Kawai Ready to Lead Japan at Women's World Cup

Wednesday, November 13, 2019 - 15:51 By Ken Marantz

NARITA, Japan (November 13) --- With an Olympic gold and three world titles already under her belt, it seems hard to believe that Risako KAWAI is only approaching her 25th birthday. But when it comes to the team that Japan will send out when it hosts the Women’s World Cup, she can be considered one of the grand old ladies of the squad.

Kawai and younger sister Yukako are among four medalists from the senior World Championships named to a relatively young Japanese team, which includes all 10 medalists---including seven champions---from the recently concluded U23 World Championships in Budapest.

“We will be going for a fifth straight title,” Risako Kawai said at a recent press conference to announce the team in Tokyo. “I took on the challenge of captain of the team at the World Championships. My task at this World Cup will also be to lead us to victory.”

Kawai will turn 25 on Nov. 21---four days after she hopes to be celebrating Japan’s 17th title overall in the six-nation tournament to be held in Narita, the city east of Tokyo best known for its international airport.

“For me personally, this is my third World Cup that our country is hosting,” said Kawai, who will compete at the Olympic weight class of 57kg. “I will do everything I can to bring the Japan team a 17th title overall and achieve a fifth straight.”

Also named to the 20-woman squad (two in each weight class) were world silver medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA at 76kg and bronze medalists Yukako KAWAI at 62kg and Masako FURUICHI, who finished third at 72kg in Nur-Sultan but has dropped down to 68kg. At 32, only Minagawa is older than Risako Kawai.

The squad also features a pair of former world champions in Yui SUSAKI at 50kg and Haruna OKUNO at 53kg, both of whom lost in wrestle-offs for places on the team to Nur-Sultan but will surely bring added firepower to the hosts.

Haruna OKUNO, a 2019 U23 world champion, will wrestle at 53kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

All but three of the 20 wrestlers are either collegians or high schoolers. Eight are from powerhouse Shigakkan University, including Yukako Kawai, Okuno and twin sisters Naruha and Yasuha MATSUYUKI, who are entered at 68kg and 76kg, respectively.

Okuno was one of Japan’s seven women gold medalists at the U23 World Championships, where the country also hauled in two silvers and a bronze.

“At the U23, the women won titles in seven weight classes. It’s good momentum to bring to the World Cup,” national team technical director Shigeki Nishiguchi said. “This time, a number of wrestlers firmly expressed an interest in participating. I feel like they want to raise their level one or two steps at the World Cup.”

In taking a leadership role, Kawai said she was inspired by the performance of Japan’s captain at the recent Rugby World Cup, New Zealand-born Michael Leitch, whose efforts to get the team to gel resulted in a stunning run by the host country into the quarterfinals for the first time ever.

“The most important thing in a team event is to come together as one,” Kawai said. “Recently, I have been thinking about how to deal with the younger wrestlers. I heard that Leitch handed out gum to his teammates. Maybe I should try that,” she added with a laugh.

With Japan grouped together with Asian rival China and Ukraine, Kawai will likely face a rematch of the gold medal match from Nur-Sultan against RONG Ningning (CHN), whom she beat 9-6.

“At this year’s world championships, I met the Chinese wrestler in the final,” Kawai said. “Still, every country is going to send out a strong wrestler. For every match, I fight with the assumption I can win.”

Noticeably absent are Mayu MUKAIDA, who finished second at 53kg in Nur-Sultan, and Rio 2016 gold medalist Sara DOSHO, who finished fifth at 68kg. It was at the 2018 World Cup that Dosho suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and kept her out of that year's World Championships.

Japan officials said that Mukaida, also a Shigakkan student, was involved in student-teaching and could not adequately train for the World Cup. As for Dosho, she needs a victory at the All-Japan Championships in December to clinch her place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and, while her shoulder has healed, did not want to take any chances.

