#EmperorsCup

Kawai Gets Best of Icho, but Faces Quick Rematch with More at Stake

Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 15:04 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO---In a match that left something to be desired considering the hype, Risako KAWAI got the best of fellow Olympic champion Kaori ICHO. She’ll have to show tomorrow she can do it again for much higher stakes.

Kawai defeated Icho in the highly anticipated clash between the titans of women’s wrestling, scoring a dull 2-1 victory in the opening match of their 57kg round-robin group at the All-Japan Championships in Tokyo.

The two both then beat Sae NANJO, the third wrestler in their group, to advance to the semifinals. They both won, setting up an instant rematch on the final day of the four-day tournament that is also serving as the first stage in Japan’s qualifying process for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“This is the first tournament that has Olympic implications, so no matter who you have to face, this is a weight class that has drawn those who want to go to the Olympics,” Kawai said. “I have the title of Olympic gold medalist, but I can think about that. If I don’t win here, it doesn’t mean anything.”

Kawai, coming off winning a second straight world title at Budapest in October and third overall, hardly outwrestled the four-time Olympic gold medalist per se; it’s more like she just did a better job of showing she was trying.

The match had no technical points, as all scoring came with the opponent on the activity clock----Kawai had the fortune of seeing Icho flagged twice, despite the fact that Kawai herself initiated zero attacks.

It’s one thing to play it safe against a four-time Olympic champion. But Kawai repeated that performance against world junior silver medalist Nanjo, winning by the same score, with the same points, and without a takedown attempt. Icho defeated Nanjo 6-2 in a much more active match.

Kawai finally showed some life in the semifinals, where she used a takedown-ankle roll combination for a 4-0 win over world junior champion Hanako SAWA, while Icho advanced with a 3-0 victory over Akie HANAI.

“I’m sure this is drawing a lot of attention, but the fact is, it is Kaori and I who are the ones who have to perform,” Kawai said. “I’d like it to be exciting if possible.”

Yuki IRIE defeated Rio Olympic champion Eri TOSAKA, 4-4, putting her in the 50kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the other match of global interest, Yuki IRIE repeated her victory from last spring over Rio 2016 champion Eri TOSAKA, winning 4-4 on big-point criteria to advance to the final of the women’s 50kg division, which had lost world champion Yui SUSAKI to an elbow injury.

Irie twice followed giving up a point on the activity clock by scoring a takedown, when Tosaka scored a takedown with :15 left. But it wasn’t enough for the former world champion, who underwent foot surgery after the Rio Olympics.   

Tosaka will now need to win the All-Japan Invitational Championships in June to force a playoff with Irie for the ticket to the 2019 world championships, where winning a medal will earn an automatic berth on Japan’s team to the Tokyo 2020.

“The next six months will go fast,” she said. “If I don’t win there, I can’t go to the Tokyo Olympics. First of all, I have to win in June and get into the playoff.”

Yuki TAKAHASHI, 2017 world champion and 2018 world bronze medalist won his third straight Emperor's Cup title. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Meanwhile, Budapest 2018 bronze medalist Yuki TAKAHASHI barely came away with his third straight title at freestyle 57kg.

Takahashi, the Paris 2017 world gold medalist, was trailing 4-4 on criteria when teenaged opponent Kaiki YAMAGUCHI, trying desperately to fend him off, was assessed a 1-point penalty with :02 left. An unsuccessful challenge left Takahashi the winner by a final score of 6-4.

“To have the final finish like that, it makes me wonder how I would do at the worlds,” Takahashi said. “This tournament has links to the Olympics, so I think that brought out some extra nerves and I didn’t move like I wanted, and my matches were sloppy.”

Takahashi was acquainted with Yamaguchi, having beaten him 4-0 in a tough semifinal battle last year when he was still in high school.

“The fact that I could still win even without wrestling at my best gives me a confidence boost,” Takahashi said.

On the heels of Susaki’s shocking withdrawal, the tournament lost another marquee match-up when women’s 53kg world champion Haruna OKUNO pulled out prior to her match due to a stomach virus. 

