With Kyrgyzstan Watching, Tynybekova Ready to Conquer Tokyo

Monday, August 2, 2021 - 23:13 By Vinay Siwach

CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- When Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) steps on the mat Tuesday at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba, