#WrestleTallinn

Japan Goes 15-0 on Day 4, Inserts All Five into Friday Night Finals

Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 19:55 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 15) –The Japanese women’s wrestling team went a perfect 15-0 on Thursday and inserted all five wrestlers into Friday night’s final – bringing their grand total to eight wrestlers who punched their ticket to the junior world finals. In the night session on Day 4, Japan picked up three falls and a pair of shutout victories.

Reigning two-time senior-level world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) made her junior world debut on Thursday and outscored her three opponents 28-0. In the semifinals, Okuno ousted five-time age-group world medalist Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), 6-0, and moved into the 53kg finals where she’ll wrestle Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) to try to add a junior world title to her resume that’s filled with world golds at the cadet, U23 and senior levels. Her Mongolian finals opponent, who was a 2019 junior Asian runner-up, scored a 12-9 come-from-behind win over China’s MEIDUOLAJI Meiduolaji (CHN) in her semifinal bout. 

Akie HANAI (JPN) was the second Japanese wrestler who locked up her finals spot. Hanai, who was leading 8-0, stuck Bharti BAGHEL (IND) and will wrestle Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) in the 57kg finals. The Ukrainian wrestler easily downed Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 12-0, and will make her first appearance in a world finals match.

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) was one of five Japanese wrestlers who locked up their spot in Friday's gold-medal match. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The third Japanese wrestler who was successful in reaching the Friday night finals was Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN). The 2017 cadet world champion stuck Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals and set up a 62kg finals match against WU Yaru (CHN). The Chinese wrestler, who arguably had the most spectacular double leg of the tournament, crushed Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS), 10-0. 

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) was the fourth wrestler from the island nation to punch her ticket to the finals. She reached the world finals for the third time in her career with a 10-0 win over ZHANG Yue (CHN). To improve on her pair of runner-up finishes, she’ll have to stop 2018 cadet world champion Macey KILTY (USA), who pinned Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) in the second period after commanding the 5-0 lead. They’ll wrestle in the 65kg finals. 

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) closed out the perfect day for Japan as she moved into the junior world finals in style – sticking Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA) in a cradle. Kagami, the two-time cadet world champion, will square off with Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) in the 72kg finals. The Russian wrestler, who was last year’s junior world runner-up, handled CHENG Shuiyan (CHN), 10-0, to reach her second consecutive junior gold-medal bout. 

The Friday night finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) vs. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL)
SEMIFINAL - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df.  Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), 6-0 
SEMIFINAL - Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) df. Meiduolaji MEIDUOLAJI (CHN), 12-9 

57kg
GOLD - Akie HANAI (JPN) vs. - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Akie HANAI (JPN)  df. Bharti BAGHEL (IND), via fall 
SEMIFINAL - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 12-0 

62kg
GOLD - Yaru WU (CHN) vs. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Yaru WU (CHN) df. Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall 

65kg
GOLD – Macey Ellen KILTY (USA) vs. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Macey Ellen KILTY (USA) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR), via fall 
SEMIFINAL - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Yue ZHANG (CHN), 10-0 

72kg
GOLD - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) vs. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)  df. Shuiyan CHENG (CHN), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA), via fall 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Best Move: Blades Suplex

Friday, February 14, 2025 - 15:22 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 14) -- Kennedy BLADES (USA) is making the suplex her own. After thrilling a packed Champs de Mars Arena with a majestic suplex at the Paris Olympics, the 21-year-old star began her 2025 season with two of them at the Zagreb Open last week.

"When I get behind, in my mind, I am like I have to execute this because it's so rare to hit a suplex," Blades said in Zagreb. "So every time I get behind in matches or big stages, I try to hit the suplex. I want to do it at the world stage because I know it will be on the highlights."

At the Zagreb Open, Blades was at 68kg, two weight classes down from 76kg, in which she won the silver medal at the Paris Games. She debuted at 68kg with a fall over Kendra DACHER (FRA) and another fall over world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE).

The first glimpse of her suplex in the match against Noémi SZABADOS (HUN). Close to a minute had gone in the bout when Blades used her reach for a outside single-leg. Instead of going for a takedown, she stood up and locked Szabados from behind and out came the throw.

However, the perfect arch was missing and it was awarded four points.

Blades wasn't satisfied. In Round 5 and leading 7-0, Blades countered Karolina POK (HUN) in a perfect set up for a suplex. Pok made a half-hearted attempt for a headlock but Blades snuck out and moved behind.

Pok knew it was coming. She did not resist and Blades did not relent. A picture-perfect arch, a beautiful throw, safe landing and a cheeky smile at the end. Blades was content.

"I just feel like when someone gets a headlock, they probably have to throw it really hard because growing up, I used to wrestle Greco in the summer," she said. "So my coach always taught us how to set up the suplex if they grab your head for a headlock and they don't go. When someone gets in a headlock position and they don't go super hard, then the suplex is there. If I would ever be in that position, I just go flat because I know that they can probably throw me. "

While it has become relatively easy for Blades to throw her opponents at 68kg, she still needs to tackle their speed and movement.

"I think at 68kg, the girls just feel lighter and that's what makes it a tiny bit easier," she said. "The difference though is that they wrestle a little bit more so my conditioning and footwork needs to be better. Whereas at 76kg, they're kind of hand fighting. It's more like strength. But at 68kg, it's speed and technique. It's hard to distinguish if it's easier or not, but I think the fact that I was able to lift the girls up easy was the best thing ever."

The suplex isn't new to Blades. She performed one at the U20 World Championships back in 2021, then at the Olympics and now in Zagreb. However, Blades picks the one in Paris as the best one so far.

"The best suplex is probably my Olympic one because that was straight back on her neck, on the Olympic stage, first match." she said. "I was on fire. I kind of want to see that the suplex I just hit because I think it was pretty nice. But the Olympic one is so hard to beat and I was in a pink singlet."