Okuno had been due for a clash with fellow world champion Mayu MUKAIDA, who dropped down from 55kg to the Olympic weight class. Had they met, it would have been only the 11thtime in Japan wrestling history that two reigning world champions faced each other in a domestic tournament.

Mukaida launched her bid for a third straight national title---she won at 53kg in 2016---with a 12-2 technical fall victory over world junior champion Umi IMAI, then overcome a tough challenge from Momoka KADOYA, winning 3-0. In the final, she will face Nanami IRIE, Yuki’s younger sister. 

Yuhi FUJINAMI, 2017 world bronze medalist, won back-to-back Emperor's Cup titles with a fall over Ken HOSAKA in the 74kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Yuhi FUJINAMI, a 2017 world bronze medalist who finished out of the medals this year, successfully defended his freestyle 74kg title with a victory by fall over Ken HOSAKA in the final. 

Hosaka surprised the defending champion with an early takedown, but Fujinami quickly evened the score. He then clamped a headlock on Hosaka and, while his opponent looked close at one time to escaping the predicament, Fujinami reapplied the pressure and ended the match in 1:44.

The other freestyle title at stake went to world university champion Yudai FUJITA, who defeated last year’s runner-up Shingo ARIMOTO, 6-0, in the 61kg final for his first national crown.

The day’s Greco golds went to Hiromu KATAGIRI (55kg), Shogo TAKAHASHI (67kg) and Naotsugu SHOJI (77kg). It was the first for Katagiri and Shoji, while Takahashi previously won at 66kg in 2016.   

Meanwhile, the tournament, also known as the Emperor’s Cup, saw the return of Rio 2018 champion Sara Dosho in her first competition since suffering a shoulder injury at the Women’s World Cup in March. 

Dosho, who underwent surgery and had her shoulder heavily taped, won both of her matches on the day in the women’s 68kg class, which has just five entries and is using a round-robin format. 

Dosho beat Umi FUKUSHIMA, 6-1, and Chiaki SEKI, 2-1, and will finish up the competition Sunday by facing fellow Rio Olympian Rio WATARI in her final match, which will likely decide the gold medal. Watari also won twice. 

Hiroe MINAGAWA, who won a second straight world bronze in Budapest, maintained her dominance of the women’s heaviest weight class by beating Yasuha MATSUYUKI, 3-0, in what was essentially the 76kg gold-medal match.

Minagawa’s victory gave her a 4-0 record in the five-women round-robin group for her third straight national title and fifth overall. Matsuyuki, a world junior bronze medalist, finished as runner-up at 3-1. 

Takuto OTOGURO, the reigning world champion, will wrestle Daichi TAKATANI for the 65kg Emperor's Cup title. 

Japan’s lone reigning male world champion, Takuto OTOGURO, advanced to the freestyle 65kg final with a solid 8-3 victory in the semifinals over world U23 champion Rei HIGUCHI, the Rio 2016 silver medalist at 57kg.

Standing in OTOGURO’s path to a first national title is defending champion Daichi TAKATANI, who lost to Otoguro in a playoff last July for the place on Japan’s team to Budapest and will be looking for revenge. 

Sunday will also see the latest installment of the Great Greco Rivalry at 60kg between Rio 2016 silver medalist Shinobu OTA and Paris 2017 world champion Kenichiro FUMITA, who have split their last eight matches dating back to 2014. 

Ota advanced to the final with a pair of technical fall victories, while Fumita scored a technical fall, then came out on top of a wild bout with high schooler Kyotaro SOGABE, emerging as a 13-8 winner when the dust cleared. 

