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

Medet Kyzy pulls off late miracle for 3rd Asian gold

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

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) 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).

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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) 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.

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

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

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Medet Kyzy pulls off late miracle for 3rd Asian gold