Kaori Icho

Icho Cruises to Gold, Credits Love of Sport for Return

Sunday, October 14, 2018 - 13:40 By Ken Marantz

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MISHIMA, Japan (October 14)---Four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO cleared the first hurdle on the track to a possible fifth gold medal at Tokyo 2020. At this point, however, her sights are set on a more immediate goal.

Icho, returning to the mat for the first time since winning the gold at Rio 2016, had a few blips but otherwise was back to her dominant self in capturing the 57kg title at the All-Japan Women's Open on Sunday in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The 34-year-old Icho scored a 38-second technical fall in her opening match, then won both of her next two by falls to take the title in the second-tier tournament that serves as a qualifier for the national championships in December. 
Kaori ICHO (JPN) sits for questions during her post-tournament interview session after winning the All-Japan Women's Open (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

"The one thing I gained by entering this tournament and getting back into the sport was that I feel the joy of wrestling again," Icho said at a 30-minute post-tournament press conference. 

"I felt that many people were supporting me, so I wanted to do it again for them. They were telling me that it was most important to do it for myself, so I didn't want to let them down."

Two years and two months had passed since Icho defeated Valeria ZHOLOBOVA  (RUS) in the 58kg final at Rio. Much had since happened in Icho's life, both highs and lows---from the whirlwind of national accolades and attention that came with becoming the first female to win gold medals at four straight Olympics, to a dark four-month period when her charges of power harrassment against star coach Kazuhito SAKAE plunged the sport into scandal and led to his banishment.  

It also led Icho to ponder her future and look deep into herself, where she found her affection for the sport had not diminished. "In the end, the feeling of 'I want to do it' is what pushed me," she said.

"It was a struggle," Icho said. "It kept going back and forth between anguish and wanting [to wrestle] again. I asked myself, if your honest feeling is that you want to do it, wouldn't you be defeating yourself if there is a challenge you can make and you decide not to?"
Kaori ICHO (JPN) stares down her opponent during early action at the All-Japan Women's Open (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Icho started training in earnest in April under coach and Athens 2004 bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, practicing with the women's team at Nippon Sport Science University. Without going into details, Tanabe said the arrangement isn't perfect, and hopes that it can be improved as Icho prepares for stiffer competition.

"It was her first match in two years, and we needed to know how much her body has returned [to its former level]," Tanabe said. "It hasn't. From now, we have to create an ideal training environment. Then she will make progress."

Judging from her performance in Mishima, 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, she might not have that far to go. While Icho assessed herself at "about 60-70 percent" (while adding "I don't know what 100 percent is for me"), she never looked in a danger. The biggest surprise was a takedown she gave up in her semifinal match, but which she quickly offset with a reversal.
Kaori ICHO (JPN) showed flashes of brilliance in her first action back on the mats in two years (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

"As a whole, from the first match to the final, the three matches, my hips were too high, and I didn't move forward in attack," Icho said. "This is the biggest thing I need to reflect on. From now, I have to set up the moves and string together attacks."

With a large contingent of national media on hand, Icho began her comeback by overwhelming collegian Ayako SHIMANAKA. Icho scored a single-leg takedown 15 seconds into the match, locked onto an ankle hold and rolled her opponent four times for a lightning-quick 10-0 technical fall. 

She encountered stiffer competition in the semifinals against newly crowned world junior champion Hanako SAWA of Shigakkan University, which the now deposed Sakae built into a national powerhouse. 

Sawa boldly went on the attack and shocked Icho down with a double-leg tackle, only for Icho to immediately react and score a reversal with a switch. The first period ended 2-2 with Sawa fighting off a front headlock attack.

Kaori ICHO (JPN) worked her leg lace against 2018 Junior world champion Hanaka SAWA (JPN) (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the second period, Icho again secured a front headlock, using it to go behind for two points. Two rolls off an ankle lock made it 8-2. Icho then again got a front headlock, from which she locked up Sawa in a reverse cradle, rolled over and pinned her at 4:35. 

"I didn't think about who my opponent was," Sawa said. "Just doing what I can is what I always think about at a tournament."

The final pitted Icho against Fusano MOCHIZUKI, a winner at the Dave Schultz Memorial last November. After scoring a takedown on a counter to Mochizuki's single-leg attempt, and another on a go-behind off a front headlock, Icho launched a textbook-perfect double-leg in the final seconds of the first period for a 6-0 lead.

"At the end of the first period, I felt her speed, power and timing with that tackle," Mochizuki said. "She may have had a [two-year] blank, but it didn't seem like it."