Day３Results

Freestyle

57kg (19 entries)
Final: Yuki TAKAHASHI df. Kaiki YAMAGUCHI, 6-4 
3rdPlace: Daiki ARAKI df. Kotaro KIYOOKA, 3-1 
3rdPlace: Kazuya KOYANAGI df. Toshihiro HASEGAWA, 4-3

61kg (18 entries)
Final: Yudai FUJITA df. Shingo ARIMOTO, 6-0 
3rdPlace: Joji NAGATA df. Yushi NAKAMURA, 2-1
3rdPlace: Yo NAKATA df. Takumi YOSHIMURA, 2-1 

65kg (27 entries)
Semifinals
Takuto OTOGURO df. Rei HIGUCHI, 8-3
Daichi TAKATANI df. Koki SHIMIZU, 8-7

70kg (14 entries)
Final: Kojiro SHIGA df. Haruki SEINO, 5-2 
3rdPlace: Keisuke OTOGURO df. Hidetaka SAKANO, 5-3
3rdPlace: Shin HARAGUCHI df. Ryo YONEZAWA, 4-3 
Semifinals
Seino df. Otoguro, 6-4
Shiga df. Yonezawa, 3-2

 

74kg (19 entries)
Final: Yuhi FUJINAMI df. Ken HOSAKA by Fall, 1:44 (4-2)
3rdPlace: Mao OKUI df. Ryuki YOSHIDA, 3-2
3rdPlace: Yuto MIWA df. Masato MIZUNO, 3-0

Greco-Roman

55kg (14 entries)
Final: Hiromu KATAGIRI df. Ken MATSUI, 5-0
3rdPlace: Shota OGAWA df. Kaito INABA, 4-3
3rdPlace: Ryota SAITO df. Kenta KOSAKA by Fall, 2:16 (6-0) 
Semifinals
Katagiri df. Ogawa, 8-1
Matsui df. Kosaka by TF, 8-0, 4:28

6o kg (13 entries)
Semifinals
Shinobu OTA df. Kazuki YABE by TF, 9-0, 5:27
Kenichiro FUMITA df. Kyotaro SOGABE, 13-8

 

67kg (21 entries)

Final: Shogo TAKAHASHI df. Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA, 4-2 
3rdPlace: Takahiro YAMAMOTO df. Yusuke KITAOKA, 6-1
3rdPlace: Masuto KAWANA df. Yuji UEGAKI, 5-1 

77kg (16 entries)
Final: Naotsugu SHOJI df. Kodai SAKURABA, 4-0 
3rdPlace: Shohei YABIKU df. Amane SHIMOYAMADA by TF, 9-0, 2:08
3rdPlace: Yuya MAETA df. Yudai KOMURO by TF, 11-0, 2:06

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (8 entries)
Semifinals
Yuki IRIE df. Eri TOSAKA, 4-4
Kika KAGATA df. Miho IGARASHI, 5-0

53kg (8 entries)
Semifinals
Nanami IRIE df. Katsura KONISHI by TF, 10-0, 1:02 
Mayu MUKAIDA df. Momoka KADOYA, 3-0

57kg (7 entries)
Semifinals
Kaori ICHO df. Akie HANAI, 3-0
Risako KAWAI df. Hanako SAWA, 6-0

65kg (4 entries)
Round-Robin (Final Standings)
1. Naomi RUIKE (3-0, 11 pts)
2. Misuzu ENOMOTO (2-1, 7)
3. Miki KAWAUCHI (1-2, 3) 
Key Match: Ruike df. Enomoto, 2-0 in 2ndround

68kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin (through 3 rounds)
1. Rio WATARI (2-0, 6 pts); 2. Sara DOSHO (2-0, 6); 3. Chiaki SEKI (1-2, 5); 4. Umi FUKUSHIMA (1-2, 5); 5. Rin MIYAJI (0-2, 2)

76kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin (Final Standings)
1. Hiroe MINAGAWA (4-0, 16 pts)
2. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (3-1, 10)
3. Masako FURUICHI (2-2, 8)
Key Match: Minagawa df. Matsuyuki, 3-0 in 5thround

 

 

#WrestleTirana

U23 Worlds: Iran, Moldova split Greco golds

Thursday, October 24, 2024 - 05:48 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 23) -- Iran and Moldova emerged as the top nations on the third day of the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania with them winning two gold medals each. Iran won the team title with 149 points with yet another incredible performance. Georgia followed with a second-place finish with 121 points and Armenia was third with 93 points.

