Kawai Topples Icho in Playoff for World Team; Otoguro In, Susaki Out

Sunday, July 7, 2019 - 21:47 By Ken Marantz

WAKO, Saitama (July 6)---Risako KAWAI all but dealt a death blow to Kaori ICHO's quest for an epoch-making fifth straight Olympic gold medal. It's now in Kawai's hands to finish the job in two months.

For the second time in three weeks, Kawai toppled her fellow Olympic champion, scoring a 3-3 victory on big-point criteria to earn the women's 57kg berth on Japan's team to the World Championships in Kazakhstan in September.

"I really don't remember much about it, but I'm glad I won," Kawai said at a post-match press conference. "Over this past year, things happened around me that I had never imagined would occur. I had changed the environment around me, and in December, I thought about quitting wrestling and talked it over with my family. I'm glad that I didn't."

The showdown was one of six on a special day of playoffs for tickets to the World Championships in Olympic weight classes, which also saw Takuto OTOGURO earn a shot at keeping the freestyle 65kg crown he won a year ago, while Yui SUSAKI was denied a chance for a third straight women's 50kg world title.

The playoffs in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, about 20 kilometers north of Tokyo, paired the winners of the two national competitions that serve as qualifiers for the World Championships. In the 12 other Olympic divisions, one wrestler won both tourneys to clinch an automatic berth.

Icho had beaten Kawai 3-2 with a dramatic takedown in the final 10 seconds at the All-Japan Championships (Emperor's Cup) in December, a loss that nearly led Kawai to abandon the sport. But she turned the tables in June at the All-Japan Invitational Championships (Meiji Cup), holding on for a 6-4 win to set up the playoff.

"It has been three weeks since the Meiji Cup," Kawai said. "I knew Kaori would approach it differently, and I carefully considered what I would do as I prepared. Strategically, it didn't really go as I had pictured. But in the end, what I had practiced as always came out naturally."

As for her strategy, Kawai said it was to "get in on tackles and firmly finish off the takedown. But it wasn't that easy."

In the nationally televised wrestle-off, Kawai was the aggressor and got in deep with a number of single-leg attempts, only to see Icho squirm free. With just over a minute left in the match, the score was still 1-1, with both points scored on the activity clock and Kawai ahead on last-point.

Just as she did in the Meiji Cup with time running out, the 35-year-old Icho dug deep with the determination that had earned her 10 world titles dating back to 2002 and went on the attack.

Icho got in deep on a single leg, but Kawai clamped down and, applying a reverse nelson, managed to gain a 2-point exposure with 50 seconds left. Icho worked her way out of the predicament and behind for a point to cut the lead to 3-2, but her frenetic efforts for a takedown in the final seconds could only result in a stepout that left her on the short end of a 3-3 score.

"It's disappointing, but I did what I needed to do to get here and prepared well, so I have no regrets," said Icho, who took a hiatus following the Rio 2016 Olympics and only returned to competition last September.

"I don't think that I was weak. Risako was strong. From the time I decided to come back, there was the difficulty of filling in a two-year blank combined with a desire that never left, and this is where I am now.

"As an experience, it was a fulfilling one year. Many friends, family and others came to this arena to give me support, and I went into this wanting to give them a chance to see me at the World Championships and Tokyo Olympics. As I won't be able to show them, that's what hurts."

Actually, the light at the end of the Tokyo 2020 tunnel has not completely gone out for Icho, although it's been reduced to a speck. The Japan federation has decreed that any Japanese wrestler winning a medal at the World Championships will automatically earn a place on the Tokyo 2020 team---which greatly enhanced the incentive to make it to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan.

The door for Icho would reopen in the unlikely event that Kawai, the 63kg champion at Rio 2016 and 59kg gold medalist at last year's worlds in Budapest, fails to win a medal in Nur-Sultan. In that case, the qualifying process would go back to the beginning.

For Kawai, the victory keeps alive her dreams of appearing in the Olympics with younger sister Yukako, a world silver medalist who already secured her ticket at 62kg. Risako had taken a gamble by going down to 57kg and challenging Icho, and it paid off with the two victories that Yukako watched at matside.