Icho would finish up the win and her day with another counter in the second period. As Mochizuki came in on single-leg, they bumped heads and Icho stumbled back slightly. But she quickly recovered, pressed Mochizuki backward, then stepped over and locked her up for a fall at 3:34.

 "I thought it would get better as I went along, but it didn't happen," said Icho, who was named the tournament's most outstanding wrestler. "I still need more practice. Mentally, physically, if I don't become more confident, it will be difficult to be competitive at the All-Japan [Championships] or on the global level."

Medal stand following the 57kg finals at the All-Japan Women's Open (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The top two finishers in the senior division of the tournament earned places in the All-Japan Championships, also known as the Emperor's Cup, which serves as the first of two qualifying tournaments for world championships, Olympics and other top competitions. 

A Japan federation official said that even if Icho had not entered the tournament in Mishima, she would have been proferred a special invitation to the Emperor's Cup in lieu of her amazing accomplishments. Still, he added, it was better that she entered.

For Icho, there was also a practical side. It was the first time she had been subjected to the new rule in which weigh-ins are held on the morning of the competition, instead of the previous day.

"Last night, all I had to eat was a rice ball," she said. "What do the night before, and what to eat after the weigh-in, it was a good experience. This was the first time. So I want to use what I learned to be better prepared for the All Japan."

With two months to go, the Emperor's Cup is foremost on Icho's mind, although the media cannot help but press her about going for an unprecedented fifth Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.  

Icho says she's focused on creating a better training environment to help her improve before the Emperor's Cup in December (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

"At this point, there's been so much going on that I'm not mentally prepared to think about [Tokyo]," she said. "Today I earned a place in the All-Japan, so I have to focus first on that. Right now, my training environment is not 100 percent. For the next two months, I have to create the right environment."

To help her prepare, Icho will be invited to a national training camp in November, which will give her a chance to see who has emerged as the competition in her absence. Speculation has already begun that fellow Rio 2016 champion Risako KAWAI, who won the gold at 63kg, might drop down to 57kg after making the Japan team to the upcoming world championships at 59kg. 

Golden day for world junior champion sisters

In addition to Sawa, two others from among Japan's six gold medalists at the world junior championships in Trnava in September were in action---and sisters Umi and Miyu IMAI both came away with titles.

Umi Imai, who attends Kaiyo High School in Kyoto, eschewed the high school division to take on the seniors, and swept aside four college opponents to capture the 53kg gold.

She capped the performance with victory by fall in 1:49 over Shigakkan's Katsura KONISHI. 

"I've been gradually facing the seniors at 53kg and it's giving me an idea of where I stand," Imai said.

Imai, who has worked out with the national senior team, will next see how she can fare at the Emperor's Cup in a weight class led by world champion Haruna OKUNO, but which should become more stacked as an Olympic division. 

"I don't think I'm on that level yet," Imai said. "When I sparred with Okuno, she never let me get close to her legs. I couldn't do my style of wrestling."

Older sister Miyu, who finished third at last year's Emperor's Cup, chalked up three wins to take the 65kg title, capped with a 10-0 technical fall in just over a minute in the final over Miki KAWAUCHI. 

#WrestleZagreb

Motoki works her magic to snatch elusive world gold

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 22:33 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) finally has a world gold to go with the one she won at the Paris Olympics. And she did it with another
dramatic victory, this time in the final.

As is becoming her forte, Motoki snatched a victory in the dying seconds of a match, beating Asian silver medalist Ok Ju KIM (PRK) 5-4 in the 62kg final at the World Championships on Thursday, as the women's competition concluded with a banner day for Japan.

"Just like at the Olympics, I went from a point where I thought I would lose, then the outcome suddenly changed and I was able to win," Motoki said. "It's the same feeling of happiness and feeling of relief, and brought me to tears."

Japan won two of the three other golds at stake, with Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) winning at 53kg for her fourth career world gold, and Ami ISHII (JPN) triumphing
at 68kg to become a two-time world champion.

The fourth and final gold of the night went to Alla BELINSKA (UKR), who repeated her victory over Nesrin BAS (TUR) from the final of the European Championships -- right down to winning by fall.

The three golds padded Japan's total in the team race, as the Asian powerhouse had clinched the title before the night began. Japan, which won five of the 10 golds, finished on top with 162 points, followed by the DPR Korea with 115 points. China edged the United States for third, 87-83.

Motoki made a name for herself around the world at the Paris Olympics, where her hopes of a gold seemed to be over in the semifinals, when she was trailing Grace BULLEN (NOR) 7-2 and was being tripped backwards for what might end the match.

But Motoki suddenly locked Bullen's arms and bridged, then turned her over and recorded a stunning fall to the shock of those in the Champ de Mars Arena and around the world. The next day she defeated Irina KOLIADENKO (UKR) for the gold.

