Japan's Irie Aims for Golden Birthday Bonus in Senior World Debut

Monday, September 9, 2019 - 14:28 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO---When Yuki IRIE, the only wrestler on the planet to have ever defeated two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI, beat her for the third time in her career two months ago, it was far more than just a win over a formidable opponent.

It finally meant that Irie had the mental toughness to win when it counted most. That she had overcome the hardships of the past year. And in this case, that she could prevail when the stakes could hardly have been higher.

Irie's 6-1 victory over Susaki in the Japan national team playoff on July 6 not only denied her younger rival a chance for a third straight world title, it gave herself a first-ever ticket to the senior world championships---and in the leadup to the Olympic year, that has far-reaching ramifications.

"After the Meiji Cup, I worked on fixing my mistakes," Irie says, referring to a last-second loss to Susaki at the second of Japan's national tournaments that serve as national team qualifiers, and which set up the playoff between the two for the women's 50kg spot on the squad to Nur-Sultan.

"I was determined not to let her score at the end and came up with a strategy. I don't focus on analyzing the opponent, I work to know better what I can do. It paid off that I could improve and make the changes."

Irie, a world junior champion in 2012, had since then played second or third fiddle to a succession of domestic stars in her stacked weight class --- Hitomi OBARA, Eri TOSAKA and Susaki --- who combined to keep the world or Olympic titles in in the lightest women's division in Japanese hands every year but one dating back to 2010.

Irie will aim to keep that streak alive and make sure that Sept. 20, the first day of competition at 50kg, turns out special---and not just because it will be her 27th birthday.

The Japanese federation has decreed that any wrestler winning a medal at the world championships will not only earn a berth for Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but fill the spot themselves without any further qualifying process. By making it to the final, which will be held the next day, Irie would already know she had made the Olympic team.

Yuki IRIE (JPN) will wrestle in her first World Championships beginning on September 20. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

"On that birthday, I can't let myself relax," Irie says, speaking at an interview with the UWW website at a recent national team training camp in Tokyo. "When the matches are over, then I can start thinking about the Olympics."

Irie will look to emerge victorious from a field led by veteran Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the runner-up to both Tosaka at the Rio 2016 Olympics and Susaki at last year's world championships.

Others expected to be in contention are 2018 world bronze medalists SUN Yanan (CHN) and Oksana LIVACH (UKR), and 2017 world bronze medalist KIM Son-Hyang (PRK). Irie has chalked up recent victories over both Sun and Kim, the win over the former coming in the final at the Asian Championships in Xi'an in April. Livach is the European champion.

Stadnik, 31, won by technical fall in the only previous meeting between the two, but that was back at the 2014 Golden Grand Prix. A lot has changed since then for Irie, and perhaps no more than over the past year.

The season actually started on a high note, when Irie pulled a surprise at the All-Japan Championships in December 2017. The tournament, known as the Emperor's Cup and the first of the two national team qualifiers, had been billed as a clash between teen phenom and reigning world champion Susaki and Olympic champion Tosaka, who was making a comeback following foot surgery after Rio 2016.

Instead, Irie crashed the party, whipping Susaki by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals, then holding on to edge Miho IGARASHI 6-5 in the final to regain the national title she first won in 2015, when she beat an up-and-coming Susaki in the first meeting between the two. Tosaka's title hopes ended when she defaulted her semifinal match against Igarashi.

The victory put Irie onto Japan's teams in 2018 for the Asian Championships in Bishkek, the Women's World Cup hosted by Japan, and the Asian Games in Jakarta. But that is where the story takes a downturn.

Coming off a third career title at the Yarygin Grand Prix, Irie headed to Bishkek in high spirits --- only to be dealt a stunning loss in the semifinals by Vinesh VINESH (IND) and having to settle for a bronze.

Irie sticks world and Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN) at the 2018 Women's Wrestling World Cup. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

She followed that with a successful Women's World Cup in March, going 3-0, including a victory by fall over Sun, and helping Japan take the title. In the meantime, Susaki won the Klippan Lady and waited for her chance for revenge, which would come three months later.

