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."

#wrestlebishkek, #WrestleParis

Ageless Abdurakhmonov gains ticket to Paris 2024, third Olympics

Friday, April 19, 2024 - 17:09 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 19) -- Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) had to battle the altitude, the home crowd and a determined opponent. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist showed his 34-year-old body could still work its wonders.

Abdurakhmonov earned a ticket to his third straight Olympics with a masterful 6-0 victory over home favorite Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) at 74kg as the freestyle quotas for Paris were decided at the Asian Olympic Qualifier on Friday in Bishkek.

"This win is not just mine," said Abdurakhmonov, who has two Asian golds and two world bronze medals from the last decade to his credit. "Wrestling is such a tough sport that it is not just you. You need the whole team, country to push you forward, to do better. I am very blessed to have these fans and friends, teammates, coaches and people at my home. So I am very excited."

Combined with a one-sided victory earlier at 57kg by Tokyo Olympian Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), Uzbekistan was one of six nations that evenly split the 12 available tickets to Paris with two each and now has three Olympic places overall.

The others winning two quotas were Iran, host Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Iran has now filled five of the six freestyle weight classes with just the World Olympic Qualifier in May remaining.

Bekzod ABDURAKHAMONOV (UZB) clashes with Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) in the 74kg Paris qualification bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In a clash between the bronze medalists at last October's Asian Games, Abdurakhmonov came out firing from the opening whistle to score a single-leg takedown which, despite lifting Toktomambekov full into the air and slamming him to the mat, was good only for two points. No matter, because Abdurakhmonov secured a high chest lock and easily rolled Toktomambekov for a 4-0 lead.

In the second period, Toktomambetov, who is 11 years Abdurakhmonov's junior, got in on a deep single, but Abdurakhmonov doesn't concede points easily. He initiated a counter scramble that ended with him on top for a takedown.

Despite how it appeared on the mat, the ever-moving Abdurakhmonov said he had trouble with his stamina. "I don't know what it is," he said. "I came here in very good shape but the altitude, the mountains are killing me a little bit. It's hard to wrestle here."

Even so, Abdurakhmonov managed to make both of his previous matches entertaining, as he won his opener against Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 10-4 after surviving a cradle and near fall situation, then built up a 15-9 lead before securing a late fall over Feng LU (CHN).

In addition to the thin air, Abdurakhmonov also had to contend with facing an opponent wrestling on home soil.

"You have to [step it up]. When it's your hometown, even the walls help you. There was a lot of crowd cheering for him. But thank God I found a way to beat him."

Abdurakhmonov, who attended and competed at Clarion University in the United States and speaks fluent English, finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he famously beat Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 11–1 but lost in the bronze-medal match to Jabrayil HASENOV (AZE). He made amends by taking home a bronze from Tokyo in 2021.

Among the more amazing aspects of Abdurakhmonov's colorful career is that his return to 74kg for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics included stops at weights as high as 86kg.

"I moved around a bit," he said. "I went up to 79kg and I was trying up to 86kg. I went to a couple of tournaments but 86kg guys are monsters. I feel better at 74kg. So I moved back down. We have an 86kg wrestler [Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)] who is very good and qualified for the Olympics. So it's good we have one more weight qualified."

Yones EMAMI (IRI) defeated Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win the Paris quota at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran's Asian Games champion Yones EMAMI (IRI) secured the other spot at 74kg, just as he did in 2021, but this time will be hoping that he gets to use it after cruising to a 10-0 rout of the 2021 Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ).

In a clash between world 70kg medalists in 2019, Emami puts on a takedown clinic with three in the first period, then opens the second period with a stepout. He then scores two more points with a driving takedown, then immediately finishes off the match with a gut wrench at 3:49.

In 2021, Emami won the Asian qualifier in Almaty but was not on the team to Tokyo. He missed a chance to qualify this time at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, where he lost to eventual champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) before falling to Hetik CABALOV (SRB) in the repechage.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) won Iran's fifth Freestyle quota for the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling.)

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), a two-time world U23 champion, gave Iran its fifth Paris berth with a 3-0 victory over Asian Games bronze medalist Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) at 97kg, clinching the victory with a takedown in the second period while on the activity clock.

"Today's competition was very difficult because it was the Olympic quota and there was no place for mistakes," Azarpira said. "I could be better than this but I was careful because I wanted the Olympic quota. The selection for the Olympics for Iran was in this competition, so it was highly sensitive."

In his only other match before the qualifier, Azarpira ousted rising Japanese star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), whose father is Iranian and runs the kids club where he got his start in the sport, in a bout that was close until the Iranian pulled away for a 9-1 win.

"I was wrestling Japan [Yoshida] for the first time," Azarpira said. "Yoshida is a very great opponent and it was a hard match. It was my first wrestling, my body hadn’t yet started and I wasn’t in the condition of the competition. But whatever the circumstances were, I had come to win and I was able to win."

Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores the winning takedown to secure the Paris 2024 ticket for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the opening match of the night session, two-time world U23 bronze medalist Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) electrified the crowd by pulling a ticket to Paris out of his hat, scoring a counter takedown with 14 seconds left to edge Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3 on criteria at 57kg.

Each wrestler had received an activity point that gave Almaz Uulu the lead on criteria. In the second period, Batkhuyag fought out of Almaz Uulu's deep double-leg shot to score a takedown with a minute left for a 3-1 lead.

Batkhuyag looked like he might run out the clock when he grabbed a single leg and hung on for dear life, but Almaz Uulu, the winner of this year's Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey, broke the hold and spun behind for the victory.

Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) hits a fireman carry against AMAN (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdullaev's overwhelming victory by fall over AMAN (IND) for the other 57kg berth could not have contrasted more with the preceding match.

Abdullaev, who finished seventh at the Tokyo Olympics, started things off with a low-single takedown, then tripled the lead with a slick 4-point fireman's carry. He then added a pair of 2-point exposures, the second of which gave him a 10-0 lead and would have ended the match had he not secured the fall at 2:17.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) celebrates after winning the 65kg Paris quota for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Former world 70kg silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), who is back at 65kg after three years, put together a controlled 5-3 win over Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) to win the Olympic qualifier for the second time in a row.

"Words can’t describe my emotions," Akmataliev said. "You saw the support I had. The stands were full of our fans, my friends and relatives and I had to win. Our main goal is not just the quota, but the Olympic gold."

Trailing 2-1 at the break, Akmataliev got a pair of stepouts in the second period, with the second coming with Kim on the activity clock. The two then exchanged stepouts and Akmataliev held on for the victory.

Akmataliev recorded an amazing comeback in the previous round when he overcame a six-point deficit in the second period in a 12-6 win over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL). Now he will look to do better in Paris than he did in Tokyo, where he lost in the first round to Bajrang PUNIA (IND).

"This will be my second Olympics," he said. "In the first one, I lost to an experienced wrestler. This time we will take into account all of the mistakes and not repeat them and bring back an Olympic medal."

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) qualified the 65kg weight class for Japan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) picked up the other 65kg berth -- and the chance to keep the Olympic gold in Japanese hands -- with a comprehensive 11-0 victory over Shaohua YUAN (CHN).

Kiyooka used a low single to maximum effect to score two takedowns in the first period which, combined with an activity point, gave him a 5-0 lead. In the second, he landed a double-leg takedown, applied the lace lock and rolled twice to end the match in 4:29.

"I'm happy to clinch [the quota], but looking at my performance overall, it's filled with issues that need to be worked on," Kiyooka said. "My goal is the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. It's good that the issues came to light, but I can't give my performance full marks. I think it was about a 50 [out of 100]."

Kiyooka, who earned the right to represent Japan in Bishkek by knocking off Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), had his toughest test in the first round when he held on for a 10-7 win over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK).