Motoki had to survive a grueling qualifying process just to get to Paris. A world bronze medalist at 59kg, she moved up to the Olympic weight and had to win out among a domestic field that included Tokyo Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) and world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN).

And she basically had to repeat the process to get to Zagreb. As she did in Paris, Motoki pulled a rabbit out of the hat and defeated Ozaki by scoring a takedown literally in the final second of a playoff for Japan's team.

On Thursday, Kim became the latest to fall victim to the Motoki magic. The Japanese took a 3-0 lead in the first period on an activity point and a sweeping single-leg takedown.

Trying to defend in the second period, Motoki gave up a single-leg takedown to Kim, which the Japanese was willing to concede. But she wasn't prepared for being
gut-wrenched over to suddenly fall behind 4-3 with :35 left.

"I had a three-point lead and when she got in on a single leg, I thought it would be alright to give up two [points]," Motoki said. "But then when I was rolled, I thought, 'This is bad. Once again I'm going to get this far and not win?'"

Ok Ju KIM (PRK)Ok Ju KIM (PRK) turns Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) to take a 4-3 lead in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In her two previous trips to the World Championships, Motoki fell short of the gold, taking the bronze in 2022 and the silver in 2023, losing to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the final. Would she miss out on the gold again?

With 12 seconds left, she launched her attack, transitioning from one thing to another in a desperate attempt. First a low single, then an arm throw, then back to
a single. All were defended. Then she tried a headlock throw, and that sent Kim sideway to the mat as time ran out.

The referee gave no points, but on challenge, it was determined that Kim's shoulders broke the 90-degree plane -- with :00.3 seconds on the clock.

"In the last 12 seconds, I launched an attack, and when the tackles failed, I thought, 'Oh no, that's the end,'" Motoki said. "When I looked back, she was on my back. I thought if I threw her, I could make it. I just put everything into the throw, but I didn't know if I turned her. Really, it was lucky."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) won her first world gold medal in Zagreb. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Motoki said her earlier losses at the worlds served as incentive to work harder and always give everything up to the final whistle. She told the Japanese press earlier this year that she uses the UWW music played during the medal ceremony as her morning alarm -- a constant reminder of the agony she never wanted to experience again.

"Three years ago and two years ago, I lost on this stage, and the feeling of disappointment and of being inferior, even after winning at the Olympics, did not go away," Motoki said. "But by losing, it made me stronger and made me what I am now. To win here makes me so happy."

Motoki will embark on another quest in a month's time when she competes at the World U23 Championships on October 20-27. Already a world U17 and U20 champion, a victory in Novi Sad, Serbia, will make her just the third member -- along with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA) -- of the elite "Golden Grand Slam" club, those who have won on the senior and all three age-group levels as well as at the Olympics.

"One might think that winning on the age-group level would put you at the forefront, but that's not the case," Motoki said. "After I won the U17, I had an injury and became weaker. I lost in the first round at the Inter High. Then I went to college and thought I had progressed, only to have a major injury.

"To achieve the Grand Slam would be due to overcoming the hard times with the support of many others."

Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN)Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) controls Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) during the 53kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 53kg, Murayama established herself as the frontrunner in the weight class in the runup to the 2028 Los Angeles, following the decision by Paris gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to move up to 57kg.

Murayama scored takedowns in each period to defeat Paris silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) 5-0 and add to her world golds from 2017, 2018 and 2023, all won under her maiden name of OKUNO.

It marks the continuation of a remarkable turnaround for Murayama, who sank into the depths of despair after losing out on the berth for the Tokyo Olympics to collegiate teammate and eventual gold medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN).

"I had half given up on the idea of competing at events like the World Championships in an Olympic weight class," Murayama said. "So just being able to stand on this stage and leave this kind of result behind -- it’s something that two or three years ago, I couldn’t even have imagined."

It was Yepez who famously scored seven points off Fujinami in the quarterfinals at the 2023 World Championships, albeit the Japanese came back and scored 16 of
her own before winning by fall. But the Ecuadorean, her country's first-ever world and Olympic medalist, established herself as a dangerous foe.

In the final, Murayama wrestled cautiously but methodically, using a front headlock to spin behind for a takedown just as she was receiving an activity point in the first period. She added a second takedown by getting behind again in the second period.

Murayama and Yepez had met once before, with the Japanese winning 10-0 in the final of the U23 World Championships in October 2022.

Ami ISHII (JPN)Ami ISHII (JPN) tries to score on Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 68kg, Ishii had plowed through the field to make the final, where she met stiff resistance from four-time European medalist Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) and needed a second-period takedown to secure a 4-2 victory.