At the Meiji Cup, Irie defeated Tosaka 6-2 in the semifinals, setting up a showdown in the final with Susaki. But Susaki caught her with a pancake and scored a fall in 3:37. That set up a playoff for the world championships in Budapest, which Susaki won 6-4 with a dramatic takedown in the final 15 seconds.

The additional salt to the wound would come a month later in Jakarta, where Irie suffered her second loss of the year to Vinesh to finish with the silver medal at the Asian Games.

"Psychologically, I was depressed," Irie says. "Physically, there was a gap between what I was thinking to do and what I actually did. Along with the losses, that took a toll and led to depression."

To right the ship, Irie, a member of the Japan Self-Defense Force Physical Training School in Tokyo, returned to her roots on the southern island of Kyushu. It was there that she started wrestling at age 5, and where she knew could always turn to her high school coach and long-time mentor Hideki TSUJI.

It was because of Tsuji that Irie attended college on Kyushu instead of going to powerhouse Shigakkan University or one of the top schools in the Tokyo area. She didn't seem to lose anything, as she won four national collegiate titles while at Kyushu Kyoritsu University.

"My coach has been teaching me since I was in kids wrestling, even now, when I return home, he coaches me," Irie says. "I wanted to keep him as a coach. Even when I was in college, I would go to his high school and practice, and he would watch my movement and offer advice."

Irie returned to Tokyo for the 2018 Emperor's Cup in a better frame of mind and with the kinks, mainly in her stance, worked out. For better or worse, she did not have to face Susaki, who withdrew from the tournament due to an elbow injury. Irie again got the best of Tosaka, winning 4-4 in the semifinals.

"When we were in high school, I beat her," Irie says of her long rivalry with Tosaka. "But when we got to university, she really got stronger. She had a scary presence."

Irie then won the title with a 6-0 victory over Kika KAGATA, earning her a ticket to this year's Asian Championships in Xi'an, where she beat Sun in the final for her first continental gold since 2015.

But the path to the World Championships still had to pass through Susaki, and it got extended at the Meiji Cup in dramatic fashion. Susaki scored a miraculous 4-point move in the last 2 seconds of their quarterfinal match for a 6-4 win, then went on to win the title and set up yet another playoff between the two---this time with Olympic implications.

This time Irie was ready. She never hesistated, nor dangerously sat on a lead as she had done at the Meiji Cup, and forged a solid victory that left Susaki in tears.

"She went in with the attitude of being the challenger," Japan national women's coach Masashi SAITO says. "Her being the aggressor was the usual pattern for her, she has always had the ability. When she loses, she herself knows she has to fix various things. She regained the confidence going into matches. Her aggressiveness became her strength."

Saito added he was impressed with how decisively Irie handled the rematch with Susaki. "It was amazing. Her speed, technique were superb. Her mental state was good."

Irie gained a "bonus" two weeks later, when younger sister Nanami also secured a ticket to Nur-Sultan in the non-Olympic weight of 55kg by winning a wrestle-off with Haruna OKUNO, the world champion at 53kg who had lost out on a place in that weight class to the 55kg world champion Mayu MUKAIDA.

"I've been competing along with her for a long time, so I'm really happy that we can appear together," the soft-spoken Irie says while flashing a warm smile. "After all, she's the person I'm closest to, so we can be honestly critical with each other about both good and bad things."

Older brother Shinji and younger sister Kumi, currently a national collegiate champion, also wrestled, causing some intense times in the Irie household while they were growing up in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture.

"At practice, it would be a mix of fighting and wrestling," Irie recalls. "None of us wanted to lose to the other. So I would fight with my younger sisters. My brother became too strong, so he was unbeatable for us."

Yuki made her first big mark in 2006 when she captured the national junior high school title at 46kg. (While Irie's weight has hardly changed since then, Nanami and Kumi overcame her in size when they were in high school.) Of note was that among the bronze medalists in that weight class was Sara DOSHO, currently the reigning Olympic and world champion at 68kg.

"The next year, she got much bigger," Irie says with a laugh. "It's like she became a different person."

Irie's first dip into the international waters came in March 2011, just before her graduation from Kokura Commercial High School, where she won two national titles. Irie entered the senior division at 48kg at the Klippan, winning the gold in her debut at the prestigious Swedish tournament.