The playoffs for the undecided places in the non-Olympic weights will be held July 21. Because so many top wrestlers funneled into the Olympic weights, the federation decided that, in order to send the strongest possible team to Kazakhstan, it will allow those who finished as runner-up in an Olympic weight at either the Emperor's Cup or Meiji Cup to enter the wrestle-offs at a non-Olympic weight.

That means that technically Icho could try to make the team at, say, 59kg in an attempt to win a first world title since 2015, although there have been no indications that she will do so.

Otoguro avenges loss; Irie finally gets best of Susaki

In other featured matches on a day of high drama, world champ Otoguro bounced back from his loss in the Meiji Cup final to Rei HIGUCHI by chalking up a solid 5-0 victory to fill the 65kg berth.

Otoguro, his preparations affected by knee problem that kept him out of the Freestyle World Cup and the Asian Championships, had been dealt a devastating 15-5 technical fall loss three weeks ago by Higuchi, the Rio 2016 silver medalist at 57kg.

That was Otoguro's first loss to a Japanese opponent since junior high school, but he showed he was ready this time around with his third victory over Higuchi in 2 1/2 years.

Leading 2-0 in the second period from a pair of points off the activity clock, Otoguro sliced in on a low double for a takedown with 1:40 left. He then held off Higuchi's late attacks, adding a stepout in the waning seconds for the final margin of victory.

"I wasn't accustomed to losing, and it was so devastating, it was like I had no idea what to do," said Otoguro, who shed very different tears after this victory. "So many people helped me out, and I'm happy I could come out with a win through their support."

While the Kawai-Icho clash has garnished the most national attention, the budding rivalry at women's 50kg has been no less intense, and this time Asian champion Yuki IRIE came out on top.

Irie chalked up her third career victory over Susaki---the only losses of Susaki's career on any level dating back to junior high school---winning 6-1 to earn her first trip to a World Championships.

Irie has been a recent thorn in Susaki's side, but the reigning world champion always came up with the big win needed to get to the major events. It was almost exactly a year ago that Susaki knocked off Irie in a playoff en route to defending her world title in Budapest.

And after pulling out of the Emperor's Cup due to an elbow injury, Susaki faced a must-win situation at the Meiji Cup to keep alive her hopes of appearing at Tokyo 2020. She did it in dramatic fashion, scoring a 4-point move with two seconds left to beat Irie 6-2 in the quarterfinals, before whipping Rio 2016 champion Eri TOSAKA in the final to set up the playoff.

This time, there would be no mistakes by Irie, and no miracle finish for Susaki.

In the first period, just after losing a point on the activity clock, Irie scored a takedown to take a 2-1 lead into the second period. With 1:20 left, she scored another takedown, then topped that off with a roll to make it 6-1, which is how it ended, leaving the 20-year-old Susaki in tears.

"There were so many people supporting me, my only feeling is that I have to apologize to them," Susaki said between sobs.

The 26-year-old Irie, who capped her gold-medal run at the Asian Championships in April in China with a victory over Rio 2016 bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN), has tradition on her side in a bid to medal in Nur-Sultan and clinch a Tokyo 2020 spot---Japan has made the podium in the lightest women's weight class at every World Championships dating back to 2005 except one (2009).

"The Olympic [berth] has still not been secured, so I'm happy, but first I have to focus on the World Championships," Irie said. "It will be my first World Championships, so I will prepare so I can fight without being nervous."

In other playoffs, Mao OKUI scored a dramatic upset over former world bronze medalist Yuhi FUJINAMI in freestyle 74kg, winning 5-4 with a takedown at the buzzer to earn his first trip to the World Championships.

Okui trailed 3-0 early in the second period, then twice got behind a standing Fujinami, only to fail to break him down to the mat for a takedown. Both times he executed a roll at the edge, but each one was ruled to have been launched out of bounds; the first gave Fujinami a point for an unsuccessful challenge and the other one for himself for a stepout.

Down 4-3 with 10 seconds left, a flurry starting with Okui's single-leg attempt ended with Fujinami, a 2017 world bronze medalist at 70kg, on all fours. At the buzzer, Okui pulled off a roll---this time well in bounds---that was confirmed by video to be in time.

"I thought, 'If I don't get it now, everything I've done up to now will have no meaning,' and I just went for the tackle," Okui said.