The drop of both Furuichi and Naruha Matsuyuki from 72kg to 68kg appears to indicate they will challenge Dosho for the Tokyo 2020 spot that she earned in that weight class with her fifth place in Nur-Sultan. Had Dosho won a medal, she would have clinched the berth outright; instead, she has to wait for the All-Japan tournament.

High schooler Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) will make her World Cup debut, where she'll wrestle at 59kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The high schoolers on the squad are a pair of current world junior champions, Yuzuka INAGAKI at 59kg and Yuka KAGAMI at 72kg, both of whom medaled at higher weights in Budapest.

Inagaki was the top seed at 59kg at the senior World Championships, but finished out of the medals after losing in the quarterfinals to Pooja DHANDA (IND)---although she bounced back by taking the 62kg gold at the U23 tournament. Kagami finished second at 76kg in Budapest.

One other noticeable absence from the team is Yuki IRIE, who defeated two-time world champion Susaki in the national team playoffs for the 50kg spot in Nur-Sultan. She not only finished there without a medal, but without an Olympic berth for Japan after suffering a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to SUN Yanan (CHN) in the quarterfinals.

A wrist injury has kept Irie from appearing at a second straight World Cup, Japan officials said. She was a member of the Japan team that won the title last year in the Japanese city of Takasaki. Japan took the trophy with a 6-4 victory in the final over China---a triumph sparked by Irie's victory by fall over Sun in the opening match.

Japan's other medalist in Nur-Sultan, Irie's younger sister Nanami, who took the silver medal at 55kg, will also not be competing.

Two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) returns to Japan's senior-level lineup for the first time since the 2018 World Championships. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

With the door to the Olympics reopened for Susaki, the Waseda University student will certainly look to use the World Cup as preparation for another possible showdown with Irie at the All-Japan Championships, where she can earn the right to enter the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in March.

Susaki is joined on the Japan team at 50kg by Kika KAGATA, who added the U23 world title to the junior crown she previously held, while Ibuki TAMURA fills the other 53kg slot with Okuno.

The other world U23 gold medalists on the squad are Sae NANJO (57kg), Yumeka TANABE (59kg) and Misuzu ENOMOTO (65kg), while silver medalist Saki IGARASHI (55kg) and bronze medalist Mei SHINDO (72kg) are also on the roster.

Igarashi, Nanjo and 2018 world junior champion Miwa MORIKAWA (62kg) were all members of last year's championship team.

The others on the team are Akie HANAI (55kg) and Naomi RUIKE (65kg).

While the World Cup is not as high profile as its individual cousins, it can produce memorable moments. Just ask Saori YOSHIDA. The three-time Olympic and 10-time world champion suffered only three losses in her career to non-Japanese opponents---and two of them came at a World Cup.

The first was to Marcie VAN DUSEN (USA) in early 2008 in Taiyuan, China, which became her first loss in any competition dating back to December 2001. The second also came at pre-Olympic World Cup, when she was beaten by Valeria ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) in 2012 in the final in Tokyo.

Even though Japan defeated Russia for the title, the image of Yoshida crying on the podium as the team received its gold medals remains vivid.

In addition to Japan, China and the United States are the only countries to have walked off with the World Cup trophy. China has captured the title six times, including five in a row between 2007 and 2011, while the U.S. won its lone title in 2003.

Japan's Team
50kg - Yui SUSAKI, Kika KAGATA
53kg - Haruna OKUNO, Ibuki TAMURA
55kg - Saki IGARASHI, Akie HANAI
57kg - Risako KAWAI, Sae NANJO
59kg - Yuzuka INAGAKI, Yumeka TANABE
62kg - Yukako KAWAI, Miwa MORIKAWA
65kg - Misuzu ENOMOTO, Naomi RUIKE
68kg - Masako FURUICHI, Naruha MATSUYUKI
72kg - Mei SHINDO, Yuka KAGAMI
76kg - Hiroe MINAGAWA, Yasuha MATSUYUKI

#wrestlebishkek

Iran Caps Asian Championships with Three Golds, Team Title

Sunday, April 12, 2026 - 18:22 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 12) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) capped a trifecta of victories for Iran in the last three finals of the Asian Championships, regaining the Freestyle 125kg gold after a one-year absence.

