Iran Fills Remaining Freestyle Spots in Tokyo as Uzbekistan Grabs 4

Sunday, April 11, 2021 - 10:42 By Ken Marantz

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 11) --- Iran went into the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament with three holes in its freestyle lineup for the Tokyo Olympics. On Sunday, Amir Mohammad YAZDANI (IRI), Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) and Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) had little trouble filling the gap.

Yazdani secured a ticket to Tokyo for the Middle East powerhouse by easily advancing to the final at 65kg, while Emamichoghaei and Mohammadian did likewise at 74kg and 97kg, respectively, on the final day of the three-day tournament in Almaty that decided two qualifiers in each weight class.

The big winner of the day was Uzbekistan, which, led by Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) at 97kg, picked up four berths in Tokyo -- after having been shut out at the 2019 World Championships in Nursultan, where six spots per weight class were allocated.

China secured two places, while host Kazakhstan, which had four spots to begin with, grabbed one along with Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. India, which had earned three places in Nursultan, failed to add to its tally, despite putting three wrestlers into the semifinals.

But it was Japan that had the most disastrous day. The Olympic host began the day by seeing Rio Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) fail to make weight at 57kg, then had two-time Olympian Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) miss out by suffering a heartbreaking, last-second loss in his semifinal. Japan came looking to add to its two freestyle spots from Nursultan, but will leave empty-handed.

Yazdani, a distant cousin of superstar and 86kg Olympic favorite Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), certainly made the family proud with a dominant performance that he capped with a 10-0 technical fall in 5:21 over a tenacious Haji ALI (BRN).

"All my bouts were good," Yazdani said. "But the semifinal was the best because I won 10-0. That bout the most important."

For Iranians, earning the Olympic place is only the start. Now they have to go through a difficult national trial process to fill the spots.

"I will go back to Iran and the coaches will decide the team," Yazdani said. "I have to be the best."

In the final to be held later in the night session, Yazdani will face Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), who pulled off a stunning victory by fall over Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB), the 2020 Asian champion at 70kg.

Bekbulatov had stormed to an 8-0 lead when Akmataliev clamped on a headlock and threw the Uzbek to his back. Akmataliev then secured a ticket to Tokyo by securing a fall with 8 seconds left in the first period.

"I wasn’t thinking anything when I was down," said Akmataliev, a fifth-place finisher at the 2019 world U-23. "All I had to do was beat him to qualify. He is the best wrestler but I want to win as well. This feeling, there are no words to explain this. I was just confident to do it. Olympics here I come."

Emamichoghaei, a world and Asian bronze medalist in 2019 at 70kg, had no trouble moving up to the Olympic weight of 74kg, chalking up three straight technical falls without surrendering a point. In the semifinals, he needed just 2:13 to put away Sandeep MANN (INDIA).

In the other 74kg semifinal, 2018 world bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) earned a second trip to the Olympics by scoring a takedown with :54 left for a 4-2 victory over Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ).

"Before I came here, I had injured my knee and I was not training 100%, but it was a good day to qualify," said Abdurakhmanov, a two-time Asian champion who placed fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympics. "In the semifinal, he was coming very hard at me so I had to keep him away."

Abdurakhmanov said he feels ready to make the Olympic podium this time. "I was so close to a medal in Rio, so I think I can medal now," he said. "The problem was that before Rio, I was a regular 70kg guy and 74 was big for me. Now my weight is good for 74. My weight training is top class.

"Hopefully I train harder, smarter because that's how I will medal in Tokyo."

At 97kg, Ibragimov and Mohammadian were both totally dominant in setting up a showdown in the final. Ibragimov advanced with an 11-1 technical fall over Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ) that he capped with six points off a lace lock, while Mohammadian followed a takedown against Satywart KADIAN (IND) with four straight gut wrenches to end the match in 30 seconds.

Mohammadian also knows he has opened the door to the Olympics, but is not through yet.

"I have to go back to Iran and have a trial and there are two very good wrestlers in Iran," he said. "The coaches will decide the team to Tokyo. I definitely want to go there."

While getting to the Olympics is the objective, Mohammadian relishes the chance of challenging world and Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS).