At the Meiji Cup, Okui scored a victory by fall in the semifinals over a less-than-par Fujinami, who was still recovering from a knee injury suffered at the Asian Championships and a back injury suffered a week before the tournament.

At freestyle 125kg, Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA spun behind off a front headlock for a late takedown and a 4-1 win over Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO to earn his fifth trip to the World Championships and first in five years.

That reversed the outcome of a playoff last year between the two that Yamamoto won by the same score.

Shohei YABIKU, a former world junior bronze medalist, will look for his first hardware on the senior level in three tries after defeating Naotsugu SHOJI by 9-0 technical fall at Greco-Roman 77kg.

#wrestlebishkek

Unheralded Gharehdaghi Stuns Olympic Champ Jamalov

Friday, April 10, 2026 - 05:12 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 10) -- Unheralded Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) weighed 76kg in the morning on Friday. But in the semifinal of the Asian Championships, he punched well above his weight, beating 74kg Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) at 79kg.

Making his international senior debut, Gharehdaghi upset Jamalov 4-3 to advance to the 79kg final. He used an effective shrug to set up two second-period takedowns in a turbo-charged match that featured a number of wild scrambles.

In the final one, Jamalov scored a stepout to pull within one point with :33 left. But the third-year student at Tokyo's Waseda University, whose father is Iranian, held off a final surge from Jamalov, with his legs sailing in the air during a sprawl.

"I didn't really think about a strategy," Gharehdaghi said. "I just wanted the opponent to feel that I was tough. I stayed aggressive and on the attack. In the second period, it was so hard I could hardly stand up."

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) battles it out witb Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) during the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

While he defeated Jamalov, Gharehdaghi said he always admired the Olympic champion and he was glad that he could wrestle the Uzbekistan wrestler.

"I have admired him for a long time," he said. "More than winning or losing, I'm glad I could face him."

For the gold medal, the Japanese will face another unexpected finalist Sandeep MANN (IND) who completed a dominant 10-0 win over Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK) using three takedowns and two turns.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) scores on Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) during the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another Japan wrestler who denied an Olympic champion was Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) as he defeated Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) in the 97kg semifinals.

Defending champion Yoshida, who also has an Iranian father, broke Tazhudinov down with his relentless pressure and scored takedowns at will in the final minute. He built a 4-4 criteria lead at the break but Tazhudinov fired a takedown at the start of the second period to lead 6-4.

However, Yoshida scored two points for exposure in the next exchange. Bahrain challenged the call but lost it, giving one more point to Yoshida and extend his lead to 7-6. He added two quick stepouts to make it 9-6 before making it 11-0 with a go-behind takedown.

The two got in a scramble towards the end of the bout but it was Yoshida who managed to score a takedown and then turned Tazhudinov to make it 15-6, his winning score.

Yoshida will face world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in the final after the Iranian posted a danger-free 2-0 win over VICKY (IND). Azarpira, who is making his senior Asian debut, got an activity point in the first period, then, while on the activity clock himself, added a stepout point in the second period.

SUJEET (IND) reached his first-ever Asian Championships final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In other semifinals, U23 world champion SUJEET (IND) set up final against world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg. The two met in the U23 World Championships final last year in which Sujeet won 10-0.

65kg semifinals - SUJEET (IND) continues his hot start to the season by scoring three takedowns in the second period and defeating Russian-born Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) 7-2. Sujeet, winner of two Ranking Series events earlier this year, strikes first by scoring a stepout, but Kudiev comes back with a takedown while on the activity clock to take a 2-1 lead into the break. Sujeet then puts on an exhibition of how to perfectly set up and execute takedowns, scoring three in a row from the midway point of the second period. First, he gets in deep on a double-leg, then scores with a sweeping single, then goes back with the double-leg.

A rematch of the U23 World Championships final as Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) enters the Asian Championships final after Sujeet does the same from other side. Jalolov beats Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) 5-3 using a late takedown.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) presents his case to referee after the semifinal against ABHIMANYOU (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 70kg, Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) will face ABHIMANYOU (IND) after he defeated Sina KHALILI (IRI), 5-1. Abhimanyou stunned local hero and defending champion Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 6-3.

