was a pretty sure thing that Iran would do better than its disappointing showing the previous day in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships.

The wrestling powerhouse sure did, rebounding all the way to the top of four medal podiums. Paris Olympic gold medalists Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) defended their Asian titles in leading a quartet of Iranians who captured titles on Wednesday in Amman, a day after Iran came away with just a single gold.

Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) also emerged victorious as Iran stormed to the team title with 201 points, well ahead of the 168 chalked up by second-place Uzbekistan, which claimed three golds on the opening day Tuesday -- all in head-to-head clashes with Iranian opponents. Japan finished third with 131 points.

Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK) won the other gold on offer on Wednesday with a victory at 60kg after taking silvers in 2018 and 2019.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) wrestles Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Saravi, competing for the first time since Paris, showed again why he has been the dominant force at Greco 97kg in recent years when he easily outclassed 2023 world U23 bronze medalist Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) 8-0 in the final.

"This is my first official appearance after the Olympic Games," Saravi said. "Thank God I was able to put on a good performance and win the gold medal."

Put in par terre, Saravi scored a roll against the gutsy but outmanned Nakazato, then added an arm drag takedown for a 5-0 lead. Just seconds into the second period, Saravi got behind for a takedown during a scramble that landed him out of bounds.

The Japanese side took a risk and challenged the call, even though losing it would give Saravi the winning point. That's just what happened, and Saravi was champion at 3:08 with his third technical fall in three matches without conceding a point.

"After the Olympics, I suffered a knee injury, but thankfully, I’m in much better condition now," Saravi said. "Over the past two or three months, I’ve been able to train at the camp under the supervision of the national team and I’ve reached a decent level of readiness and felt good.

"I hope to reach full readiness by the World Championships and deliver a strong performance there to achieve the best possible result."

The 27-year-old Saravi, who also won a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, has not lost since falling 3-0 to Gabriel ROSSILO (CUB) in the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships.

Perhaps more impressively, he has finished in the top-three in every competition he has entered since the 2019 worlds, a streak of 18 tournaments that includes a world gold in 2021 and Asian gold in 2020.

Saravi said he looks forward to renewing his rivalry with four-time Olympic medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), whom he defeated in the final in Paris.

"Artur Aleksanyan is a great wrestler and someone I have a lot of respect for," Saravi said. "I see it as motivation for myself to face him several times in the coming years.

"I hope Aleksanyan can achieve the best results in the European Championships, and that we can put on a great match together at the World Championships so that the fans can enjoy it."

Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) sets up to throw Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Earlier, Esmaeili, also making his first appearance since the Olympics, had to work a bit harder than Saravi to prevail 3-0 in the 67kg final over world U23 champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), a repeat of the outcome of last year's final.

"This edition of the Asian Championships had a high level of competition, with renowned wrestlers from Japan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan," Esmaeili said. "The Kyrgyz wrestler was the world U23 champion and a strong competitor. The Japanese wrestler was the Asian Games champion and showed a high level of performance."

Esmaeili got a 2-point throw from par terre in the first period, then held his ground to avoid giving up a passivity point in a scoreless second to relegate Beishekeev to the silver medal again.

"In the final, I fought for those six minutes, but my opponent wasn’t really there to wrestle with me," Esmaeili said. "I attacked him during those six minutes, and in the second period, he kept stopping the match to catch his breath. Honestly, the final was the toughest match."

Esmaeili said he had to make the tough transition that comes with the notoriety of becoming an Olympic champion.

"After becoming an Olympic champion, people expect a lot from me, and because of the matches I’ve had, their expectations have increased," he said. "Every competition we enter is more stressful than before because people say, 'He’s an Olympic champion, so he has to perform well.'

"That’s why we have to be careful not to lose. The pressure of competition has become much heavier for us since the Olympics."

The loss was Beishekeev's first since last year's final in Bishkek, after which he won titles at the 2024 World U23 Championships and at this year's Tirana Ranking Series tournament. He also has bronze medals from both the Asian Games and Asian Championships in 2023.

Danial SOHRABI (IRI) celebrates after winning the 72kg final against Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, Sohrabi completed a dominant run to the title by putting away 2024 bronze medalist Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) 8-0 in the final for his fourth technical fall in four matches -- all without giving up a point.

Sohrabi, the 2023 world U23 champion, took advantage of the first shot at par terre by scoring consecutive rolls for a 5-0 lead, added a stepout, then finished the match with a takedown at 2:38.

Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) wrestles Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

World U23 champion Naghousi had his work cut out for him in forging a 3-1 victory over Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final.

Naghousi used a body lock throw to score from par terre in the first period, then defended well from the bottom in the second period, avoiding giving up points on a rolling throw attempt by Satayev, whose silver marks his first senior-level medal.

Se Ung RI (PRK) celebrates after winning the gold medal at the 60kg weight class. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 60kg, Ri used his agility to step over and gain a 2-point exposure on a takedown attempt by world U23 champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the second period, giving him a 6-4 win and his first victory in three trips to the Asian final.

"I trained really hard to make sure I would win first place here," Ri said. "In the match against the Uzbekistan athlete, since I was stronger overall, I tried my best to overpower him tactically and secure the gold medal."

