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

Susaki Marks Post-Paris Reformation with Asian Gold

Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 18:51 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 9) -- To hear Yui SUSAKI (JPN) speak of it, she is a new version of the wrestler who had stormed to every major title on offer before her unexpected and devastating downfall at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Having made serious changes to both her lifestyle and wrestling style in the ensuing years, she made a golden return in her first international competition since Paris.

Susaki made sure there would be no lapses or surprises when she defeated Son Hyang KIM (PRK) 6-0 in the women’s 50kg final at the Asian Championships on Thursday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

“I’m genuinely happy, and I’m so glad to be back here and to have won,” Susaki said. “After Paris was over, I experienced various setbacks and I made various changes over the two years. The results of my new lifestyle in the two years since Paris and the daily practice I put in all came out in the four matches at these Asian Championships.”

In the four other women’s finals on the fourth day of competition, the host country had mixed results, as Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) won the gold in a stacked 68kg division, while Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) stunned defending champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) at 76kg.

The powerful Japanese squad had three other finalists besides Susaki, but only got a title from teenager Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) at 55kg, while Mengyu XIE (CHN) triumphed at 59kg for her first Asian gold.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) hits a leg-attack on Son Hyang KIM (PRK) during the 50kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: Untied World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Susaki had established herself as one of the new faces of the sport in the wake of the retirements of legends Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and Kaori ICHO (JPN) with her triumph at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

That victory had made her the founding member of the “Golden Grand Slam” club for those who had won an Olympic gold as well as titles on all four levels of World Championships – senior, U23, U20 and U17.

But leading up to the defense of her Olympic title in Paris, she had shown chinks in the armor, first with some near-misses at the 2024 Asian Championships, which she still won but in less-than-convincing fashion.

It then all came crashing down at the Champs de Mars Arena, where she was dealt a stunning last-second loss by Vinesh PHOGAT (IND), marking her first-ever loss to a non-Japanese wrestler. Susaki ended up taking home a bronze, but that was small consolation.

After taking some time off, Susaki decided that some changes were in order, from altering her diet to make cutting weight easier to revising her match strategy.

“Along with Vinesh in Paris, I also learned much from my first-round match against the DPR Korean [Yong Ok HWANG] at the Asian Championships before Paris,” Susaki said, referring to an unusually difficult victory. “After that, I lost at the National Games [to Moe KIYOOKA], making it really a difficult two years.

“But thanks to those experiences, I have grown considerably. I definitely want to win the gold at the Los Angeles Olympics, and taking it one step at a time, I will take each title along the way.”

An emotional Yui SUSAKI (JPN) at the medal ceremony. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The final at the Zhastyk Arena on Thursday, which brought her to tears on the medal podium, was a reunion of sorts. Susaki and Kim had faced each twice way back in 2017, first in the final at the Asian Championships and again in the semifinals of the World Championships. Susaki won both encounters.

Given her Paris experience, Susaki knew she could not underestimate Kim, and set up her moves deliberately and without anxiousness. She broke through with a go-behind takedown in the first period, then added a stepout for a 3-0 lead.

In the second period, Susaki got in deep on a tackle, but could only manage a stepout, then padded the lead with a snapdown takedown to make it 6-0. Down the stretch, she kept calm and on alert as Kim tied up, looking for an opportunity for a last-ditch throw that never came.

“It’s been nine years since I faced Kim Son Hyang, so it’s been quite awhile,” Susaki said. “She has achieved good results. I think I myself have changed and grown a lot over these past nine years.”

Susaki seemed unconcerned about a potential future encounter with the current world 50kg champion, Myong Gyong WON (PRK).

“The country and the opponent does not matter,” she said. “My objective is to assure I win by giving 100 percent.”

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) won her second Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 68kg, Zhumanazarova spun behind for a first-period takedown and held on for a 2-1 victory over Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), last year’s world and Asian champion at 65kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight.

The victory gave Zhumanazarova her second Asian gold, after previously winning in 2021, and fifth medal overall.

“This is my second gold medal at the Asian Championships, but it means just as much to me as the first one,” Zhumanazarova said. “I’m just as happy, because I’ve worked very hard for it and this is the result.”

Like Susaki and Kim, Zhumanazarova and Morikawa have a history that goes back some time. The two had met in the quarterfinals of the 2016 World Cadet (U17) Championships, where Morikawa won 4-0 en route to the silver medal. Zhumanazarova took a bronze.