"I wanted to wrestle Sadulaev before, but I have not gotten a chance," Mohammadian said. "He is good wrestler obviously. We analyze him a lot. In Tokyo, I don't care if I win a medal or not, but I want to beat Sadulaev. That's my target."

Japan's worst nightmare on the mat came true in the 86kg semifinals, where two-time Olympian Takatani lost 8-7 to unheralded Zushen LIN (CHN), who capped a comeback from a 6-1 deficit by scoring the winning takedown with :23 left.

Lin's biggest move came on a 4-point counter lift in the first period off a Takatani takedown attempt, as that put him ahead on criteria when he tied the score at 7-7. In the final seconds, Takatani came close to scoring a takedown, but couldn't get Lin's knee down for the points. An unsuccessful challenge gave Lin his final point.

"I was ready for this competition," Lin said. "I am 27 years old and I am going to the Olympics for the first time. I was there in Nursultan but failed to qualify so this was my chance."

Lin has come a long way, considering that at the 2014 World Championships, he finished 22nd at 74kg -- the weight class in which Takatani won the silver medal.

In Sunday's final, Lin will face Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB), who denied Kazakhstan a sixth Olympic place by defeating 2018 Asian bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by fall at the buzzer while leading 5-2.

"The Uzbek team qualified a lot here because we have good trainers and the federation helps a lot," Shapiev said. "You can see this in the results today."

Uzbekistan secured its first Olympic spot at 57kg, when Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) defeated Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) 8-4 in the semifinals. Opposing him in the final will be Minghu LIU (CHN), a 6-3 winner over Muhammad IKROMOV (TJK).

Japan had one final chance to secure a berth in an unlikely weight class when Tetsuya TANAKA (JPN) made it to the semifinals at 130kg. But his Olympic hopes were dashed when he was overpowered by Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), who scored six of his points in a 9-0 victory on stepouts.

Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) grabbed the other Olympic berth at 130kg with a 2-0 win over Sumit SUMIT (IND). Both of his points came on stepouts.

Tanaka had been aiming to become the first Japanese wrestler in freestyle to qualify for the Olympics in the heaviest freestyle class since Tamon HONDA (JPN) made it to the Barcelona Games in 1992 at 130kg.

Rio Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) missed weight on Sunday at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Heavy heartbreak for Higuchi

One of the biggest shocks of the day occurred before the action started when Japan's Higuchi failed to make weight in his bid to return to the Olympics at 57kg.

"When we left the hotel for the weigh-in location in the morning, the mood was that we had some leeway," explained Shigeki NISHIGUCHI, the Japan Wrestling Federation general manager.

"After arriving at the weigh-ins, he was 250 grams over. He tried to lose the weight within the alloted 30 minutes, but came up 50 grams short. 'We regret that we didn't support him enough. We could have done more."

After winning the silver at Rio, Higuchi moved up to 61kg and remained at that weight class through 2017. The following year, he moved up to the Olympic weight of 65kg in an attempt to make the Tokyo Games. He won the 2018 world U-23 gold medal, but eventually failing to unseat world senior champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) on the team to Nursultan.

Having never been fully satisfied with his Olympic silver medal, and despite the fact that at one point his weight had ballooned up to 68 kilograms, Higuchi went on a crash diet with the aim of qualifying again at 57kg and going for the gold.

Subsisting on an all-vegetable diet, he dropped the weight, then gained the right to enter the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament by beating former world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) at the All-Japan Championships in December 2019. The year's postponement of both the Olympics and qualifying tournament did not work out in his favor.

"I took care of everything, including diet, exercise, and caloric intake," Higuchi said in a statement released by the federation. "I've done everything without compromise. But I didn't lose (the last 50 grams) in extreme conditions. It can't be helped. I have no choice but to accept reality. This is the result, it cannot be overturned. I want to engrave it in my heart."