Ri took the early lead with an arm drag takedown and gut wrench to go up 4-0, but Ganiev came back with a lateral drop for 2, then spun behind after stopping an arm throw to make it 4-4 with the criteria in his favor.

In the second period, Ganiev got in tight on a takedown attempt on the mat, but Ri stepped over the top to wrench Ganiev temporarily onto his back for the 2 that would give him the title.

Ri, who prevented Iran from having finalists in all five weight classes when he defeated Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) 8-4 in the semifinals, said he prepared well for what he knew would be a tough competition in the Olympic weight class.

"The 60kg category is an Olympic category, that's why I studied all of the opponents carefully, watched a lot of match footage and worked hard to win," Ri said.

Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) edged Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) 6-5 in the 82kg bronze-medal bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Qatar gains 2nd-ever Asian medal, with an Iranian tint

In the bronze-medal matches, Qatar picked up just its second-ever medal -- again thanks to the efforts of an import -- when Iranian-born Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) edged two-time bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) 6-5 at 82kg.

Badaghimofrad, who finished fifth for Iran at the 2023 Asian Championships and made his debut for Qatar earlier this year, had fallen behind 5-4 from a scramble that was started from a nice 4-point fireman's carry by Rasulov. But Badaghimofrad used an arm drag for a takedown to go ahead before the break, then held off Rasulov in a second period that saw no passivity points assessed.

Qatar's only previous medal was a silver won at freestyle 125kg by Georgian-born Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (QAT) in 2018 in Bishkek. There have been a handful of fifth-place finishes by native Qataris.

In the other 82kg match, Boseong KANG (KOR) pulls a surprise with a 6-6 victory over dethroned defending champion Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), using an effective arm throw to build a six-point lead before holding off a late charge from the Japanese teen.

At 60kg, Kaito INABA (JPN) added a bronze to the silver he won last year in Bishkek, defeating Iran's Naserpour 1-1 on last-point criteria in a match limited to passivity points.

With Inaba on top in the second period, Naserpour did an amazing job of preventing being thrown, but Inaba clinched the win when he wriggled out of a Naserpour arm spin late in the match.

The second bronze-medal match at 60kg was also decided on last point, as Ziyue XI (CHN) used a high-chest wrap to turn over Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) from par terre and secure a 3-3 victory for the first major medal of his career.

Sulaimanov, who won an Asian U23 bronze here last year, converted a reverse body roll in his turn from par terre in the first period.

At 67kg, Man Gwang SON (PRK) scored a stepout with :43 second left, giving him the criteria advantage and a 2-2 victory over Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB). Boykuziev had gone ahead with a stepout during a throw in par terre to go up 2-1.

Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) won the 67kg bronze medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Asian Games champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) hit a rolling 4-point throw from par terre in the first period and that was more than enough to defeat NEERAJ (IND) 5-0 in a battle between the 2022 bronze medalists. The loss denied Neeraj a third career Asian bronze.

In a bizarre finish at 72kg, Ji LENG (CHN) was on his way to a victory over Omar AL DARAGHMEH (JOR) when a misguided challenge from the Jordan side gave the Chinese the points he needed for an 11-3 technical fall.

Leng had a pair of stepouts and a takedown-roll combination in the second period to build up a 9-3 lead when Al Daraghmeh attempted a pancake that was stopped and originally scored as 2 for Leng. The call was overturned as a slipped throw, but Jordan challenged anyway -- and "won" the challenge because Al Daraghmeh was instead assessed a 2-point leg foul penalty which ended the match.

Issei HONNA (JPN) earned the other 72kg bronze for his first international medal, ripping off three rolls from par terre en route to a 10-0 victory over Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM) in 2:13.

At 97kg, NITESH (IND), a two-time Asian U23 medalist, earned his first senior medal with a one-sided 9-0 victory over Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM). Nitesh scored three gut wrenches from par terre, then ended the match with an arm drag takedown with :04 left in the first period.

Youfang ZHANG (CHN) snatched the other 97kg bronze in impressive fashion, reversing Jewoo PARK (KOR) during a gut wrench and securing a fall at 2:00.

Day 2 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Se Ung RI (PRK) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Kaito INABA (JPN) df. Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 1-1
BRONZE: Ziyue XI (CHN) df. Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ), 3-3

67kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-0

BRONZE: Man Gwang SON (PRK) df. Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB), 2-2
BRONZE: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) df. NEERAJ (IND), 5-0

72kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) by TF, 8-0, 2:38

BRONZE: Ji LENG (CHN) df. Omar AL DARAGHMEH (JOR) by TF, 11-3, 5:14
BRONZE: Issei HONNA (JPN) df. Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM) by TF, 10-0, 2:13

82kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Omar SATAYEV (KAZ), 3-1

BRONZE: Boseong KANG (KOR) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 6-6
BRONZE: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB), 6-5

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) by TF, 8-0, 3:08

BRONZE: NITESH (IND) df. Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM) by TF, 9-0, 2:56
BRONZE: Youfang ZHANG (CHN) df. Jewoo PARK (KOR) by Fall, 2:00 (3-3)

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

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Olympic champs prevail as Iran bounces back with 4 golds