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.

#WrestleBratislava

Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title

Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 12:13 By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) had three European title before Friday, all in different weight classes.

She added a fourth European title, in a new weight class by defeating world and two-time European champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-8 in the 65kg final, the heaviest she has competed in. Bullen won her first European title in 2017, winning gold at 58kg. In 2021, she won at 57kg, last year at 62kg and now at 65kg.

"I feel I've come to like jumping over challenges that I think are difficult but I am fully capable of [overcoming]," Bullen said of switching weight classes for Europeans. "Just getting that out there and proving to myself because I feel that every match, I have to prove something to myself. I did that today, even though it was hard coming here."

In what turned out to be the match of tournament in Women's Wrestling, Bullen and Rigaci went toe-to-toe in the 65kg final. Bullen got on board first with a suplex from standing for four but Ringaci immediately answered with a double-leg takedown and gut wrench to make it 4-4 with Bullen leading on criteria for her bigger move. A stepout gave Bullen a 5-4 lead before she defended a leg-attack from Ringaci to maintain the lead at the break.

"I've seen her throws," she said. "I see how she's able to come out of every position like a wizard. She's a hard opponent to have because she knows how to get out of difficult positions. I have more touch and go and she's likes to scramble, and I'm trying to stay out of it and give her as less as points to her."

Ringaci opened the second period with a takedown on the edge for two points and take the lead 6-5. As Ringaci tried her underhooks, Bullen would block with double-leg attacks. Ringaci would try the whizzer only to give taken down by Bullen. In one such attack, Bullen scored a takedown to reclaim the lead before a sequence gave two points each to both wrestler with Bullen lead 9-8.

Bullen went for the armbar and kept Ringaci in danger for the final minute and won her fourth European title.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I'm trying not to [think about the points given]," she said. "I came into the match with some task and it's to wrestle with my style and I'm trying to do it as best as possible, keeping the distance and keeping my attacks as strong and fast. I know that I went up a weight class mainly because I wanted to meet new opponents. It's a new opponents and I get to challenge my wrestling into it and that's why I bumped up a weight class."

The Paris bronze medalist at 62kg said that after the performance in Paris, where she became the first Norway wrestler to win an Olympic medal in 94 years, it was difficult to restart with an aim of reaching the top level again.

"When you've done a great performance and you have to do it all over again," she said. "But it's like it's a new task. She's not an easy opponent to stand in front of as she's challenging and has a lot of experience on the mat. I have huge respect for all my opponents. I want to do great, even though I know it's difficult. So I'm proud of myself that I was able to do that today"

Bullen, who burst on the scene a decade ago with her big moves, won the U17 world and European titles, gold at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, the world U23 title. As she grew as a wrestler, hopes with Bullen also grew. However, after failing to qualify for the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, Bullen needed a new lease of life for her wrestling.

Shifting base to Georgia and switching her training accordingly did wonders. She moved up to 62kg, won bronze medal at the World Championships and the Paris Olympic Games. That inspired many as a wrestler with South Sudanese heritage stood on the podium at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling.

Despite all the changes, Bullen wants to keep her style.

"I also don't want to lose Grace Bullen as a wrestler," she said. "Many people know me as a person that does a great lift. I want to be remembered as someone who finds a way that I can win matches and still take with me the great aspect of the wrestler that I always have been. I want to be remembered as someone making some great moments and big moves because I like the wow people get through out of it."

Iryna BONDAR (UKR) drops Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for the fall at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine wins team title

Ukraine won two more gold medals on Friday, adding to the two won day before and claimed the team title with 180 points. It was in a battle with Turkiye but the latter ended up with 158 points to be at the second place. Romania finished third with 79 points.

Rising start Iryna BONDAR (UKR) claimed the 62kg gold medal on her senior European Championships debut to add another medal to her resume. She capped her dominant run outscoring her opponents 31-5 including a fall in the final.

"This medal is the best one in my career so far," Bondar said. "It’s the senior level. Out of all the medals I’ve ever won, this is the best — the senior European Championships."