Freestyle

Semifinal Results

57kg
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ), 8-4
Minghu LIU (CHN) df. Muhammad IKROMOV (TJK), 6-3

65kg
Amir Mohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Haji ALI (BRN) by TF, 10-0, 5:21
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) by Fall, 2:52 (4-8)

74kg
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-2
Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) df. Sandeep MANN (INDIA) by TF, 10-0, 3:46

86kg
Zushen LIN (CHN) df. Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN), 8-7
Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by Fall, 6:00 (5-2)

97kg
Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by TF, 11-1, 3:59
Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) df. Satywart KADIAN (IND) by TF, 10-0, :30

125kg
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Sumit SUMIT (IND), 2-0
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Tetsuya TANAKA (JPN), 9-0

#JapanWrestling

World champion in Freestyle, Narikuni earns elusive shot at Greco title

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 16:42 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 20) -- Taishi NARIKUNI was never ready to abandon his quest of completing the extremely unique double of world titles in both freestyle and Greco. But after his latest setback six months ago, he began to wonder if it was beyond his limits.

Narikuni, the world freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, put the dream within reach again when he secured a place on Japan's team to this year's World Championships at Greco 72kg.

Also Read: Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Narikuni captured the title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, then returned to the mat a short time later to win a playoff for the ticket to the senior worlds to be held September 13-22 in Zagreb.

"I finally did it," Narikuni said. "Of course, I'm happy, but there's also a feeling of relief."

The Meiji Cup is the second of two domestic qualifiers for the Zagreb worlds, following the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December. Winners at both earned places outright on the world team, while a playoff determined spots in which the champions differed.

Joining Narikuni on the plane to Zagreb will be his long-time friends and brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO, who started the sport in the same Gold Kids club run by Narikuni's mother -- a former two-time world champion herself.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) Taishi NARIKUNI works to turn Ryoma HOJO in the Greco 72kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

It was Mom's two world titles that inspired Narikuni to launch a quest to not only match her in number of golds, but top her in uniqueness by going for one each in the two men's styles.

But since winning the freestyle title in Belgrade, he endured a tough road in switching full-time to Greco. Hampered at times by injury, he failed to even make the final of any of the domestic qualifiers.

One obstacle was that he tried to make it at 67kg, which is one of Japan's most stacked weight classes. He dropped down to 63kg for the Emperor's Cup in December, but the strain of cutting so much weight took its toll and he was ousted in the semifinals.

"When I cut down to 63kg in December, that was really, really tough," Narikuni said. "It took three months and I barely made it. But I thought if I want to win the world title, 63kg was the only path.

"To put everything on the line and then lose, it was depressing and made me feel that I had reached my limit. I was close to giving up. But I thought of the people who had long been supporting me, who put up with my selfishly going into Greco after becoming a freestyle champion, and I couldn't give up."

Narikuni then made the bold step of moving up two weight classes. With a natural weight of about 74kg and a proclivity for weight training, 72kg became a good fit.

"I think [this] weight class is just right for me," said Narikuni, who never looked inferior in terms of power, using a high chest wrap to lethal effect to get his turns. "I was never the type who cut a lot of weight, and it was really tough getting down to 63kg."

On Friday, Narikuni won the Meiji Cup title -- the first in his career in either style -- with a solid 9-0 victory in the final over Ryoma HOJO.

He then clinched the world team spot with a 9-0 demolition of Emperor's Cup champion Issei HONNA that took just 1:47 and included a 5-point throw. He had defeated Honna 6-0 in the semifinals on Friday.

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) Hayato ISHIGURO makes short work of Tatsuya SHIRAI in the world team playoff at freestyle 86kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the only other playoff on the day, Paris Olympian Hayato Ishiguro clinched the world team spot at freestyle 86kg with a lightning-quick 10-0 win over Emperor's Cup and former world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI.

Ishiguro, who beat Shirai 3-0 earlier in their final round-robin match to top the standings and set up the playoff, scored a takedown, then reeled off a tilt, roll, exposure and roll to end the match in 54 seconds.

Ishiguro's older brother, Asian bronze medalist Takashi, completed the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double at freestyle 92kg with an 8-2 victory over Takato UCHIDA.