"I was really excited and looking forward to it," Irie says. "My impression was that it was fun. [The foreign wrestlers] seem to rely on power more than Japanese wrestlers."

If Irie wins a medal at the 2019 World Championships, she'll lock up her spot on Japan's team at the 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Irie says she will take that same attitude into Nur-Sultan, when she aims for the biggest prize of her career.

"This is my first time to appear [at the world championships], the feeling is like when I first entered the Klippan," Irie says. "The feeling of enjoying myself is strong, but as a tournament, I am looking to win each match one at a time and take the title. And as a bonus, if I win the gold, the Olympic berth comes with it."

After graduating from college, it was the structured atmosphere of the JSDF Physical Training School that appealed to her and led her to join that team. It was also no coincidence that one of the coaches is Obara, who won most of her eight world titles under her maiden name of Sakamoto.

"Only a person who has been to an Olympics, who knows the feeling and atmosphere, can point out the dos and don'ts," Irie said. "She teaches me the tough aspects. It's really been good."

Having competed in the shadow of three of Japan's greatest women's wrestlers for much of her career, one might believe that Irie was hexed to be in such a strong weight class. She thinks of it in the opposite way.

"It's tough, but it allowed me to develop and make progress," she says. "With the Olympic champion and the world champion in the country, I could practice and have matches on a high level. To me, that was a plus."

And having beaten both of them, now it's time for her to reap the rewards. No birthday cake can compete with that.

#WrestleAmman

Tanabe outdoes Olympic medalist dad by claiming Asian 65kg gold

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - 21:16 By Ken Marantz

AMMAN, Jordan (March 29) -- By winning his first senior Asian title, collegian Kaisei TANABE (JPN) did something his father and coach was unable to accomplish. Now his aim to better dad's result at the Olympics.

Tanabe stormed to a one-sided victory in the 65kg final as Japan had two champions crowned on the first day of the freestyle competition at the Asian Championships on Saturday in Amman, Jordan.

Tanabe completed his golden run with a 12-2 victory over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) to outdo his father Chikara, who was a bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics but never medaled in two trips to the Asian Championships.

"My older sister is now a coach in China, and my father and mother are watching from home," the 22-year-old Tanabe said. "They give me advice before every match, and I incorporate that. This is a title won by my whole family."

Japan also got a gold from rising star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who added the 97kg title to the one he claimed at 92kg in 2023, while three countries split the three other golds at stake.

Asian Games silver medalist Chongsong HAN (PRK) won at 57kg, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) took the 70kg title with his third come-from-behind victory in four matches, and teenager Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) put on a performance well behind his years to capture the 79kg gold.

Kaisei TANABE (JPN) hits a throw against Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Tanabe, who lost in the first round last year at 61kg, showed the great strides he has made since then by sweeping through a tough field, culminating with a decisive victory over Tseveensuren, a world bronze medalist last year at 61kg.

"From the first match, I faced strong opponents, but I thought to myself, I face even stronger rivals back home in Japan," Tanabe said. "So I just did what I had to do in each and every match."

It was Tseveensuren who struck first, using a barrel roll for a 2-point takedown. But Tanabe shook off his early nerves and got down to business, scoring a 4-point takedown by getting behind Tseveensuren in the standing position and using a throw to bring him backward to the mat.

In the second period, Tanabe showed he has power to go with his speed when he shut down a headlock roll attempt for a 2-point exposure, also gaining a 2-point penalty when the Mongolian fled over the edge while his back is to the mat. A counter takedown and gut wrench then ended the match with 26 seconds to spare.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling)

"In the final, I was nervous and gave up points first," Tanabe said. "But then the match went my way and I was able to dictate the flow."

In December, Tanabe earned his ticket to Amman by winning the national title in the absence of Paris Olympic champion and former Nippon Sports Science University teammate Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who has yet to return to competition. (Tanabe also finished second in Greco-Roman at 67kg.)

With an Asian championship providing a boost of confidence, he now aims to remain the top dog in a weight class in which Japan has had the two most recent Olympic gold medalists.

"Japan is really strong in the 65kg weight class," Tanabe said. "I want to hone the weapons that only I possess and take on all of the top rivals."

At 97kg, Yoshida won a battle of young stars in the final of a weight class that saw world and Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) withdraw at the last minute after not recovering sufficiently from a shoulder injury.