70kg semifinals - Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) reached the final after a controlled 5-1 victory over U23 world silver medalist Sina KHALILI (IRI). Apart from the one point he got for Khalili's passivity, Tumur Ochir scored four stepouts in the second period to claim the victory and a shot at the gold medal.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) saw his title defense at 70kg end in confusion and tears when he fell 6-3 to ABHIMANYOU (IND). Abhimanyou was leading 3-3 on criteria in the second period when he got deep on a double-leg takedown. Akmataliev attempted a counter lift at the edge, and the referee originally awarded him a 4-point throw with 1:08 left. But upon discussion and without an official challenge, the score was changed to give the Indian a two-point takedown, which Akmataliev apparently did not realize. He never tried to attack in the final seconds, and was taken aback when he saw the scoreboard and dropped to the mat in despair. A challenge from Kyrgyzstan went nowhere and Abhimanyou, a 2024 bronze medalist, gave a sly grin over his unusual win.

Iran got a finalist at 57kg as Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) destroyed Fuga SASAKI (JPN), 11-0 and set up a final against Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) who defeated Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 4-1.

57kg semifinals - Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) became the first finalist of the Asian Championships in Bishkek for Iran. He countered Fuga SASAKI (JPN) multiple times to score two-point moves and completed an 11-0 victory. A lost challenge for Japan also added a point to his score.

Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) assured that he will improve on his bronze medal from last year, scoring three stepouts in a 4-1 victory over Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ). Batkhuyag took a 2-0 lead in the first period by scoring a stepout while Karachov was on the activity clock. In the second period, Karachov got an activity point to cut the gap to 1. But it was Batkhuyag who goes on the attack, and he chalked up two stepouts off driving single-leg takedown attempts. The 2023 world U23 bronze medalist then fended off Karachov's late attacks to finish up the victory.

Qualification Highlights

13:14: In the final match of the session, returning bronze medalist Sina KHALILI (IRI) books his place in the 70kg semifinals with a solid 10-3 victory over 2023 champion Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ). Khalili gains a takedown, then adds a "wishbone" roll, in which he locks his head between opponent's legs, then repeats the combination for an 8-0 lead. Doszhanov secures a stepout in the final seconds of the first period. In the second, the two trade takedowns and, beside temporary timeouts to stop a bloody nose, the Iranian goes through unscathed.

12:50: Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), competing for the first time since winning the 74kg gold at the Paris Olympics and undergoing two surgeries on his shoulder, is at his slippery best in besting defending champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) 5-2 in their 79kg quarterfinal. The Russian-born Jamalov constantly wiggles out of solid takedown attempts by Yousefi, limiting him to a pair of stepouts. Jamalov gets an activity point and stepout in the first period for a 2-1 lead. After cartwheeling out of a certain double-leg takedown by Yousefi, Jamalov connects with a single-leg shot while on the activity clock to go ahead, and an unsuccessful Iranian challenge puts him up 5-1. With time running out, Yousefi grabs a single leg and lifts it high in the air, but again he is forced to settle for a stepout.

12:37: World U23 champion SUJEET (IND), winner of two Ranking Series events this year, uses an ankle pick to great effect in cruising to a 10-0 victory over Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) in 3:22 to advance to the 65kg semifinals.

12:32: In the marquee match-up of the morning, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) did not disappoint. Narikuni blocked a front headlock from Akmataliev for two points and then turned him using a gut-wrench to lead 4-0. As he was trying to turn him again, Akmataliev blocks him and gets two points. A reversal from Narikuni makes it 5-2. He tries another gut-wrench to extend the lead to 7-2 but Akmataliev once again blocks him for two points and holds Narikuni for a pin. Narikuni flees out of bounds and is docked two points and asked to return in par terre. He escapes and gets a reversal point to lead 8-6. Akmataliev scores a takedown to make it 8-8 and take the criteria lead. Narikui with a desperate flying squirrel but Akmataliev slams him on the mat for four points. A stepout for Narikuni at the end but Akmataliev wins 12-9 at 70kg

12:31: World bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) gets a takedown and two stepouts in the first period of his 97kg quarterfinal against Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ), then needs less than a half-minute to get a snapdown takedown and two gut wrenches in the second for a 10-0 victory. Next up for him is a clash with Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN).

12:26: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) fights out of a six-point hole against returning bronze medalist Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) with a pair of late first-period takedowns, then goes on a 10-point rampage in the second period against his visibly winded opponent to grind out a 14-9 victory and advance to the 79kg semifinals.

