Japan Wrestling

Ishiguro Brushes Aside Rivals to Earn 1st Ticket to Senior Worlds

Friday, May 28, 2021 - 16:54 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (May 28) ---  In 2018, Hayato ISHIGURO became the first Japanese male to capture a world junior title in over three decades. The next year, he added a world U-23 bronze medal. On Friday, he earned his first shot at the big kids.

Ishiguro secured a place on Japan's team to this year's World Championships by taking the freestyle 86kg title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Friday in Tokyo.

Ishiguro scored a takedown and a 4-point move in the second period in posting a 7-1 victory in the final over Taisei MATSUYUKI to follow up on his title run at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December.

The Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup serve as domestic qualifiers for the World Championships, to be held in October in Oslo. Weight classes in which the winners of the two tournaments are different are decided by playoffs, which turned out to be the case in three of the eight divisions on Friday.

None of the 12 Japanese wrestlers who will appear at the Tokyo Olympics entered the qualifying process for the Oslo worlds, opening the door for young prospects like Ishiguro to make the step up to the senior global stage.

Ishiguro, bouncing back from a disappointing fifth-place finish at the Asian Championships in April in Almaty, avoided the playoff route with a solid run at spectator-less Komazawa Gym. Starting with a 9-3 victory over 2020 Asian champion Shutaro YAMADA, he advanced to the final with a 10-0 technical fall of 2019 Asian junior champion Tatsuya SHIRAI.

It all came in a tournament Ishiguro considered skipping beforehand, as well as dropping out midway through, due to problems with weight control.

"After the Asian Championships, I didn't put much thought into maintaining my weight," Ishiguro said. "I had to drop 8 or 9 kilograms all in one week. It had me worried, but I was able to put out a full effort."

Upon returning to Japan from Almaty, Ishiguro had to follow protocols and self-quarantine in a hotel for two weeks. He intended to work out in the single room doing core exercises and push-ups, but ended up "watching Netflix."

"Before the semifinal, I thought of defaulting, because I was feeling the effects of the weight loss and my legs were cramping," Ishiguro admitted. "I talked to my coach and my father and they said to just give it a shot and see what happens."

In Almaty, the luck of the draw matched Ishiguro with world and Olympic champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) in the second round, and while the Japanese put up resistance, he went down by technical fall.

That was expected. It was in the bronze-medal match against Mustafa AL OBAIDI (IRQ) that things went awry. As Ishiguro sprawled from a takedown attempt, Al Obaidi locked his arms from below, then twisted the Japanese over and onto his back for a stunning fall in 1:07.

There is speculation that that loss might be behind a new "look" that Ishiguro sported on Friday at Komazawa Gym -- he took the mat with a completely shaven head. Some wondered if it might be some sort of ascetic atonement for his performance in Almaty.

"I thought it could improve my footwork," Ishiguro said tongue-in-cheek when asked about it at the postmatch press conference. "The opponents looked a little scared."

Ishiguro, a two-time national collegiate champion now in his senior year at Nihon University, isn't sure he will keep the shiny dome in Oslo.

"I like it," he said. "but I'll listen to what other people think and decide for the World Championships. Most people don't like it."

Ishiguro competed in Almaty alongside his older brother Takashi ISHIGURO, who won a bronze medal at 97kg. Takashi will aim to join Hayato in Oslo as well when he looks to add to his Emperor's Cup title on Sunday.

Yuta NARA defeated Emperor's Cup champion Masayuki AMANO, 3-1, in a 97kg playoff and earned his fourth berth to the World Championships. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Nara grabs 5th title, world team spot in playoff
In other action, Yuta NARA bounced back from the disappointment of failing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at both the Asian and world qualifiers by taking his fifth straight title at Greco 97kg, then winning a playoff to earn a fourth career trip to the World Championships.

Nara scored all of his points in the second period in beating Yuri NAKAZATO 6-1 in the final. He then came back for the world playoff an hour or so later and defeated Emperor's Cup champion Masayuki AMANO 3-1.

"The time you have for a wrestling career is limited," Nara said when asked why he entered the tournament so soon after the Olympic qualifiers. "Also, I feel that I'm the one carrying this weight class for Japan."

Nara has dominated the weight class in recent years. He had not lost a domestic match in it since 2016 when he was dealt a stunning defeat in the semifinals at the 2020 Emperor's Cup to Masaaki SHIKIYA, who then lost to Amano in the final.

The other playoff winners were in freestyle, Jintaro MOTOYAMA at 70kg and Masaki SATO at 74kg.

For Motoyama, the 2019 world junior silver medalist and 2018 world U-23 bronze medalist, his playoff victory over Ayumu SUZUKI avenged a loss to the fellow collegian earlier in the day.