Yoshida was largely untroubled in defeating 2023 world 92kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 7-1, chalking up four stepouts and keeping his taller opponent at arm's length throughout the match.

The 21-year-old Yoshida got three of the stepouts in the first period, then added a fourth early in the second. He then received an activity point and got behind for a takedown before the 20-year-old Aitmukhan, who had to settle for a silver medal for the third straight year, picked up a consolation stepout.

"Tazhudinov didn't compete which made it a little easier, but it's still important that I practice even harder," Yoshida said.

Yoshida, whose father is Iranian and runs the kids wrestling club in Japan where he and his siblings started the sport, has emerged as Japan's biggest hope for its first Olympic success in the heavy weights since Akira OTA (JPN) won Olympic silvers at 90kg in 1984 and 1988.

"Japan is very strong in the light weights, and I don't think we're close to that level in the heavy weights," Yoshida said. "But we'll work hard to try to get to that level."

Yoshida came into Amman riding a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event in February, where he turned heads with a stunning 5-5 victory in the semifinals over former Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA).

He had termed that victory "lucky," but gave himself more credit for his triumph in Amman. "It was not so much lucky, more that I think I just put out everything that I had this tournament," Yoshida said.

Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the 57kg gold medal with an 8-1 victory over Milad VALIZADEH (IRI). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Han, the silver medalist at the 2023 Asian Games who missed out twice in qualifying for the Paris Olympics, completed a strong performance by defeating young Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) 8-1 for the gold.

Han opened the scoring with a nice duck under for a takedown, and the first period ended with him up 2-0. After Valizadeh started the second period with a stepout, Han gained another point when Iran unsuccessfully challenged a slick move by Han, who spun in mid-air to get out of an underhook.

To add insult to injury, Han was awarded a point when Valizadeh continually remained on his knees in defense at the edge to avoid a stepout. With :05 left, Han clinched the gold with a double-leg takedown for 4.

Valizadeh took home the silver in just his third tournament on the senior level.

Nothing was a sure thing when it came to matches involving Akmataliev, who chalked up his third come-from-behind victory when he rallied from a four-point deficit to defeat Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) 5-4 in the 70kg final.

Rassadin, aiming to improve on his silver medal from last year at 74kg, scored two takedowns in the first period to go ahead 4-0.

Akmataliev came to life in the second period, gaining a takedown from a duck under, than going ahead on criteria with a 2-point counter lift.

At the end, Rassadin got hold of an ankle but Akmataliev high-stepped out of it, and an unsuccessful challenge gave Akmataliev his final point.

The victory gave Akmataliev his first gold in four appearances at the Asian Championships and second medal overall following a silver in 2022, the year he also won a world bronze. He also has a world silver from 2021.

Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) hits a four-point throw against Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) in the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The most dominant victory of the finals was turned in by world U23 champion Yousefi, who was never challenged in charging to a 10-0 victory over Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN).

Yousefi, who finished second at this year's Zagreb Ranking Series event, received an activity point before scoring a takedown, despite a daring and athletic attempt by Saipudinov to prevent it. With Yousefi holding his leg in the air, Saipudinov executed a back flip, but the Iranian held on and completed the takedown anyway.

In the second period, Yousefi piled on the points with a single-leg takedown, a 2-point tilt and a 2-point exposure off a double-leg attempt to make it 8-0.

A driving double-leg takedown that went over the edge was originally scored 2 points, but was downgraded to 1 on challenge. No matter, it still gave Yousefi his 10th point to end the match at the 5-minute mark.

Iran goes 3 for 3 in bronze-medal matches

The trio of Iranians who didn't make the finals all came back to take home bronze medals. World U23 bronze medalist Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) left no doubt in his 65kg match, pulling away in the second period for a 10-0 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

Ahead 1-0 from an activity point in the first period, Ebrahimzadeh got a takedown and a stepout to pad the lead, then after a second takedown, reeled off two trap-arm rolls to end the match in 4:25.

Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) eked out a 2-1 victory over last year's 61kg champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the other 65kg match, which finished without a technical point but with a peculiar ending.