It will be the third time for the brothers to appear at the same World Championships, after 2021 and 2023.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) Sakura ONISHI and older brother Taiga celebrate making Japan's team to the World Championships together. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Onishi makes world team, with a brotherly bonus

World U20 champion Sakura ONISHI had little trouble cruising to victory at women's 59kg to earn her first trip to the senior worlds. Then she got an added bonus when older brother Taiga secured a ticket to Zagreb as well at Greco 55kg.

The 19-year-old Sakura scored a takedown in each period and was never in danger as she rolled to a 5-0 victory over Sena NAGAMOTO in the final, repeating her win in the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup but in much smoother fashion.

The victory erases the lingering sting from last year, when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO en route to the title, only to suffer a heartbreaking last-second loss in the world team playoff.

"Last year, I was left with a tough memory after losing in the playoff, but I think this makes up for it and I'm really happy," Onishi said.

Onishi was clearly the favorite this time, and said she was energized by the combination of the pressure, the support of those around her, and the victory by her brother.

"There was a lot of pressure and things to think about, but I received a lot of messages of support from many people that really gave me strength. And three was my older brother winning. Instead of being pressure, I turned it all to energy. I'm really satisfied."

Onishi, who won the senior Asian title in March, has established herself of one of Japan's fastest rising stars. She has suffered just one loss in seven international tournaments, falling to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR) in the final at the 2022 World U17 Championships in Rome.

Prior to Zagreb, she will defend her world U20 title in August in Bulgaria. Looking farther ahead, her aim is to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with senior Nippon Sport Science University teammate Akari FUJINAMI, the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who has moved up to 57kg. That would entail a move up to 62kg, an issue she said she will address when the time comes.

Meanwhile, 2022 world U20 bronze medalist Taiga, a student at Waseda University, will be heading to his second senior worlds after defeating Sanshiro TAKAHASHI 7-1 in the Greco 55kg final.

Takahashi had defeated Emperor's Cup and Asian champion Kohei YAMAGIWA in the semifinals, but Yamagiwa was injured in the match and unable to take part in the playoff, handing Onishi the world team spot by default.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) Arash YOSHIDA secures a fall in the freestyle 97kg final against high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Japan national team gets double helping of Yoshida

Two of Japan's rising young male stars, who happen to share a last name, clinched their tickets to Zagreb by adding the Meiji Cup title to their Emperor's Cup triumph.

Arash YOSHIDA overwhelmed high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ in the freestyle 97kg final, muscling him over and scoring a victory by fall in 2:31.

Three matches later, Taizo YOSHIDA rallied from a 6-3 deficit, scoring the go-ahead points in the last 20 seconds to defeat Reon KAKEGAWA 11-6 for the Greco 82kg gold.

Arash Yoshida has occasionally sparred with the 17-year-old Leibowitz, who, through his coaches' connection, has been invited to practices at Nihon University. The son of an American father and Japanese mother who came to Japan when he was 4, Leibowitz still has a way to go to catch up to Yoshida, a two-time Asian champion.

"At times, Leibowitz comes to our practices, so I think there were things about me that he knew," Yoshida said. "Even so, it was good that I was able to stop him and get the fall."

Also proficient in judo, Leibowitz has set a lofty goal of winning a wrestling gold at the Los Angeles Olympics, then striking gold in judo at a future Olympics.

In other action, four-time world medalist Miwa MORIKAWA cut it close in capturing the women's 65kg title, then former world champion Masako FURUICHI cut it even closer to triumph at women's 72kg.

Morikawa needed a victory in the final round of matches in the five-women round-robin, and she barely held on to secure a 4-3 win over Nana IKEHATA.

Morikawa went ahead 3-1 with a stepout and takedown in the second period. In the last 10 seconds, Ikehata put the pressure on but had to settle for two stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge after the second one gave Morikawa her final point.

Masako FURUICHI (JPN) Masako FURUICHI turns over Ayano MORO to pull out a last-second victory in the women's 72kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 72kg, Emperor's Cup champion Furuichi was trailing 2-1 against 2022 world U20 champion Ayano MORO, with all of the points coming on the activity clock, when she launched a last-ditch shot at a single leg. Moro's sprawl seemed to be enough to fend off the attack as the seconds ticked down.

