#WrestleXian

Icho Dealt Stunning Loss in Asian 57kg Semis; Lone Japanese Woman to Fail to Make Finals

Friday, April 26, 2019 - 09:02 By Ken Marantz

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XI’AN, China (April 26)—The notion that four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) would be the lone Japanese woman to fail to make the finals at the Asian Championships might have defied credulity.

But fact can sometimes be stranger than fiction, and a fearless opponent with a lightning-quick takedown made the incredible happen during the morning session on Day 4 of the six-day tournament in Xi’an.

Asian Games champion JONG Myong Suk (PRK) dominated Icho from the beginning of their 57kg semifinal bout, scoring all of her points in the first period before holding on for a 7-4 victory.

“Her takedown from tying up was really good,” Icho told about a dozen members of the Japanese press, who came specifically to see the national star in her first international tournament since the Rio 2016 Olympics. 

“She’s a young athlete, and I figured she would be on the attack from the first period, so I had that in mind. But my reactions were dull.”


Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) is one of four Japanese women who'll compete in the Day 4 finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), the world champion at 55kg who has dropped to the Olympic weight of 53kg, was one of four Japanese who advanced to the finals in the five divisions.

That followed a strong showing on the previous day, when the Japanese women sent all five wrestlers into the finals and came away with three golds and two silvers. 

The possibility of a clash between Icho and RONG Ningning (CHN) was one of the featured aspects heading into the tournament at Xidian University’s Invengo Gymnasium, but instead it will be Jong who will face the Chinese world champion for the gold medal.

Icho has relied heavily on her defense to accumulate an extensive gold collection, but Jong, a world bronze medalist at 55kg, used her speed to breakthrough and secure leg holds. She scored two takedowns, following the first with a roll and then a stepout to lead 7-1 after the first period.

Icho got a takedown with a minute to go, then received a penalty point for fleeing with :17 left to account for the final score. 

“In this match, she was not competing fully,” DPR Korea coach YUN Tong Gon said of Jong through a translator. “If she went fully 100 percent, she would have won by fall or 10 points.”


Icho, who will be wrestling for a bronze medal in the night session, got her day off to an ominous start when she had a tooth broken during her 10-0 technical fall victory in the quarterfinals over UM Jieun (KOR).

 Icho, a 10-time world champion who turns 35 in June, won the last of her five Asian titles in 2015. She accepted the loss with dignity and looks at it as part of the process in her bid to win an unprecedented fifth gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I couldn’t finish off my attack and my defense was weak,” she said. “This time, this was all about experience. I have to make use of that.”  

At 53kg, Mukaida fell behind early in her semifinal with world bronze medalist PANG Qianyu, but scored eight unanswered points in the second period to win 10-4. 

Earlier, Mukaida overwhelmed Asian Games champion Vinesh VINESH (IND) with a one-sided 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals. Vinesh had won the 50kg gold a year ago in Bishkek. 

In the final, Mukaida will try to avoid the same fate as Icho as she takes on another highly touted DPR Korean, defending champion and Asian Games gold medalist PAK Yongmi (PRK). 

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) edged MUN Hyon Gyong (PRK), 5-4 in the semifinals and will wrestle in the 62kg gold-medal bout against Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

World silver medalist Yukako KAWAI (JPN) survived a scare of her own in the 62kg semifinals, scoring a takedown with :10 left to defeat MUN Hyon Gyong (PRK), 5-4. 

In the quarterfinals, Mun knocked off PEI Xingru (CHN), a world bronze medalist and the 2018 Asian champion at 57kg. 

“As you see, we also won matches with the Chinese,” DPR Korea coach Tong said. “We have confidence of winning at the Tokyo Olympic Games.”

Kawai, the world U23 champion, will go for the gold against Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), a 2017 world bronze medalist who won the silver at the Asian Games. 

Naomi RUIKE (JPN) gets her hand raised after her semifinal win over Mongolia's Bolortungalag ZORIG. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The two other finals will each see a Japanese teenager, with college freshman Naomi RUIKE (JPN) making it at 65kg and high schooler Yuzuka KAGAMI (JPN) advancing at 72kg.

Ruike, who posted 10-0 technical fall victories in both of her matches, will take on LUO Xiaojuan (CHN), who will aim to improve on her silver-medal finish at 62kg in 2018. 

