Women's World Cup

Host Japan Favored at Women's World Cup

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 - 17:45 By Ken Marantz

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For world and Olympic champion Risako KAWAI, the upcoming Women's World Cup not only gives her a chance to help host Japan win a fourth consecutive title but share the experience with her sister Yukako KAWAI.

"I went to the world championships with my sister, but she didn't do well. This time, we want to do well together," Kawai said at a press conference last month to announce the Japanese team, which will be the prohibitive favorite in the tournament in Takasaki, about 100 kilometers northwest of Tokyo.

Risako, who won the Rio 2016 Olympic gold at 63kg and Paris 2017 world title at 60kg, captured her third straight Japan crown in the newly created 62kg class. Earlier, Yukako earned her first national title at 59kg, making the two the first sisters to win golds at the same Japan championships since Chiharu and Kaori ICHO in 2007.

Risako said she likes the rare chance to compete for a team in what is generally an individual sport.

"When you win as a team, you're twice as happy," she said. "If you lose, but the team wins, it helps make it easier to take. That's the appeal."

For a few on the Japan team, it will not only be a team event, but a family affair. In addition to the Kawais, there are two other pairs of sisters who will take the mat.

2018 Asian champion Saki IGARASHI. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Newly crowned Asian champion Saki IGARASHI (55kg) made the team along with older sister Miho IGARASHI (50kg), while the upper weights include high school twins Naruha MATSUYUKI (72kg) and Yasuha MATSUYUKI (76kg).

While they will all likely see action sometime during the preliminary group stage, for the major matches, Japan will rely on its big guns that, along with Risako Kawai, include Paris 2017 champions Haruna OKUNO (53kg) and Sara DOSHO (68kg, also a Rio 2016 gold medalist), runner-up Mayu MUKAIDA (55kg) and bronze medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (76kg).

Attesting to Japan's depth in the lightweights is the fact that world champion Yui SUSAKI did not make the team, as she lost in the semifinals at the national championships at 50kg to eventual winner Yuki IRIE. Only the top two finishers in each weight class made the cut.

Due to a scheduling quirk, it was just three months ago in Cheboksary, Russia, that Japan won its three straight World Cup and ninth out of 16 since the competition started in 2001. Japan captured the title despite sending a weaker team that just barely beat the United States in the group stage, then eked out a victory over China in the final.

"In Russia, we sent our No. 2 wrestlers and only barely beat China," Japan Wrestling Federation managing director Hideaki TOMIYAMA said. "This time, we are the home team.  But now there are 10 weight classes, so we can't say what's going to happen."

This year, Japan was once again grouped with the United States, with Canada and Sweden filling out the other spots in Pool A. Pool B consists of China, Mongolia, Belarus and Romania.

Three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA). 

According to preliminary reports, the United States, which won its lone title in 2003 in Tokyo, will field a strong team led by three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (76kg). Also on the team are Paris 2017 world silver medalist Alli RAGAN (57kg) and bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (55kg), and two-time junior world champion Victoria ANTHONY (50kg).

U.S. national team coach Terry Steiner says that when the U.S. faces Japan in the competition is irrelevant, as winning the championship is the only consideration.

“Japan has been the team to beat," Steiner told the USA Wrestling website. "They have set the standard in the sport.

 "We just need to be ready to compete....We are not going to Japan to be a part of the mix; we are going to Japan to come out of there with a World Cup title and be the best we can be. We have to focus on ourselves and what we need to do as we prepare ourselves to go in there with the best results possible.”

The Canadian team features Paris 2017 world bronze medalists Michelle FAZZARI (62kg) and Justina DI STASIO (76kg), who are also among five winners from the 2017 Pan American Championships on the squad.

 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (SWE). Photo ​​​​​by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Sweden, which was added to the field when Turkey withdrew, will be led by former world champion and Rio 2016 bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (72kg), but otherwise is expected to send a young team.

The other group is expected to be a shootout between China, which won the last of its six titles in 2013, and Mongolia, the third-place finisher in the past two World Cups.

At the recent Asian Championships in Bishkek, to which Japan sent a mainly second-string team, the Chinese women came away with five golds, one silver and a bronze. Four of those champions are slated to make the trip to Takasaki---PEI Xingru (57kg), RONG Ningning (59kg), ZHOU Feng (68kg) and ZHOU Qian (76kg).

SUN Yanan (CHN) competing against Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the 2017 Women's World Cup. 

Add to that group Rio 2016 bronze medalist SUN Yanan (50kg), Bishkek 2018 silver medalist LUO Xiaojuan and Paris 2017 bronze medalist HAN Yue (72kg), and you have quite a formidable lineup.

Mongolia, the runner-up to China when it hosted the event in 2013, will aim for a place in the final behind world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (62kg), who added the Asian gold in Bishkek, and Asian runner-up Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (68kg). 