Suzuki forged out a 6-4 win over Motoyama in the quarterfinals en route to winning the gold by beating Hirotaka ABE 6-3 in the final.

But Motoyama took his game up a notch in the playoff, scoring four stepouts in building up an 8-0 first-period lead before going on to win 10-1.

Sato's road to Oslo meant beating Emperor's Cup champion Kirin KINOSHITA twice, and he did it by the narrowest of margins.

First Sato won the Meiji Cup gold with a 2-2 win in the final, with his second-period takedown trumping the two single points scored by Kinoshita. Then in the playoff, a second-period takedown gave Sato a 2-1 win and the ticket to Oslo.

At 70kg, the spotlight was more on the return of Taishi NARIKUNI, a former collegiate champion who has competed just twice -- back in 2019 -- since being hit with a two-year doping ban in 2017 after a doctor mistakenly prescribed a cold medication containing a banned substance.

After starting off with a fall, Narikuni saw his dreams of making it to the World Championships shattered with a come-from-behind 8-3 loss to Abe in the semifinals. A late stepout put him behind before a failed throw attempt in desperation gave Abe his final points.

It was reminiscent of his loss at the Emperor's Cup in 2019, where he wrestled at 74kg because it was the first domestic qualifier linked to the Tokyo Olympics.

"It was the same at the Tokyo Olympic qualifier, at the end I lost the same way," he said. "At the 5-minute mark, I was the one attacking, only to be pushed out for the decisive point. It's a waste and shameful to lose the same way."

Narikuni came back to win the bronze medal by fall over Hidetaka SAKANO, but the damage was done.

"It's like it wasn't worth coming, it was so shameful," Narikuni said. "After the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers, I have been aiming for the World Championships for the past 1 1/2 years. I think I put more into this than I did for the Tokyo Olympics."

Narikuni won national collegiate titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman in 2017 while at Aoyama Gakuin University. He has a goal of achieving the rare feat of winning world titles in both styles -- a sort of Shohei Ohtani of wrestling, referring to the Japanese baseball star who is a rarity by being both a pitcher and a slugger.

Upon graduating, Narikuni became a staff member at the Gold Kids wrestling club in Tokyo run by his mother, a two-time world champion under her maiden name of Akiko IIJIMA. As for what lies ahead, he's still too stunned to think about it.

"My goal was to win the title, win the playoff, then win the world title," Narikuni said. "There were nearly 100 people backing me up from Gold Kids, and I have a real sense of loss. My mind is a blank right now, I can't think of anything."

Reminded that the World Championships are held every year so it won't be long until the next one, he replied, "That's what everyone around me says. But inside, I really can't think of anything. I had only thought of this tournament."

Akie HANAI snuck past Yumeka TANABE by one point in the 59kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

There was one women's title up for grabs, which went to 2019 world junior champion Akie HANAI after edging Yumeka TANABE 2-1 in the 59kg final, with all of the points coming on the activity clock.

Combined with her Emperor's Cup victory, it gives Hanai a place on her first senior world team. She missed out on a first appearance at the Asian Championships in April when Japan withdrew its women's team due to contact with a person infected with the coronavirus.

In the semifinals, Tanabe scored a last-gasp victory by fall over fellow 2019 world U-23 champion Yuzuka INAGAKI. Trailing 3-2 in the final minute, Tanabe used a nifty inside leg hook to trip Inagaki backwards, then clamped down for the fall.

#WrestleAmman

Medet Kyzy pulls off late miracle for 3rd Asian gold

Thursday, March 27, 2025 - 19:00 By Ken Marantz

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AMMAN, Jordan (March 27) -- Winning the tight ones is a sign of a true champion, and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) couldn't have cut it any closer in retaining her Asian crown and becoming a three-time champion.

Medet Kyzy thwarted an upset bid from REETIKA (IND) with a takedown and gut wrench in the dying seconds for a 7-6 victory in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships on Thursday as women's wrestling took the stage on the third day in Amman, Jordan.

"I prepared for the Asian Championships really well," said Medet Kyzy, who will turn 26 on Sunday. "In the last 20 seconds, I said to myself, 'Aiperi, you have to win.'"

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) also became a three-time champion at 50kg, while young compatriot Sakura ONISHI (JPN) had a miracle victory of her own at 59kg as the powerful Japanese squad was limited to two of the five titles at stake, albeit they lost a world champion to a last-minute withdrawal due to injury.