Two-time world cadet champion Kagami will look to add the Asian gold to the Klippan Lady bronze she won earlier this year when she faces JEONG Seoyeon (KOR).

Kagami twice showed the poise of a veteran as she had to rally in both of her preliminary matches to make the final. She got a stepout with :17 to beat 76kg Klippan champion WANG Juan 2-1, then scored an equally late takedown for a 2-2 win over Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) in the semifinals. 

Day 4 results

Women’s wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
Gold – PAK Yongmi (PRK) v Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN)
Bronze – Akienge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) v KIM Hyungjoo (KOR)
Bronze – Vinesh VINESH (IND) v PANG Qianyu (CHN)

Semifinals
PAK Yongmi (PRK) df. KIM Hyungjoo (KOR) by Fall, 2:58 (6-0)
Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. PANG Qianyu (CHN), 10-4

57kg (10 entries)
Gold – JONG Myong Suk (PRK) v RONG Ningning (CHN)
Bronze – Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) v Kaori ICHO (JPN)
Bronze – Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) v Pooja DHANDA (IND)

Semifinals
JONG Myong Suk (PRK) df. Kaori ICHO (JPN), 7-4
RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 8-4

62kg (12 entries)
Gold – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) v Yukako KAWAI (JPN)
Bronze – Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) v Salinee SRISOMBAT (THA)
Bronze – Sakshi MALIK (IND) v MUN Hyon Gyong (PRK) 

Semifinals
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Salinee SRISOMBAT (THA) by Fall, 1:52 (8-0)
Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. MUN Hyon Gyong (PRK), 5-4 

65kg (8 entries)
Gold – LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) v Naomi RUIKE (JPN)
Bronze – Kaur NAVJOT (IND) v Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Bronze – Sakhipjamal ALEUATDINOVA (UZB) v Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)

Semifinals
LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) by Fall, 3:49 (10-1)
Naomi RUIKE (JPN) df. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) by TF, 11-0, 4:41

72kg (8 entries)
Gold – JEONG Seoyeon (KOR) v Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Bronze – Li Chia-Hsin (TPE) v Nilufar GADAEVA (UZB)
Bronze – WANG Juan (CHN) v Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)

Semifinals
JEONG Seoyeon (KOR) df. Nilufar GADAEVA (UZB) by TF, 12-2 
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 2-2

#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling: Iran's return to top; Puerto Rico, Azerbaijan win first golds

Sunday, September 28, 2025 - 13:44 By United World Wrestling Press

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KATERINI-PIERIA, Greece (September 27) -- Iran’s return to Beach Wrestling after an eight-year absence could have been cautious. Instead, it was commanding.

Iran won four medals, including two golds, to claim the men’s team title at the U17 World Beach Wrestling Championships after a close race with Georgia, which finished second with 75 points to Iran’s 80. Azerbaijan was third with 62 points.

In the women's category, hosts Greece managed to go past France to finish first with 50 points while France ended up second with 42. The United States was third with 32 points.

The U17 World Championships is a significant stop in Beach Wrestling as it will be taken into consideration for while awarding the quotas for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

IranIran's two gold medalists in Greece, Mahdi FOTOUHI (IRI), left, at 90kg and Youssof HOSSEIN (IRI), right, at 70kg.

Gold medalists for Iran, Youssof HOSSEIN (IRI) at 70kg and Mahdi FOTOUHI (IRI) at 90kg, were competing in Beach Wrestling for the first time but never let their inexperience affect their performances.

Hossein, who defeated Stefan MUNTEAN (MDA) in the knockout match, was placed in Group D with Yuki UEDA (JPN), Nikolaos PAPADOPOULOS (GRE) and Ilie TURCAN (MDA). He defeated Papadopoulos 3-1 in the group bout before blanking Turcan 3-0 in just 40 seconds. He was quicker against Ueda, winning in 34 seconds.

Facing Luka MAKHARADZE (GEO) in the quarterfinals, Hossein scored a 3-1 victory and took only 40 seconds to beat Rashad ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinals.

In an all-Iran final, Hossein fell behind 1-0 against Ilyar VEGHARI (IRI) but stormed back with two straight points with a knee and head touch from Veghari. He used a lateral drop as his final move to win 5-1. Veghari's lost challenge added to Hossein's score and made it 6-1.