But suddenly, Furuichi got enough leverage to dump Moro onto her back, where she lay stunned to make it a victory by fall at 5:58 and miss out on forcing a playoff. A distraught Moro later wept loudly, her wailing audible throughout the arena.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Toshihiro HASEGAWA df. Aiki KAWAI, 10-2
SF 2: Akito MUKAIDA df. Takuto OSETO by Fall, 4:04 (14-4)

70kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, 4-2
SF 2: Shoya MIURA df. Makoto HOSOKAWA, 7-4

79kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Ryunosuke KAMIYA, 4-4
SF 2: Subaru TAKAHARA df. Natsura OKAZAWA, 5-1

86kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO (4-0)
SILVER: Yudai TAKAHASHI (3-1)
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI (2-2)

Key match: Ishiguro df. Takahashi 5-4 in Round 3

World Team Playoff: Ishiguro df. Shirai by TF, 10-0, :54.

92kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Takashi ISHIGURO df. Takato UCHIDA, 8-2

BRONZE: Masanobu MITSUI df. Shuichiro SATO, 4-3
BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Rintaro MOTOHASHI, 9-5

97kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by Fall, 2:31 (6-0)

BRONZE: Yuta SASAKI df. Takuma TATEOKA by Def.

125kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hibiki ITO, 2-1

BRONZE: Ryusei FUJITA df. Hosei FUJITA by Fall, 1:33 (5-4)

Greco-Roman

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taiga ONISHI df. Sanshiro TAKAHASHI, 7-1

BRONZE: Kohei YAMAGIWA (no match)
BRONZE: Taketo NINOMIYA df. Ryuma KAWANO by TF, 9-0, 1:49

World Team Playoff: Onishi df. Kohei YAMAGIWA by Def.

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Manato NAKAMURA df. Ayata SUZUKI by TF, 12-2, 1:53

BRONZE: Yuto NAGASAWA df. Kazuki YABE by Def.
BRONZE: Shoya ITO df. Sota SUGIMOTO, 8-3

72kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Ryoma HOJO by TF, 9-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Rei NAGAMATSU df. Issei HONNA by Def.
BRONZE: Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Kento NOMURA, 6-2

World Team Playoff: Narikuni df. Honna by TF, 9-0, 1:47

82kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 11-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Daichi AKIHO by Fall, 1:39 (7-0)
BRONZE: Yudai KOBORI df. Yoshimitsu MATSUZAKI by Fall, 1:29 (4-0)

87kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Tatsuya FUJII df. Genki YAHAGI, Inj. Def.
SF 2: So SAKABE df. Isshin ONITSUKA by TF, 8-0, 1:57

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Ryosei KATAMATSU by TF, 9-0, 3:30
SF 2: Takahiro TSURUDA df. Sorato KANAZAWA by Fall, 5:06 (10-2)

130kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 3-1
SF 2: Sota OKUMURA vs Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 3:15

Women's Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna MORIKAWA, 2-1
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA df. Saki YUMIYA, 5-0

55kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Umi IMAI, 2-0

BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA by Fall, 5:50 (5-1)

59kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 5-0

BRONZE: Sae NOGUCHI df. Sayaka OTA, 3-0
BRONZE: Miuna KIMURA df. Misaki YOSHIBA, 3-0

65kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (4-0)
SILVER: Nana IKEHATA (3-1)
BRONZE: Akari ASAI (2-2)

Key match: Morikawa df. Ikehata 4-3 in Round 5

68kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Ami ISHII (2-0); 2. Seia MOCHINAGA (2-0); 3. Kaede MATSUYAMA (0-2); 4. Rin MIYAJI (0-2).

72kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Masako FURUICHI df. Ayano MORO by Fall, 5:58 (3-2)

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Chisato YOSHIDA by TF, 10-0, 3:16

76kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (2-0); 2. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0); 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (0-2); 4. Sakura NAKANO (0-2).

Iran Fills Remaining Freestyle Spots in Tokyo as Uzbekistan Grabs 4

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World champion in Freestyle, Narikuni earns elusive shot at Greco title