Zare followed Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) and Mobin AZIMI (IRI) onto the top of the medal podium by defeating Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 4-0 – his fifth win in five meetings in a two-year span over the Russian-born foe – as the competition wrapped up with the last five Freestyle weight classes.

“Representing Iran despite the hard situation in my country made this gold medal even more meaningful,” Zare said.

World bronze medalist Ghasempour started the Iranian gold rush with a victory by fall in the 86kg final for his third Asian title and first since 2021, and Azimi followed suit by cruising to the 92kg gold to become a first-time champion.

The match of the day came at 61kg, in which Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) came out on top of a 23-point free-for-all over Olympic bronze medalist AMAN (IND), while world 70kg champion Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) made a successful move up to 74kg by making his fourth Asian medal golden for the first time.

Iran, which also took home two bronzes on the final day at Zhastyk Arena and had five champions overall, finished with 178 points to capture the team title for the third straight year and seventh time in eight years. India, with three golds and three silvers, finished second with 162, while Japan placed third with 127 behind two golds.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Zare, who missed last year’s tournament in lieu of eventual champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) when Iran dispatched a young team to Amman, defeated Sharipov in a final devoid of high drama, which the Iranian said was due to his still recovering from a recent cold.

After receiving an activity point in the first period, Zare sandwiched a pair of stepouts around a second activity point for a 4-0 victory that never saw him in danger.

“Fighting through a severe cold infection, I lost seven kilograms three weeks before this competition,” Zare said. “I struggled to even finish an hour of training three days before this competition.

“Yet, with the help of my coaches, the prayers of the people, and God's grace, I’ve become a three-time Asian champion,” he added, counting his 2023 Asian Games gold into the total.

While Zare has seen limited action on the continental level, he has certainly made his mark on the global stage. In addition to a 2021 Tokyo Olympic bronze to go with his Paris silver, he has world golds from 2021, 2023 and 2025, as well as a 2022 bronze.

Zare, who was competing for the first time in 2026, has only three losses dating back to 2019 – to Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics, to Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinals at the 2022 World Championships, and to Petriashvili again in the Paris Olympic final.

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Ghasempour, competing for the first time this year, was leading Mukul DAHIYA (IND) 3-0 in the 86kg final when he stuck the Indian for a 4-pointer that he turned into a fall at 2:43.

Ghasempour had just received an activity point when he scored with a single-leg takedown. In the next action, Dahiya shot for a takedown, but Ghasempour got the underhooks in and suddenly pancaked the Indian over to his back.

“This is my first international stage of 2026, and I’m so thankful I could start it all with a gold medal,” Ghasempour said. “I hope to keep this streak going through the next competition.”

Ghasempour won his first Asian gold at 86kg in 2019, then moved up to 92kg and won the Asian title in 2021 and back-to-back world golds in 2021 and 2022. He was absent from the global scene until reappearing at last year’s World Championships, where he took a bronze.

“My aim is to keep this path strong through the 2026 World Championships and finish the year on top, setting the stage for the 2028 Olympics,” he said.

Mobin AZIMI (IRI) blanked Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN), 11-0, in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

World U23 champion Azimi, who moved down to 92kg after taking a bronze at 97kg last year, finished up an 11-0 victory over Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) with just under a minute to go – and 10 seconds after scoring his first takedown of the match.

Azimi built up a 7-0 lead with a flurry of stepouts – five in all – before combining a takedown and gut wrench to conclude the match at 5:01.

Sharipov, a world U23 bronze medalist, added the Asian silver to his bronzes from 2023 and 2024.