Fotouhi was even more dominant at 90kg, winning all three of his group bouts via fall. Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE) survived getting pinned in the quarterfinals but Fotouhi was strong enough to win 3-0 and advance to the semifinals.

After winning the semifinal 2-1 against Elgun KARIMLI (AZE), Fotouhi was back to his dominant self and slammed Joni SHAORSHADZE (GEO) to pick his fourth fall in six bouts and the gold medal for Iran.

Fotouhi began with a step out to earn his first point of the final. Both wrestlers arm-locked each other and tried to throw at the edge but it was Shaorshadze who touched outside first which gave Fotouhi his second point.

In one of those moments when his Freestyle instincts took over, Fotouhi went for duckunder and touched his knee on the sand which gave Shaorshadze a point to make the score 2-1. The Georgian tried a fireman carry in the final 10 seconds but Fotouhi pancaked him for a fall.

At 60kg, Mykyta KUZMENKO (UKR) defeated Rati BERIDZE (GEO) twice, first in the group stages and then in final, to claim the gold medal.

Kuzmenko blanked all his opponents barring Beridze who managed to score one point when the two met in the Group B bout. However, the Ukrainian improved and gave no chance to Beridze in the final, winning 3-0.

The Ukrainian was quick to score two step-outs and lead 2-0 and when Beridze tried to score a point, Kuzmenko snapped him down and scored his third and winning point.

Georgia had another silver medalist, Nuradin MUSTAFAEV (GEO), who suffered a one-sided loss in the 80kg final to Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE), who had represented Azerbaijan at the U17 World Championships in Athens in August.

Suleymanli did not give up a single point in the tournament and won the final against Mustafaev 3-0. He scored a step-out to open the scoring in the final before Mustafaev fell on the ground to give a second point. The Georgian wrestler tried tripping Suleymanli but instead gave a takedown for one point to drop the final.

AzerbaijanAzerbaijan's first-ever gold medalist Ulviyya MUSAYEVA (AZE) with other team members.

Historic golds for Puerto Rico, Azerbaijan

In the women's category, Puerto Rico and Azerbaijan earned historic golds as four different countries crowned champions.

Heklanys RIVERA (PUR), the first woman to compete in Beach Wrestling for her country, made a stunning run to the gold medal at 45kg. She did not give up a single point in six bouts including the final.

Taking on Kaltouma SALISSOU (FRA) in the final, Rivera was put on the 30-second activity clock. With eight seconds remaining, Rivera used an underhook to get the first takedown for a point.

The second point was awarded to Rivera when Salissou committed a foul by grabbing Rivera's shorts. The winning takedown was similar to the first one as Rivera moved from underhook to tripping Salissou.

For Azerbaijan, 15-year-old Ulviyya MUSAYEVA (AZE) needed only 16 seconds to create history. She defeated last year's champion Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) via fall in the 55kg final. Kojima tried hitting a lateral drop in the final but fell on her back, which gave Musayeva three points for the win.

Earlier, Musayeva had lost one of the group bouts against Mia KOVAC (CRO) via fall but rebounded to win all remaining bouts to make the final and then capture the gold medal.

Hosts Greece, which won the team title, earned the gold medal at 75kg through Elena ZAIMIDOU (GRE) who scored a 32-second victory via fall over Madeline HAYDEN (USA) in the final.

Zaimidou, who has competed and won gold in Grappling at the European level, secured three victories via fall, and a victory via superiority over Merily VAESTER (EST) in the semifinals.

In the gold medal bout, Hayden stunned the local fans when she hit a beautiful over-the-head suplex on Zaimidou. Hayden went for a second suplex, but Zaimidou blocked her, using a headlock, and Hayden fell on her back which gave Zaimidou three points and the victory.

Hayden challenged the scoring but the points were confirmed on review and Zaimidou was awarded a point for lost challenge, which made her score 4-1.

European bronze medalist in Women's Wrestling, Alexandra MOISEI (MDA) earned the gold medal at 65kg after some nervous wins. She defeated Thea ROUSSEL (FRA), 3-0, in the final in 49 seconds using three easy snapdowns.