Both wrestlers had received an activity point, with Kim's coming in the second period to give him the advantage on criteria. Zhumashbek Uulu was scrapping in the final seconds for a score and, with the match still in progress, he signaled for his side to push the challenge button, ostensibly to penalize Kim for fleeing. The challenge was thrown out and Kim got the win.

Sina KHALILI (IRI), two years removed from winning the world U17 gold medal at 65kg, captured a 70kg bronze by defeating veteran Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by fall after pulling away to a 9-2 lead.

Khalili got an activity clock point, then scored two driving single-leg takedowns to lead 5-0 at the break. After giving up a stepout and fleeing point, Khalili scored a takedown, then stuffed Tumur Ochir's arm throw attempt to secure the fall.

Tumur Ochir had moved up from 65kg, where he was a world bronze medalist in 2021 and took the silver at last year's Asian Championships. He barely missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics.

In the other 70kg match, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), the world and Asian silver medalist last year, added a second Asian bronze to his collection with a solid 8-0 victory over Russian-born Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), a one-time European medalist.

Aoyagi, who started the year with a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event, received an activity point in the first period, then got going in the second. He chalked up a single-leg takedown and gut wrench, then countered a takedown attempt for 2 at the edge that was upheld on challenge.

At 97kg, Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI), the 2023 world U20 champion at 92kg, spotted Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) an early takedown, but then took control and scored three takedowns, including a 4-pointer at the end of the first period, to notch a 9-3 victory.

Hemelyayev, who also finished fifth in 2022 at 125kg, had been aiming to become Turkmenistan's first Asian medalist since 2018.

Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) earned his second career Asian medal at 97kg when he bulled his way to a first-period takedown, then held on after giving up a stepout in the second to defeat Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) 2-1.

Earlier, Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) claimed his third medal in three trips to the Asian Championships, and he was made to work for it in an 8-6 victory at 57kg over Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), the Arab champion who did himself proud on the continental stage.

Kalzhan led 5-2 at the break and increased the lead with a takedown and stepout to make it 8-2. But Albehadilalbors didn't give up, forcing a stepout, then countering with a roll through on the edge for 2. A stepout with :12 left cut the lead to 2, but Kalzhan held on in the final seconds to add to his bronze from 2023 and silver from 2022.

Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) won the other bronze at 57kg with an opportunistic victory by fall over Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), the young Japanese champion who has taken the rare route of heading to the United States for university.

After giving up an activity point in the first period, Sakamoto, who wears the headgear of Oklahoma State University, went ahead in the second with a stepout off a single-leg attack.

Batkhuyag responded with a stepout, onto which a fleeing point was tacked on to go ahead 3-1. Sakamoto then made a tactical error. When Batkhuyag got in deep on a single, Sakamoto reached over and tried to roll through. But the Mongolian stopped the move by sitting on his chest and the match ended with a quick call of the fall at 4:39.

At 79kg, Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) dropped former world bronze medalist and Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) for a 2-point takedown with :20 left to earn a 4-4 victory on last-point criteria and add to his 2023 bronze at 74kg.

Olonbayar opened with a takedown, but the Russian-born Budazhapov came back with a takedown while on the activity clock, and went ahead with a 2-point counter tilt.

In the second period, Olonbayar got behind in standing position and pulled Budazhapov backwards to the mat. Originally scored a 4-point takedown, it was downgraded to 2 on challenge. That kept Budazhapov's hopes alive, but Olobayar held on for the win.

Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) picked up his first major medal in impressive fashion, defeating Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by fall in the other 79kg match.

After receiving an activity point, Evloev caught Yergesh in a cradle while countering a single-leg attempt, then rolled him over onto his back for the fall.

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Milad VALIZADEH (IRI), 8-1

BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), 8-6
BRONZE: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) by Fall, 4:39 (5-1)

65kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 5:34

BRONZE: Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 2-1
BRONZE: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:25

70kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), 5-4

BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by Fall, 4:31 (9-2)

79kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) by TF, 10-0, 5:00

BRONZE: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) df. Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) df. Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by Fall, 2:35 (3-0)

97kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 7-1

BRONZE: Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM), 9-3
BRONZE: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ), 2-1

Japan's Irie Aims for Golden Birthday Bonus in Senior World Debut

Comments

Tanabe outdoes Olympic medalist dad by claiming Asian 65kg gold