Purevdorj holds the unique distinction of having handed a rare loss on four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO, a technical fall victory in the final at the 2016 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.

Belarus, making its first appearance since 2013, will field three world medalists, but it remains to be seen if the European side has the depth to overcome the Asians.

2017 world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR). 

Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (53kg) is well known to Japanese wrestling fans, as her miracle comeback for an 8-6 win in the final in Paris denied Japan's Mukaida a world title. Five years earlier, she stunned future Olympic and world champion Eri TOSAKA in the 48kg final.

Joining Kaladzinskaya will be Paris 2017 bronze medalist Irina KURACHKINA (55kg) and silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (76kg).

Romania, making its World Cup debut, features Paris 2017 silver medalist Alina VUC (50kg).

For Japan's Kawai, who has not lost an international match since 2015 (a loss in the world 63kg final to Mongolia's Battsegseg SORONZOBOLD, who is slated to wrestle at 57kg in Takasaki), the tournament is also serving as a stepping stone toward defense of her Olympic title at Tokyo 2020.

"It's my first World Cup with a new weight class [for me] and the new system for weigh-in," Kawai said. "Aiming to win our fourth title in a row, I want each one of us to feel the responsibility so that it becomes a building block toward the Tokyo Olympics."

SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 17 (Local Time)
9:00 am: Canada v. United States (Mat A) // Mongolia v. China (Mat B)
10:15 am: Japan v. Sweden  (Mat A) // Belarus  v. Romania (Mat B)
11:30 am: Sweden v. United States  (Mat A) // Romania v. China (Mat B)
12:45 pm: Japan v. Canada (Mat A) // Belarus  v. Mongolia (Mat B)
4:30 pm: Opening Ceremonies
5:00 pm: Sweden v. Canada (Mat A) // Romania v. Belarus  (Mat B)
6:15 pm: Japan v. United States (Mat A) // Belarus v. China (Mat B)

Sunday, March 18 (Local Time)
9:00 am: Seventh Place Match
10:30 am: Fifth Place Match
1:00 pm: Bronze Medal Match
2:30 pm: Gold Medal Match

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Yoshida Repeats as Asian Champ as Japan, India Grab 2 Golds

Saturday, April 11, 2026 - 18:46 By Ken Marantz

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 11) – Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) brought further glory to a country with little prior success in the upper weights, while also standing out for his Iranian heritage.

And now he has company in that dynamic combination.

Yoshida successfully defended his 97kg title at the Asian Championships on Saturday, one of two golds captured by Japan on the first night of finals in Freestyle – both by wrestlers born and raised in Japan with Iranian fathers.

WATCH ARASH YOSHIDA (JPN) vs AMIRALI AZARPIRA (IRI) FINAL: CLICK HERE

Yoshida outlasted Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in a battle of world medalists, notching a second-period takedown for the key score in a 4-0 victory.

“I'm glad I was able to beat an opponent I had been aiming to defeat, and to win the Asian championship,” said Yoshida, who also won the Asian gold at 92kg in 2023.

His victory came a short time after unheralded compatriot Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) – who also has an Iranian father and Japanese mother – won the 79kg gold in his first major senior tournament.

It was also a big night for India, which claimed golds from SUJEET (IND) at 65kg and ABHIMANYOU (IND) at 70kg, while Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) won the other title at stake with a somewhat distasteful triumph at 57kg.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), blue, and Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) battle it out in the 97kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

For Yoshida, his facing – and beating – an Iranian in a major international tournament final had long been the dream of his father, who runs the kids wrestling club outside of Tokyo where Arash and his siblings started the sport.

“It's a bit [special],” Yoshida said of beating Azarpira. “It's not so good that my father is so happy about it, but at the same time, I'm glad. I am my own self, and I came here as a Japanese to represent Japan.”

In the final at Bishkek’s Zhastyk Arena, neither wrestler could make inroads early on as Yoshida received an activity point for the lone score of the first period.

In the second period, Azarpira launched an attack, but Yoshida sprawled and started to work his way behind. When Azarpira tried to get to his feet, Yoshida deftly lunged for an ankle and sent the Iranian to the mat for a takedown and a 3-0 lead. A penalty for hands to the face accounted for Yoshida’s final point.

“I wasn’t able to attack much, so I ended up focusing solely on finding a way to win,” Yoshida said. “The match itself wasn’t very interesting. The Iranian was strong, and I thought it would come down to a battle of power. I thought it was good that I kept the pressure on when we tied up.”

As for achieving a golden repeat, Yoshida said, “That wasn't really an issue for me. It’s more to just do each and everything I needed to do as it comes up. When it comes to repeating, it’s like I’m thankful because it’s something that becomes mine.”