12:23: World silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) powers to five stepouts against Sherzod POYONOV (UZB), but ends their 97kg with a takedown with six seconds remaining for a 10-0 win.

12:15: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) with a 25-second 10-0 victory over ANKUSH (IND) at 57kg! What an anti-climatic finish to the match. He reaches the semifinal

12:00: World bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) catches Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by the leg and slams him on the mat. He holds him long enough to secure the fall and advance at 65kg.

11:57: Olympic and two-time Asian champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), aiming to break out of recent slump, begins his campaign at 97kg by taking a 5-0 lead over Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) then plodding to a 6-2 win that included giving up two late stepouts.

11:56: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN), another Japanese wrestler with Iranian roots who is making his first appearance on the senior national team, looks impressive in scoring four takedowns in a 9-1 victory over Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) to gain a place in the 79kg quarterfinals.

11:55: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) ends Takara SUDA (JPN) attempt of winning a second straight Asian gold with a 9-0 victory. Kudiev scored two stepouts and one point for Suda's activity clock to lead 3-0 at the break. Three different takedowns helped him to clinch an important victory at 65kg.

11:51: A marquee matchup on Mat A between past and reigning champions at 70kg — with an intriguing twist. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), the 2022 world and Asian champion, scores two takedowns in the final minute for a come-from-behind 7-4 win over defending champion Viktor RASSADIN (TJK). Narikuni leads 1-0 off an activity point in the first period when Rassidin opens the second by twice coming out the back door for takedowns to lead 4-1. Narikuni strikes back with a single-leg takedown, and barely misses an exposure with an arm bar, leaving him still trailing. But he fights off whizzer to get behind for the go-ahead takedown with :19 left, then adds a gut wrench for good measure. Narikuni, who is also doing the Freestyle-Greco double here, will be back on the mat tonight for his Greco 72kg bronze-medal match.

11:37: U20 world champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) scored a takedown in the last minute to take a 6-5 lead against Feng LU (CHN) and win the bout at 79kg. Lu had a 5-4 lead after a reversal but Yousefi showed no signs of panicking, picking up a single-leg, head-outside takedown for the win. He gets to face 74kg Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB)

11:35: A wild one on Mat B! Asian U23 bronze medalist Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) gets the home crowd going by opening his 65kg match with Zagreb Open silver medalist Peyman NEMATI (IRI) with a stepout, then gets behind and throws the Iranian to the mat for a takedown and a 3-0 lead. Nemati responds with a stepout off an attempted back trip, and then another to cut the lead to one at the break. Nemati goes ahead 4-3 with a single-leg takedown to start the second period, but Kakharov fights off a whizzer for a stepout to regain the lead 4-4 on criteria. In a wild scramble in the final seconds, Kakharov picks up a 2-point exposure to come away with a 6-4 win.

11:26: Reigning Asian U23 champion and 2024 world U23 bronze medalist VICKY (IND) manages just a stepout and activity clock in the first period of his 97kg bout with Triloki YADAV (NEP), but breaks down his opponent's defenses in the second to gain his first takedown, then gains two exposures after a second for a 10-0 win.

11:25: Takara SUDA (JPN), who is moving up from 61kg, is saved up the buzzer in his opening bout at 65kg against Adi SERIKULY (KAZ). Suda scored a stepout before a scramble gave two points to each wrestler. With a 3-2 lead, Suda managed an easy takedown to extend it to 5-2. Serikuly managed to get his first takedown in the final 10 seconds to make it 5-4 but the time expired before he could score any more points. Kazakhstan challenged hoping the last turn was in time but that was not the case and Suda won 6-4

11:19: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB), the 92kg Asian silver medalist and world U20 champion in 2024, hands the home team an early defeat with an 8-2 win over Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) to advance to the 97kg quarterfinals.

11:14: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), who is doing the rare Freestyle-Greco double in Bishkek (he lost in the Greco 97kg quarterfinals), begins with a 3-0 win over Juhwan SEO (KOR) in their 97kg qualification-round match. Ganbaatar has a better shot at Freestyle, as he is a two-time past Asian bronze medalist who finished second at this year's Ranking Series tournament in Mongolia.

Kawai Topples Icho in Playoff for World Team; Otoguro In, Susaki Out

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Unheralded Gharehdaghi Stuns Olympic Champ Jamalov