Iran's first gold medal of the day came from U20 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) as he added the U23 world title to his growing resume. He won the U17 world title in 2022.

The 19-year-old was up against European silver medalist Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) in the final but apart from par terre in the first period, he never looked in trouble. Mammadov got two points for a correct throw to lead 3-0 at the break.

Ahmadi Vafa got the par terre in the second period and scored two turns to lead 5-3. He went into defensive soon and was hit with the third passivity. But it proved fatal for Mammadov who was stopped in the middle of a turn from Ahmadi Vafa. With a 7-3 lead, Ahmadi Vafa hit a huge four-pointer on the edge to win the bout 11-3 and his third age-group gold medal.

"It was decided by the coaching staff to compete at the U23 World Championships after the U20 one," Ahmadi Vafa said. "Thank God, I was able to participate and return to Iran with a gold medal"

Ahmadi Vafa credits his training this year and his study of his opponents as the major factors for his improvement after suffering close losses in the age-group World Championships last year. 

"I worked really hard this year," he said. "I spent a full year in training camp and put in a lot of effort. A thorough analysis with the coaching staff made me win. I was able to reap the rewards of all my hard work over the past year."

In the 45-day break between the U20 and U23 World Championships, Ahmadi Vafa trained with the senior team. 

"A few days after we returned to Iran, we went to the senior camp," he said. "We were under a lot of physical strain, so the coaching staff decided to make our training sessions a bit lighter than the others.

"Our bodies responded well. I always felt deep inside that I could do it. I always say that I’m the best in my weight class."

To be on Iran's senior team, Ahmadi Vafa would have had to go through Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) who is the senior team member. However, the Iran federation has asked him to move to the 60kg weight class.

"He has a senior medal, and I have a lot of respect for him," he said. "We are from the same hometown. We’ve trained together several times at the senior camp, and he’s a really good opponent for me, and I might be a good opponent for him too.

"But the decision of the coaches is that I have to move up to the new weight category of 60kg, which will be a lot tougher. But I need to work harder to be able to win the gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."

Multiple-time age-group world champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) added the U23 world title with a dominant run in Tirana. With three technical superiority victories, Hedayati won the final 6-0 against Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN).

Hedayati, in which typical style, began attacking relentlessly and soon scored a couple of stepouts. He was also awarded the par terre but he could not score any points. After leading 6-0, Hedayati scored a takedown to finish the bout 8-0 but Baboryko challenged. On review, Hedayati was warned for pushing and the score was reversed to 6-0.

The 21-year-old managed to hang on to that lead and win the gold medal.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) scores two points over Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

For Moldova, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) defended his U23 world title at 77kg and Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) denied Japan's Komei SAWADA (JPN) in the 63kg final to win the gold medal.

Gutu, who has a U17 world title as well, was competing at his fourth U23 World Championships and has won medals in three of them with two golds. Wrestling Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) in the final on Wednesday, Gutu used his signature front headlock to score exposure. That remained the difference as he clinched a 3-1 victory.

The win gave Gutu something to cherish after a disappointing season in which he failed to qualify for the Olympics and finished with only a bronze medal in four tournaments.

"This championships is very important for me," Gutu said. "As everyone knows, I lost at the Olympic qualifiers. I couldn’t even win the European Championships. This was the last tournament of the year. I needed to show a good performance here. I am really happy that I’ve won."

After dealing with the disappointment of failing just one win short of winning a ticket to the Paris Olympics, Gutu took some time to motivate himself to return to the mat.

"After the qualifiers in Baku, it was difficult to recover," he said. "I can’t even describe it. I was not just one step away, I was one percent away from that spot. It was very disappointing. 

"I’ve always had that motivation. The younger generation looks up to me. My family and my coaches are always there for me. I can’t let them all down. I will keep working until I get what I want."