At last year’s World Championships in Zagreb, Yoshida took a bronze medal after losing in the semifinals to Kyle SNYDER (USA), who then beat Paris Olympic bronze medalist Azarpira for the gold.

Yoshida can secure a trip to this year’s World Championships with a victory at next month’s Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, or in a playoff in the unlikely event that he loses. The winner will also earn a ticket to the Asian Games that Japan will host in October.

“The top wrestlers will come up with a strategy against me, so I think the world is going to get tougher for me,” Yoshida said. “I will have to put my whole heart into training.”

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN)Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 79kg gold medal at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

As Yoshida continue to establish himself among the world elite, collegian Gharehdaghi took a big first step when he forged out a 2-1 victory over Sandeep MANN (IND) for the 79kg, with activity points accounting for all of the scoring.

Gharehdaghi, a 20-year-old third-year student at Tokyo’s Waseda University, spent the match trying to break through Mann’s defensive shell, while his opponent would not launch a legitimate attack until the final seconds.

It was a far cry from the Gharehdaghi’s action-packed semifinal win over Olympic bronze medalist Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) that suddenly cast him into the spotlight.

“I wanted to be aggressive and do my style of wrestling,” Gharehdaghi said. “But it was a final. The feeling of not wanting to make a mistake comes to the forefront, and there were times I couldn't do the wrestling that I wanted to.

“I''m happy that I won the title, but above that, I wanted it to be more my type of wrestling.”

WATCH: KEYVAN GHREHDAGHI (JPN) BEATS OLYMPIC CHAMPION RAZAMBEK JAMALOV (UZB)

Gharehdaghi’s win ended a run of victories by India in the two previous finals.

“The Indians were really on a roll, starting from 65kg,” Gharehdaghi said. “I wasn't trying to stop the streak. I was just thinking about myself.”

Gharehdaghi said he will eventually move down to 74kg when the Olympic qualifying process begins, and remains unsure at this time what weight class he will enter at the Meiji Cup.

For now, he can bask in the glory of a well-earned triumph without letting it go to his head.

“It gives me confidence, but I am telling myself to not be satisfied with this and to work to get to a higher level,” he said.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) claimed the 65kg gold medal in Bishkek after an 8-1 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India’s mini gold rush began with Sujeet’s 8-1 win over world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg, which he secured with three second-period takedowns.

Sujeet, the 2025 world u23 champion and winner of two Ranking Series events this year, gained an activity point and stepout to go ahead in the first period. In the second, the run of takedowns started, disturbed only by a stepout by Jalolov and ending with a nice duck under.

“He is a very good competitor,” Sujeet said of Jalolov, “but I want to give my best. I don’t want to consider any opponent weak or strong.”

It was Sujeet’s fourth win in four meetings with Jalalov, most recently in the final at the last year’s World U23 Championships.

Sujeet still has an axe to grind about his disappointing showing at last year’s senior worlds, where he fell in the quarterfinals, then was eliminated in the repechage to finish out of the medals.

“Last year, there were a lot of shortcomings at the World Championships,” Sujeet said. “I was under a lot of pressure. But this year, I have started to improve. There is a difference between this year and last. I am improving day by day.”

ABHIMANYOU (IND)ABHIMANYOU (IND) scores a takedown on Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Abhimanyou, a bronze medalist in 2024, followed Sujeet’s victory by rallying for a 5-3 victory in the 70kg final over world silver medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

“I just wanted to give 100 percent in the final,” said Abhimanyou, who became the first Indian to win an Asian gold in a weight class above 66kg since 2010.

“I focused on a few things in the final. The Mongolian wrestler has a great underhook on his right side. And my defense on my left side is very good so I could cancel him.”

Tumur Ochir scored first when he spun out of a near takedown for a stepout, then received an activity point to take a 2-0 lead at the break.

Abhimanyou started the second period with a double-leg takedown, with an unsuccessful challenge giving the Indian a 4-2 lead. After limiting Tumur Ochir to a stepout despite getting in deep on a single, Abhimanyou gained a stepout with :54 left to cap the scoring.

“I was not worried even when he scored the first two points,” Abhimanyou said. “I could feel that I will catch him for a takedown whenever I want.”

Milad VALIZADEH (IRI)Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) won the 57kg gold, the only champion for Iran on Saturday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 57kg, what started as an exciting match between two dynamos ended with returning silver medalist Valizadeh being booed after completing an easy victory over an injured Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL).

Batkhuyag suffered an apparent rib injury while scoring a stepout midway through the first period that cut Valizadeh’s lead to 4-3. After the restart, Valizadeh shot in for a takedown, at which time Batkhuyag seemed to have was stopped fighting.

But Valizadeh didn’t, and flip-flopped the lifeless Batkhuyag back and forth until he piled up enough points for a 14-3 victory that ended the match at 1:47.