Wrestling Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) in the final, Bondar got on board with a point for Lindborg's inactivity before she swung the Swede using underhook and pinned her on the mat. Lindborg had 30-seconds to survive the pin attempt as the first period would have ended but Bondar controlled her and secured the fall with seven seconds remaining in the first period.

The gold medal is another one for the 21-year-old Bondar who has already won all the age-group continental golds.

"I’ve been working toward this," she said. "I progressed step by step — first in the U20 category. Last year was my final year there, then I moved on to U23. And now, for the first time, I’m competing at the senior level. This is a whole different level of wrestling — senior wrestling is tough and intense.

Among her four wins in Bratislava, Bondar defeated former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 8-1 in the quarterfinals and handed Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) an 8-4 drubbing in the semifinals.

"[At the senior level], your opponents don’t forgive mistakes — if you do something wrong, even by accident, they immediately punish you," she said. "I’m really happy that I was able to defeat such strong opponents, some of whom have already competed at the Olympics. I’m very happy that I managed to win in my weight class."

Bondar, who is in the same weight class as Paris 62kg silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), said that she feels best at 62kg. Koliadenko wrestled at 65kg in Bratislava and won a bronze medal. Bondar, with her gold medal, confirmed her spot on the Ukrainian team for the World Championships, like all other gold or silver medalists from the country.

"I’m not planning to compete in 65kg," Bondar said. "I don’t feel like myself there. This year, I’ve already secured my spot and will go to the World Championship in the 62kg category."

The World Championships will be another big test for Bondar who is hoping to get the better of her Asian rivals who wrestle with more speed and attacks than the European wrestlers.

"Are there tougher opponents? Yes, absolutely. The toughest competitors are from Japan — they are the strongest in the world. You gain technique and experience. You wrestle with opponents you haven’t faced before, more experienced ones. You grow by competing against such athletes. I’m gradually building up speed now, over the summer, and we’ll be preparing for the World Championship."

Alla BLENSKA (UKR) celebrates after pinning Nesrin BAS (TUR) for the 72kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine's second gold medal came at 72kg after Alla BELINSKA (UKR) defeated retuning champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final, also via fall.

Bas was called for passivity in the first period and Belinska came out with a perfect headlock throw in the second period to put Bas on the mat and held her for the fall.

Ukraine's wins in the head-to-head bouts against Turkiye helped it claim the team title.

At 57kg, two-time European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) added a third as she defeated Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4, in the final.

Khoroshavtseva used an outside trip which wasn't successful but she got Kamaloglu in a takedown for two points. Kamaloglu answered with a single-leg takedown and then a turn to lead 4-2.

A snap from Khoroshavtseva helped her get the criteria 4-4 lead and Kamaloglu played catch up for the final two minutes of the bout. Khoroshavtseva used a wrong-direction go-behind for another two points to win her the gold medal, her first since the gold she won in 2021.

"It’s been a long journey and a huge amount of hard work to achieve this kind of result," she said. "I don’t really feel anything at all. The realization will probably come later. For now, it just feels like emptiness — because you gave it your all, and there’s nothing left to feel."

About her final, Khoroshavtseva said that she did not prepare too much and just wanted to wrestle.

"The final match was kind of chaotic, to be honest," she said. "I was more focused on the first day, and by the time the final came, I wasn’t really mentally or physically prepared — I just went out there to wrestle and do whatever I could."

The fifth gold of the night went to Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) who won her first gold medal in her 14th try at the European Championships. She defeated Andreea ANA (ROU) 5-4 in the final.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (UWW), 2-1

57kg
GOLD: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Jenna HEMIAE (FIN), 10-3
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UWW) df. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW), 4-3

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), via fall (5-0)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 4-3
BRONZE: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR), via fall (7-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 11-8

BRONZE: Dinara KUDAEVA (UWW) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 5-0
BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (6-4)

72kg
GOLD: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 8-3
BRONZE: Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), 3-2

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

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Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title