The two other finals were match-ups between wrestlers from China and the DPK Korea, which they split as Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) and Zelu LI (CHN) became first-time champions at 55kg and 68kg, respectively.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) scores the winning turn against REETIKA (IND) in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 76kg final, Medet Kyzy, a two-time world medalist, was facing an opponent bent on avenging a close 1-1 loss in the quarterfinals at last year's Paris Olympics.

And for much of the match, it looked like it was payback time for 2023 world U23 champion Reetika, an Asian bronze medalist a year ago in Bishkek.

After Medet Kyzy opened with a counter for a takedown, Reetika scored a single-leg takedown to go into the break up 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, Reetika twisted Medet Kyzy over in a scramble for a 2-point exposure, then added a double-leg takedown to make it 6-2.

It looked bleak for Medet Kyzy when, in the final seconds, she managed to get behind for a takedown, then barely muscled Reetika's shoulders past the 90-degree point with a gut wrench with :02 left on the clock. The 2-point exposure was upheld on challenge.

Medet Kyzy said she was inspired by her Kyrgyzstan teammates, including Greco-Roman brothers Zholaman and Tynaar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) cheering her on from the stands.

"They cheered so badly for me I couldn’t lose," she said. "I worked till the very end." Medet Kyzy said that she and her coaches have been working on improving her quickness on the mat, which paid off on Thursday.

"After the Olympics, I sat down with the coaches and we did a full analysis of my wrestling," she said. "Now I’m more efficient compared to before."

Medet Kyzy, who finished fifth at the Paris Olympics, had also previously struck gold in 2022 and now has a total of eight Asian medals, along with a gold and bronze from the Asian Games.

"The Olympics were half a year ago," Medet Kyzy said. "It was very hard for me, because I ended up being fifth. All this time my friends, family, and coaches supported me a lot. Now we have started preparation for the 2028 Olympics."

At 50kg, Yoshimoto, taking advantage of a chance to compete internationally with high-profile rival Yui SUSAKI (JPN) still on hiatus, put on a takedown clinic in an 8-0 victory over world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN).

Yoshimoto chalked up two takedowns in each period with a combination of single-leg attacks and counters to outclass the Chinese teen and add to her previous Asian golds from 2022 and 2023 -- she also has gold from the 2023 Asian Games.

"I didn't make the team last year, but I went into my third [Asian Championships] with a new feeling and not thinking about it too deeply," said Yoshimoto, the 2021 world champion in Susaki's absence. "I feel like the opponents came up with a strategy against me, so it wasn't so easy.

"I wasn't looking to win in any particular way, but I wasn't moving like I wanted. It was different from the first and second times and there is much I need to reflect on."

Yoshimoto has not lost to a non-Japanese opponent since 2019, when she was defeated by Chun LEI (CHN) at the test event for the Tokyo Olympics. Her only other international loss was to two-time Olympic medalist Yun SUNAN (CHN) in the final of the Klippan Lady earlier that year.

Next up for Yoshimoto is the Meiji Cup in June, the second of two domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships where she will likely have to encounter Susaki, who has not competed since taking a bronze at the Paris Olympics.

Onishi, one of Japan's brightest rising stars, looked to be headed to just her second defeat in seven international tournaments when she pulled off a last-second 6-4 victory over Pyol HONG (PRK) in the 59kg final, thanks to a favorable call.

"This is my first time at the senior Asian Championships, and I knew it would not be easy to win," Onishi said. "That's exactly how it was. The final was a tough match. There was a moment when I thought I was going to lose. But I stayed strongly determined to win."

The reigning world U20 champion took a 3-0 lead with a single-leg takedown, to which a 1-point penalty was tacked on for grabbing the wrists.

In the second period, all of Onishi's tackle attempts were well thwarted by Hong, who spun behind after one counter for a takedown, after which she added a gut wrench to go up 4-3.

With the clock ticking down, Onishi launched a desperate surge forward that forced Hong over the edge for a stepout with :02 left that, by itself, would not have been enough. But the referee signaled an additional point for fleeing that was upheld by the side judges, leaving Hong stunned and Onishi elated.

"There was only a little time left, but I thought I had to do something and just go for it," the 19- year-old Onishi said. "All I thought was that I wanted to win. I have no recollection of what I actually did."

The match marked Onishi's first encounter with an opponent from the DPR Korea. "She was very powerful and she was able to keep me from doing my usual winning pattern. I couldn't get in on a tackle, and honestly speaking, I was panicking a little. But it was a good experience."

Onishi, the world U17 champion at 53kg in 2023, prepped for Amman by winning the Tirana Ranking Series event in February. She was dealt her lone international loss in the final at the 2022 U17 worlds to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR).

Oh, the losing finalist at 55kg last year, moved up to the top of the medal podium by grinding out an 8-1 victory over Yuxuan LI (CHN), who finished third in Tirana.