To be fair, the referee never blew the whistle, and Valizadeh was under no obligation to stop. And after the initial boos, the crowd actually applauded when he celebrated his victory with a gymnastics back flip.

Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) returned with a bronze medal at 97kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Tazhudinov takes home 97kg bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) assured he would not leave Bishkek empty-handed, emphatically beating Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) 14-0 at 97kg.

Tazhudinov, a two-time former gold medalist, jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first period, then poured it on after tackling Urkimbay, turning him over again and again to end the match in 3:53.

In the other 97kg match, Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) scored a defensive takedown and gut wrench combination in the second period that made the difference in a 7-5 win over VICKY (IND) in a match that was otherwise filled mainly with stepouts.

Poyonov, the world U20 champion at 92kg, added the bronze to the silver he won at 92kg in 2024.

At 70kg, local star Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) completed his collection of Asian medals with a vintage performance of his counter wrestling as he won one of three bronze medals claimed by the host nation.

Akmataliev, rebounding from a devastating loss in the semifinals when he was unaware of the score, rode his counters to a 14-7 win over Shuang CHEN (CHN).

The three-time world medalist, pulled away in the second period with a pair of takedowns off counters, adding a counter lift for his final points for good measure to add to the gold he won last year and a silver from 2022.

Even when Chen scored four earlier by somersaulting forward with Akmataliev on his back, Akmataliev managed to fenagle a 2-point exposure.

In the other 70kg match, Sina KHALILI (IRI) took home his second straight bronze with a one-sided 11-0 win over Shakhzodbek YARASHEV (UZB) that included a 4-point takedown in the second period.

Zhakshylyk BAITASHOV (KGZ) followed Akmataliev by taking a bronze at 79kg with a 6-0 win over Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK) for his first major medal.

After opening with a stepout and activity point in the first period, Baitashov padded the lead with a takedown in the second period, then scored another blocking a desperate throw attempt by Ikromov.

Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) received his second straight Asian bronze and third overall when Jamalov forfeited their match.

At 57kg, Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) also won a bronze without a fight after Sunggwon KIM (KOR) defaulted due to injury. It is the first senior medal for Karachov, the 2024 world U23 silver medalist and Asian U23 champion.

In the other 57kg match, Asian U20 champion ANKUSH (IND) earned his first senior Asian medal when he hit a 4-point hip throw in the second period, leading to an 8-2 victory over Fuga SASAKI (JPN).

Sasaki had gone ahead 2-1 with a takedown to open the second period when Ankush slammed him to the mat. An unsuccessful challenge and a late takedown sewed up the victory for the Indian.

At 65kg, Russian-born Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) survived a wild battle with Asian U23 bronze medalist Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ), gaining an early 4-point takedown and getting 4 during a second period scramble to prevail 10-7.

Kudiev, the 2024 world bronze medalist at 70kg, led 5-2 in the second period when Kakharov tried to secure a cradle as he tried to take Kudiev to the mat. In the ensuing chaos, Kakharov got 2, only for Kudiev to reverse for 2 then add a 2-point exposure.

A late 2-point throw and unsuccessful challenge pulled Kakharov to within two points, but Kudiev sewed up the win with a stepout.

In the other 65kg match, Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) was leading 1-1 on criteria when he secured a second-period takedown for a 3-1 victory over Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL).

Photo

Day 6 Results

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) by TS, 14-3, 1:47

BRONZE: Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Sunggwon KIM (KOR) by Inj. Def.
BRONZE: ANKUSH (IND) df. Fuga SASAKI (JPN), 8-2

61kg (11 entries)
SF 1: AMAN (IND) df. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), 11-9
SF 2: Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) by Fall, 2:30 (3-0)

65kg (12 entries)
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 8-1

BRONZE: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) df. Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ), 10-7
BRONZE: Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) df. Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL), 3-1

70kg (10 entries)
GOLD: ABHIMANYOU (IND) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 5-3

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Shuang CHEN (CHN), 14-7
BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Shakhzodbek YARASHEV (UZB) by TS, 11-0, 5:06

74kg (14 entries)
SF 1: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB), 4-3
SF 2: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) by TS, 10-0, 3:36

79kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) df. Sandeep Singh MANN (IND), 2-1

BRONZE: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) df. Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) by Forf.
BRONZE: Zhakshylyk BAITASHOV (KGZ) df. Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK), 6-0

86kg (15 entries)
SF 1: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) by TS, 11-0, 3:30
SF 2: Mukul DAHIYA (IND) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 12-6

92kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ), 8-0
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 6-0

97kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), 4-0

BRONZE: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. VICKY (IND), 7-5
BRONZE: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) by TS, 12-0, 3:53

125kg (11 entries)

SF 1: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. BUHEEERDUN (CHN), 5-0
SF 2: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. DINESH (IND) by Fall, :41 (2-0)