Eriomenco added to the party with the 63kg gold as he defeated Swada in a very one-sided final. He got two turns from par terre to lead 5-0 at the break. Swada opened the second period with a stepout and then a point for par terre. As he was trying the gut-wrench, Eriomenco got out of the hold and scored a reversal to make it 6-2. Two easy turns made it 10-2, ending the match with technical superiority.

"I’ve been working so hard to reach this," Eriomenco said. "I’ve finished third three times at the European Championships and last year I was third at the Worlds. I was motivated to win this gold. I’ve never won even the European championships, but now I have won the World gold. I came here only for gold."

The difference between the physicality of the two wrestlers stood out and Eriomenco acknowledged that it worked to his advantage.

"From the beginning, I could feel that I was physically stronger," he said. "That’s when I got the confidence that I could win. The first match was the toughest one, then it was a bit easier. The final match was the most difficult. It was mentally tough to get ready for that match, because I really wanted the gold medal and no less."

Eriomenco is scheduled to compete at the Non-Olympic Weight Classes World Championships and is keen to leave an impression.

"It’s definitely going to be difficult to compete at two competitions in a raw," he said. "I won’t let the weight go up a lot. I will keep it down. I think everything is going to be ok. I know all my competitors. We’ve been training together at camps, we’ve been wrestling each other at competitions."

Fellow gold medalist Gutu also praised his compatriot and friend for his gold medal. 

"Eriomenco is my best friend," Gutu said. "I am so happy for him, because he was always so close, but he could never win. He became the World champion, I am really happy for him and it motivated me a lot to win my gold medal as well."

Anes GONIBOV (AIN)Anes GONIBOV (AIN) defeated Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) in the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) had the chance to add a second title to his U20 one from 2021. However, he fell short and dropped his 87kg final against Anes GONIBOV (AIN) 4-0.

Gonibov got par terre position in both the periods which made his lead 2-0. Sterkenburg tried desperately for a takedown but failed and Gonibov managed to score and lead 4-0. The win for Gonibov gives him his second world tittle to along with his gold medal at the U23 World Championships at 82kg.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE), 11-3

BRONZE: Vishvajit MORE (IND) df. Adam ULBASHEV (AIN), 14-10
BRONZE: Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN) df. William SULLIVAN (USA), 11-1

63kg
GOLD: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Komei SAWADA (JPN), 10-2

BRONZE: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) df. Arman VARDANYAN (ARM), 8-0
BRONZE: Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Bekir ATES (TUR), via fall

77kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER), 3-1

BRONZE: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 
BRONZE: Ali OSKOU (IRI) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-4

87kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), 4-0

BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Payton JACOBSON (USA), 9-0
BRONZE: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Yasin YAZDI (IRI), 4-4

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN), 6-0

BRONZE: Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) df. Albert VARDANYAN (ARM), 1-1
BRONZE: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN), 9-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinals

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (AIN) vs. Sage MORTIMER (USA)

SF 1: Natalia PUDOVA (AIN) df. Natallia VARAKINA (AIN), 8-2
SF 2: Sage MORTIMER (USA) df. Umi ITO (JPN), via fall (4-12)

55kg
GOLD: Zeltzin HERNANDEZ GUERRA (MEX) vs. Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)

SF 1: Zeltzin HERNANDEZ GUERRA (MEX) df. Amani JONES (USA), via fall (4-5)
SF 2: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (AIN), 7-0

59kg
GOLD: ANJLI (IND) vs. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)

SF 1: ANJLI (IND) df. Aurora RUSSO (ITA), via fall (4-0)
SF 2: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN), 5-2

68kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) vs. Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN), via fall (3-0)
SF 2: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Xinze DU (CHN), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Shuiyan CHENG (CHN) vs. Yelena MAKOYED (USA)

SF 1: Shuiyan CHENG (CHN) df. Zsofia VIRAG (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Yelena MAKOYED (USA) df. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN), via fall (13-2)