For those who like their championship matches freewheeling, the 61kg final could hardly have been more entertaining.

Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) celebrates after defeating AMAN (IND), 13-10, in an electric 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India’s Aman, a Paris bronze medalist and 2023 Asian champion at 57kg, was the main instigator of the action, shooting for takedowns at will that Kim, a 2025 Asian U23 bronze medalist, did his best to counter – successfully, enough times.

Kim jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a counter arm throw and a roll with his head between Aman’s thighs, before Aman connected on a single for a takedown. Kim gained a stepout fighting off another attempt, then got 2 more with a whizzer counter, only for Aman to get a late double-leg takedown that left Kim up 7-4 at the break.

Aman charged back and went ahead 9-7 in the second period with a stepout and two takedowns. Kim used his lethal whizzer again for the stepout, then got behind countering a shot to move ahead 10-9 with 1:10 left.

With Aman wildly pressing for the winning takedown, Kim appeared to clinch the win with a stepout with :05 left. But the scoring wasn’t finished, as Kim was hit with a 1-point fleeing penalty in the final seconds to make it 11-10.

A last-second shot by Aman fell short and Kim spun behind just before the buzzer to account for the final margin of victory.

“I'm very happy that I won today, but I'm not going to think about this gold medal, instead I will move forward preparing for the World Championships,” said Kim, who won the lone gold for the DPR Korea in Bishkek.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 74kg gold with fellow Yamanashi Gakuin University alumnus, former Olympic champion, and now Freestyle coach of Japan Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), left. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan’s Aoyagi, whose matches often have their fair share of fireworks, captured his first Asian gold with a staid 2-0 victory over two-time bronze medalist Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) in the 74kg final.

The gold ended a run of bronze, silver, bronze over the past three years at 70kg. “I was continually unable to win the title at 70kg, which was really disappointing, so to move up to 74kg and win the gold medal for the first time, and also my first gold medal [at this weight] overseas, I’m really happy,” Aoyagi said.

Aoyagi scored a takedown with a low single in the first period, then left no openings for an opponent who seemed reticent to go on the offensive.

“With victory within reach, I think my movement became a little stiff,” Aoyagi said of the lack of spark in the match. “I consider myself to be a wrestler who is particularly good at defense.”

Just getting to Bishkek was an accomplishment in itself for Aoyagi. As a sign of the depth in Japan, Aoyagi had to defeat reigning world 74kg champion Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) at last December’s All-Japan Championships, winning a close 4-4 decision in the final.

To make the team to this year’s World Championships and Asian Games, Aoyagi will likely have to go through Takahashi again at next month’s Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships.

“Of course, [the win in December] gave me confidence,” Aoyagi said. “But I think he is still stronger than me. I still have a month to prepare. I want to beat him again.”

Since making the move up to the Olympic weight, Aoyagi placed third at the 2025 World U23 Championships and second at Zagreb Ranking Series event earlier this year. He said he is still making the physical adjustment.

“I still feel the difference [of opponents] being taller, having longer legs and longer reach,” Aoyagi said. “But there is nothing I can do to increase those in me. I can just add bulk to my body size and little by little be able to respond.”

Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) became Turkmenistan's first-ever Asian medalist in Freestyle. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Begenjov claims first-ever Freestyle medal for Turkmenistan

Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) became Turkmenistan’s first-ever Asian medalist in Freestyle, taking home an 86kg bronze with a stunning victory by fall over Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Begenjov, the 2024 world U20 champion and 2025 Asian U23 silver medalist at 79kg, had scored his second 4-point move when Takahashi reversed to cut Begenjov’s lead to 8-5. But Begenjov stuffed an attempted roll and secured the fall at 5:09.

Begenjov had started the match with a back trip for 4, before the brawny Takahashi, a 2022 bronze medalist at 79kg and the older brother of Kota, came back with takedowns to end the first period and start the second.