Kiyooka is a recent graduate of Nippon Sports Science University, where among his training partners is 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), who will be among the medal favorites in Paris at 57kg. He said that helped him against Yuan, who assumes a left-foot-forward stance.

"He uses a left-handed stance, well, my teammate Rei Higuchi also does that -- and honestly speaking, Higuchi is the best -- so it was no problem," Kiyooka said.

The 23-year-old Kiyooka, whose victory came six days after younger sister Moe won the women's 55kg gold at the Asian Championships in the same venue, came into the tournament with little international experience. He won the Kolov-Petrov tournament in Bulgaria in 2023, then finished ninth that year at the World U23.

"I've become more mentally strong," Kiyooka said. "The World U23 last year was a good experience for me. Today I watched videos of past matches and I was able to stay composed when I gave up points."

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), left, and Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) secured the Paris quota at 86kg for Japan and Mongolia respectively. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's other win came at 86kg, where 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) spent all of 33 seconds on the mat the entire day booking his ticket to Paris.

That was all the time it took Ishiguro to score a takedown on Gwanuk KIM (KOR), then reel off four quick gut wrenches for a 10-0 win. Ishiguro did not have to wrestle in the afternoon session as he received a victory by default in his lone match.

Sources said that Deepak PUNIA (IND) was unable to wrestle because he was late to the weigh-in after his flight from Dubai was delayed. He was stuck in Dubai for two days because of flooding.

"In the first match, you're usually pretty tight," said Ishiguro, the 2018 world junior (U20) champion at 79kg and 2019 world U23 bronze medalist who is a product of the same Tokyo kids wrestling club that produced Otoguro. "So there was a bit of anxiety. But everyone around me encouraged me, and that lifted my mood."

Mongolia secured the other Paris ticket at 86kg, when Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) defeated Tokyo Olympian Zushen LIN (CHN) 1-1 on criteria, with both points scored on the activity clock in a dull match.

Three-time Asian medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) earned a place for Kazakhstan in Paris and a possible second Olympics for himself at 97kg by edging Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) 3-2 at 97kg.

Yergali scored an activity point and stepout to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, Habila was on the clock again when he got in on a single-leg, but time ran out before the Chinese could finish the takedown, leaving Yergali ahead 3-2. It was a similar outcome to Yergali's 2-1 win over Habila in the first round at last year's World Championships.

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) defeated Zhiwei DENG (CHN) to win the 125kg quota for Mongolia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) made China 0-for-4 on the night when earned a ticket to a second straight Olympics at 125kg, while denying Zhiwei DENG (CHN) what would be his third trip by scoring an activity point in each period for a 2-0 win.

The match was a clash between the losers of the bronze-medal matches at the Tokyo Olympics and a rematch of Deng's 2-1 win in the first round at last year's World Championships.

"The match was hard," Munktur said. "At the World Championships, Deng beat me, but today I won so I am happy about it. I am going for the gold in Paris. Everything is possible. Why not?"

Tokyo Olympian Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) capped the night with a second-period scoring spree to defeat Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 7-3 in the other 125kg match.

Batirmurzaev, the 2021 Asian champion who finished third last year, received an activity point in the first period. In the second, he scored back-to-back 2-point counter lifts from a front body lock, then added a gut wrench for a 7-0 lead.

Sharipov, one of a handful of wrestlers who also competed at last week's Asian Championships -- where he won a bronze -- came back with a takedown and stepout, but it was too little, too late.

Paris 2024 Qualification Matches

57kg
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. AMAN (IND) by Fall, 2:17 (10-0)

65kg
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Shaohua YUAN (CHN) by TF, 11-0, 4:29
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Kwang Jin KIM (PRK), 5-3

74kg
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 6-0
Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 3:49

86kg
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Gwanuk KIM (KOR) by TF, 10-0, :33
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Zushen LIN (CHN), 1-1

97kg
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), 3-2
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-0

125kg
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 2-0
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 7-3

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

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Ageless Abdurakhmonov gains ticket to Paris 2024, third Olympics