It was Yaneva who struck first when she adroitly used a counter lift for a two-point lead. Ishii came back with a stepout, but an apparent takedown was wiped out on challenge as having been completed after the buzzer.

Down by a point, Ishii warily avoided the counter and went with an arm drag to get behind for a takedown to go ahead 3-2. A short time later, Yaneva shot in for a single, but Ishii slipped under and grabbed Yaneva's leg, then clung on to force a stalemate. An unsuccessful challenge at the end gave Ishii her final point.

"I thought I might get countered again," Ishii said of her strategy for the second period. "Still, I had to get points. It would be the end if I lost my nerve. Even if I couldn't get in [on a tackle], I had to find a way to get points."

Ishii has been a workhorse since missing out on the Paris Olympics when she suffered a heartbreaking, last-second loss for the 68kg spot to Ozaki. She won the 72kg gold at last year's Non-Olympic World Championships as a sort of consolation, so winning at 68kg holds more significance.

"Without a doubt, it's getting to a place closer to the Olympics," Ishii said, adding that her mission now will be staying at the top of the division in Japan. "It's tough to be at this level, and I can't just keep going as I am now. I need to raise my level, so I have to train even harder."

In the last match of the night, two-time European champion Belinska, who had received an activity point in the first period, came out in the second and caught Bas in a headlock before securing the fall in 4:25.

"The final was tense, but I had prepared my throw, and I’m very happy that I managed to execute it," Belinska said. "In the first period, I couldn’t make that move, and the tension started to build -- but even in a stressful situation, I was still able to pull it off."

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) defeated Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) to win bronze at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Purevdorj captures bronze 8 years after striking gold

Eight years after winning a world gold, Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) finally picked up her another medal, taking a 62kg bronze by rallying to a nail-biting 6-5 victory over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR).

After Purevdorj received an activity point in the first period, she fell into a large hole by giving up a 4-point takedown at the edge to open the second period. Purevdorj picked up a 2-point exposure on a scramble, which, after a scramble, revealed a foul by Kolawole. That gave Purevdorj a point and, significantly, put her on top in par terre.

She took advantage by executing a gut wrench and, even though Kolawole reversed, it left the Mongolian with a 6-5 advantage that she maintained through the end.

Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) earned her first world medal when she scored a duck under takedown in the final minute to defeat Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 4-2 for the other 62kg bronze.

Asian champion Hyongyong CHOE (PRK) added the senior world bronze to her Olympic bronze from Paris with a victory at 53kg by second-period fall over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) after building up an 8-0 lead.

Choe went for the kill at all times, scoring two exposures off a head lock, then ending the match when she scored a takedown and immediately applied a half-nelson to turn Akhmedova over.

Two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) gave India its first medal through six days in Zagreb, capping a 9-1 victory over Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) with a 4-point takedown for the other 53kg bronze.

Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris silver medalist at 76kg who made the drop all the way down to 68kg but couldn't get past Ishii, assured she wouldn't leave empty-handed when she routed Buse TOSUN (TUR) 12-1 for the bronze medal.

Jia LONG (CHN), last year's champion at 65kg at the Non-Olympic Worlds, defeated Sol Gum PAK (PRK) 6-1 for the other 68kg bronze. Long scored all of her points in the first period, with a takedown-roll combo followed by a go-behind takedown.

China also picked up a bronze at 72kg, when Zelu LI (CHN) fought off her back after a 4-point headlock by Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) to start the match, gradually chipping away until she came away with a 7-4 victory with three takedowns.

Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) scored a takedown in each period to top Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) 5-0 for the other 72kg bronze.

Day 6 Results

Women's Wrestling

53kg (23 entries)
GOLD: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) df. Lucia YEPEZ (ECU), 5-0

BRONZE: ANTIM (IND) df. Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), 9-1
BRONZE: Hyongyong CHOE (PRK) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) by Fall, 4:00 (8-0)

62kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Ok Ju KIM (PRK), 5-4

BRONZE: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), 6-5
BRONZE: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 4-2

68kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), 4-2

BRONZE: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR) by TF, 12-1, 5:22
BRONZE: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Sol Gum PAK (PRK), 6-1

72kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR) by Fall, 4:25 (5-0)

BRONZE: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 5-0
BRONZE: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 7-4

Greco-Roman

55kg (18 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Emin CAKIR (TUR) 2-2
SEMIFINAL: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) 3-1

77kg (33 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-1
SEMIFINAL: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1

82kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 8-5
SEMIFINAL: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1

130kg (27 entries)
SF 1: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 3-1
SF 2: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1