Oh gained a takedown off a counter, then went to a lace lock, but was limited to one roll through by Li to make it 4-0. In the second period, Oh padded her lead with a single-leg takedown and added another lace lock roll. As she tried another, Li managed to execute a switch and scored a reversal for her lone point.

Oh had earned her place in the final for the second year in a row by knocking off three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) with a nail-biting 6-5 win in the semifinals. Last year, she lost in the final to Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), who will be going for the 53kg gold on Friday.

Zelu LI (CHN)Zelu LI (CHN) works a cradle against Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The 68kg final was a quick affair when Zelu Li defeated Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by fall in just 35 seconds.

Li forced in a half-nelson from the standing position, then slammed Pak directly to her back and clamped down for the fall.

Li finished second at the Tirana Ranking Series to world 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), who was entered at 68kg in Amman but withdrew prior to the competition due to a knee injury she suffered a week ago in training.

Murayama Okuno bounces back to take bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Murayama Okuno assured she would not leave her first Asian Championships empty-handed, while two Indian teenagers made it onto the medal podium in their international senior debuts.

Murayama Okuno bounced back from her semifinal loss to Oh by shutting out Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB) 8-0 at 55kg.

Murayama Okuno jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and a stepover exposure. In the second period, she broke through Matnazarova's defenses to get a late takedown off a counter and a gut wrench for her final points.

The other 55kg bronze went to two-time Asian U23 champion Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL), who got behind countering a takedown attempt by NISHU (IND), applied a chicken wing and turned her over for a fall in 2:13.

At 50kg, Myonggyong WON (PRK), last seen on the continental stage winning a bronze at the Asian juniors (U20) in 2019, now has a senior medal after overwhelming Miran CHEON (KOR) 10-0.

Won twice went out the back door for a takedown, and after the second one, secured a high- thigh lock and executed one roll, then moved down to the laces and ripped off two more to end the match at 2:01.

Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), in her second appearance at the Asian Championships five years after placing fifth, came away with the other 50kg bronze after scoring a deep double-leg takedown late in the first period and making that hold up in a 3-0 victory over Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ).

At 59kg, teenager MUSKAN (IND), a 2024 world U17 bronze medalist at 53kg, received two activity points and scored a late takedown to defeat Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) 4-0.

Mengyu XIE (CHN) made short work of Guldana BEKESH (KAZ), storming to a 10-0 technical fall in :48 to add the other 59kg bronze to the gold she won back in 2019.

Xie, a 2022 world bronze medalist at 55kg, opened with a takedown-gut wrench combination, then did it again, adding a second roll to finish off Asian U23 bronze medalist Bekesh.

In a battle between last year's bronze medalists at 68kg, 2023 world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) added to her extensive collection of Asian medals by finishing off Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) 14-2 with a driving 4-point takedown in the final seconds.

Enkhsaikhan scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-2, then added two more and looked headed for a 10-2 win. But she got in deep on a double-leg, lifted up and drove Tashtanbekova to the mat for a 4-pointer.

Enkhsaikan now has five Asian medals, all bronze save for a silver from 2021.

The second Indian teen, world U17 champion Mansi LATHER (IND), used a snap-down, spin-behind attack to maximum effect to rout Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) 12-2 for the other bronze at 68kg.

In an entertaining bout at 76kg, YANGLA (CHN) twice threw Mi Hyang KIM (PRK) to her back, only to be reversed to her own back, but scored a late takedown to clinch an 8-5 victory. Yangla got the big move of the match with a back suplex for 4.

Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) added to the Japanese medal tally, showing surprising speed and agility for a heavyweight in charging to a 10-0 win over Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) for the other 76kg bronze.

Yamamoto opened with a single-leg takedown and two gut wrenches, added a snap-down, go-behind takedown, then finished things off at 2:00 with a single-leg takedown at the edge.

Photo

Day 3 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Yu ZHANG (CHN), 8-0

BRONZE: Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ), 3-0
BRONZE: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Miran CHEON (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:01

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Yuxuan LI (CHN), 8-1

BRONZE: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) df. Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB), 8-0
BRONZE: Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL) df. NISHU (IND) by Fall, 2:13 (4-0)

59kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Pyol HONG (PRK), 6-4

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), 4-0
BRONZE: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Guldana BEKESH (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, :48

68kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by Fall, :35 (4-0)

BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) by TF, 14-2, 6:00
BRONZE: Mansi LATHER (IND) df. Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) by TF, 12-2, 4:43

76kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. REETIKA (IND), 7-6

BRONZE: YANGLA (CHN) df. Mi Hyang KIM (PRK), 8-5
BRONZE: Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:00