Trailing 4-4 on criteria, Takahashi got in on a tackle, only to be pancaked to his back. The Japanese then reversed, only to be stopped midway through and then held down for the fall.

It was also Turkmenistan’s first medal overall since 2018, and just the ninth in the nation’s history.

Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), a world 79kg bronze medalist, claimed the other 86kg bronze and his third straight with a 2-1 win over returning silver medalist Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), with all of the points scored on the activity clock.

At 92kg, veteran Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) added to his vast collection of Asian medals, scoring all of his points in the first period to defeat Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 and make the podium for the fifth straight year.

Dauletbekov, who also has a pair of world bronzes to his credit, now has seven Asian medals, including three straight golds from 2022 to 2024 at 86kg. Ishiguro was denied a second straight bronze and what would have been his third overall.

Asian U20 bronze medalist Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ) claimed the lone medal of the final night for the host country, outlasting Hade AYIDUSI (CHN) 6-4 for the other 92kg bronze.

While Ayidusi was piling up single points, Chaplin went ahead in the second period with a takedown and roll for a 4-3 lead with 1:20 left. Ayidusi picked up his third stepout to tie the score, but still trailed on criteria, and a desperation shot allowed Chaplin to get behind in the last second.

At 57kg, world medalists Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) and Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) both assured they would not be leaving Bishkek empty-handed by grabbing the bronzes with one-sided victories.

Javan, the world silver medalist, secured his second straight Asian bronze by overwhelming Changsu KIM (KOR) 12-0, scoring a takedown and three back-and-forth rolls, then finishing the match with a 4-point takedown at 1:30.

Abdullaev, who won bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and last year’s World Championships at 57kg, was taken into the second period, but came up with a similar 11-0 victory over Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM).

He followed an initial takedown by using a grapevine for an exposure, then grabbed another exposure off a counter. In the second period, he ended it at 3:40 with a takedown-gut wrench combination.

At 74kg, former Asian champion and two-time world medalist Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) added another bronze to the Iranian tally, notching three takedowns in a 9-3 victory over last year’s silver medalist, Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ).

Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK), a four-time Asian U23 medalist, earned his first senior medal by taking the other 74kg bronze with an entertaining 7-6 win over Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB).

The match saw six lead changes, with Akhmedov scoring a takedown with :27 left for the decisive points.

The 125kg bronze-medal matches also saw an engaging encounter, in which world and Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) reversed BUHEEERDUN (CHN) twice in the first period before holding on for an 8-7 win.

Buheeerdun, a two-time bronze medalist, started the proceedings with a takedown, but Kassimbek reversed, then scored a takedown and gut wrench to lead 5-2. Buheeerdun replied with a takedown-roll combination of his own, but again Kassimbek reversed, then added a roll to make it 8-6. Kassimbek limited the Chinese to a stepout in the second period to secure the win.

DINESH (IND) won his second straight bronze at 125kg, storming to a 12-1 win over Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) that he completed as time ran out.

Day 7 Results

Freestyle

61kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) df. AMAN (IND) 13-10

BRONZE: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) df. Changsu KIM (KOR) by TS, 12-0, 1:30
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM) by TF, 11-0, 3:40

74kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN), 2-0

BRONZE: Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK) df. Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB), 7-6
BRONZE: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 9-3

86kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by Fall, 2:43 (7-0)

BRONZE: Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) df. Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN) by Fall, 5:09 (10-5)
BRONZE: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-1

92kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) def. Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) by TS, 11-0, 5:01

BRONZE: Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ) df. Hade AYIDUSI (CHN), 6-4
BRONZE: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) df. Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN), 6-0

125kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 4-0

BRONZE: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. BUHEEERDUN (CHN), 8-7
BRONZE: DINESH (IND) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) by TS, 12-1, 6:00

Kawai Ready to Lead Japan at Women's World Cup

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Iran Caps Asian Championships with Three Golds, Team Title