Since then, they have both achieved varying levels of success. Zhumanazarova has two Olympic medals, including a bronze from Tokyo, and a world title from 2021. Morikawa has medals from five consecutive World Championships from 2021 to 2025, including two golds, and two Asian titles.

Morikawa needed to beat reigning world champion Ami ISHII (JPN) at the Japan national championships just to make the team to Bishkek.

Davaansan ENKH AMAR (MGL) defeated home favorite Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

While the home crowd was still buzzing over Zhumanazarova’s win, compatriot Medet Kyzy was dealt a come-from-behind 4-2 loss by Enkh Amar in the 76kg final.

With no real attacks and lots of mutual pushing, Medet Kyzy had taken a 2-0 lead on an activity point in the first period and a face-shoving penalty in the second. After Enkh Amar received an activity point, the match finally started to heat up in the final minute.

Enkh Amar used a headlock to get Medet Kyzy off balance and slipped behind her with the two on their feet, then proceeded to march her over the edge for a stepout with :13 left. Medet Kyzy’s lack of a resistance led to a 1-point fleeing penalty to put the Mongolian ahead 3-2.

“I was very calm, and my coach also said to me to stay very calm, and that's why I made the correct decision at the last moment,” said Enkh Amar, the 2023 world silver medalist at 72kg.

As the clock ticked down, Medet Kyzy powered Enkh Amar to the edge and slammed her to the mat, sending the crowd into a frenzy. But the move failed to beat the clock, and an unsuccessful challenge made the final score 4-2.

Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), red, turns Yuxuan LI (CHN) during the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 55kg final, Japan’s Uchida spotted Yuxuan LI (CHN) a six-point lead, only to storm back for a 10-6 victory that relegated the Chinese to a silver medal for the second straight year.

Li gained a takedown off a counter and proceeded with two gut wrenches. But on an attempt at a third, Uchida stepped over for a 2-point exposure.

Uchida’s next attack hit the mark for a single-leg takedown, to which she added two rolls of her own for an 8-6 lead. Uchida then sewed up the victory with a takedown for the lone points of the second period.

“Right away, I gave up a go-behind takedown and she rolled me, so I was really panicking,” Uchida said. “It made me uneasy that I couldn’t finish off my single-leg tackle, which is my specialty, and I gave up points off of it.

“But I have a variety of moves, and I know the hardships I went through to get here. I believed in myself and remembered to keep attacking to the end.”

Uchida said that when she noticed her opponent appeared to be running out of gas, she applied more pressure.

“I realized that my opponent was getting winded and even though it was tough for me, too, mentally I was feeling a bit at ease,” she said. “Even though I came back, it was still only a two-point difference. I made sure not to let up through the end.”

For the 19-year-old Uchida, a recent world U17 and U20 champion who had to settle for a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships in her first major senior-level tournament, the win in Bishkek had special meaning.

“I definitely wanted to win my first [major] senior tournament, but I lost convincingly at the World Championships in September,” Uchida said. “It was really tough to take, so I was really determined to win here.

“This is my last international tournament as a teenager, so I really wanted to finish with a win. Even if it was messy, I just wanted to be able to smile at the end.”

Mengyu XIE (CHN) won the 59kg gold medal with an 8-6 victory over Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 59kg, China’s Xie won her first Asian gold by surviving a fierce battle with Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), hanging on for an 8-6 victory after holding a five-point lead in the second period.

“I know the opponent, the Japanese wrestler is very strong and tough,” Xie said. “I knew it would be a difficult final, but I didn't put too much burden on my shoulders. I just followed my mood and tactics and what the coach told me to do.”

Xie, a bronze medalist last year, struck first with a duck under for a takedown, but Nagamoto used a low single for a takedown in the final seconds of the first period to make it 2-2.

Xie broke the match open with a stepout and two takedowns to lead 7-2, but Nagamoto was not prepared to give up the fight. The 2023 world U23 silver medalist gained a 2-point exposure from a reverse headlock, which Xie slipped out of for a reversal.

Nagamoto picked up a late takedown, but Xie held on for the win.“I needed to be more careful to do all the actions because the opponent will try her best to attack,” Xie said. “But I cannot only think about defense, but also find a chance to do counterattack or attack.”

Xie, who also has a world 55kg bronze won in 2022, reveled in triumphing in her first trip to a major final.

“I never had this experience before,” she said. “It’s the first time in the final and I won gold the first time. So it’s like a dream.”

Returning champion at 68kg, Zelu LI (CHN) had to settle for a bronze medal in Bishkek. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

All 5 Chinese make medal podium

Zelu LI (CHN), dethroned as the 68kg champion by Zhumanazarova in the semifinals, was among a trio of Chinese who won bronze-medal matches to ensure that all five of the country’s wrestlers made it to the podium on Thursday.

Li, a 2025 world bronze medalist at 72kg, had little trouble rolling to a 10-0 victory in 1:25 against an overmatched Thi Linh DANG (VIE) to take home a 68kg bronze.

Li twice combined a takedown with two rolls – using an intriguing technique in which she locked Dang’s heel against the back of her leg in lieu of the more common lace lock.

In the other 68kg match, Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) picked up her second straight bronze and fifth Asian medal overall by ending what had been a close match with Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) with a fall 47 seconds into the second period.

With the score tied 1-1, Enkhsaikhan powered the 37-year-old Shalygina straight to her back and secured the fall, denying the veteran another major medal in a vast collection that includes a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

At 50kg, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) denied Sri Lanka its first-ever Asian medal, scoring an activity point and a takedown off a barrel roll in the first period to edge Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI) 3-0. Hewa Pedige became the fourth wrestler overall and second woman from the island nation to make it to a bronze-medal match, and the fourth to come away empty-handed.

Olympic bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) earned her third career Asian medal by taking the other 50kg bronze with a quick 10-0 win over Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ), scoring a takedown and four rolls in 1:16.

At 76kg, Wenji LI (CHN) secured China’s third bronze of the night, scoring a takedown and three stepouts in a 5-0 victory over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE).

Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) became a five-time Asian bronze medalist – dating back to 2015 – when she defeated Eunju HWANG (KOR) 5-1 for the other 76kg bronze.

The 30-year-old Yerkebayeva scored a takedown in the first period and added another in the last 10 seconds of the match to clinch the victory.

The wildest match of the day came at 59kg, in which Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) squandered a nine-point lead to fall behind by three points, only to throw down Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and secure a fall with 23 seconds left.

Esenbaeva had a 4-point takedown as she raced to a 9-0 lead in the first period. But Zhumanazarova came to life, scoring a takedown and then piling up points in a scramble that included a 2-point penalty against Esebaeva for grabbing the head. When the dust was cleared on challenge, Zhumanazarova had a 12-9 lead at the break.

In the second period, Esenbaeva cut the gap with a backwards trip for a takedown. With time running out, she secured a headlock and took Zhumanazorova to her back for a 13-12 lead that became irrelevant when the fall was confirmed.

The other 59kg match has its share of drama as well, as NEHA (IND) rallied from a 4-1 deficit with second-period surge that gave her a 10-4 victory over two-time Asian medalist Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL).

Neha won her first Asian medal after moving up to 59kg, having finished second at the Zagreb Ranking Series at 57kg, the weight class in which she won a world U17 gold and U23 bronze in 2024.

That was India’s second bronze of the night, after Hansika LAMBA (IND) scored all of her points in the second period of a 6-1 victory over 2024 bronze medalist Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ) at 55kg.

Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) received the other 55kg bronze when Jeongbin OH (KOR) defaulted due to injury.

Day 4 Results

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Son Hyang KIM (PRK), 6-0

BRONZE: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI), 3-0
BRONZE: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TS, 10-0, 1:16

53kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) by Fall, 2:33 (2-2)
SF2: MEENAKSHI (IND) df. Seoyoung PARK (KOR), 4-2

55kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Yuxuan LI (CHN), 10-6

BRONZE: Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) df. Jeongbin OH (KOR) by Inj. Def.
BRONZE: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ), 6-1

57kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Youngjin KWON (KOR) by TS, 10-0, :30
SF2: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Sara NATAMI (JPN) by Fall, 3:20 (8-1)

59kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), 8-6

BRONZE: NEHA (IND) df. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), 10-4
BRONZE: Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) by Fall, 5:37 (13-12)

62kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) by Fall, 1:55 (8-0)
SF2: Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) df. Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) by TS, 11-0, 3:20

65kg (9 entries)
SF 1: LILI (CHN) df. Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB) by Fall, 2:09 (4-0)
SF2: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Hanbit LEE (KOR), 4-0

68kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 2-1

BRONZE: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Thi Linh DANG (VIE) by TS, 10-0, 1:25
BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) by Fall, 3:47 (3-1)

72kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) by TS, 11-1, 4:31
SF2: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. HARSHITA (IND) by Fall, 5:59 (7-2)

76kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 4-2

BRONZE: Wenji LI (CHN) df. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE), 5-0
BRONZE: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) df. Eunju HWANG (KOR), 5-1

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

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Susaki Marks Post-Paris Reformation with Asian Gold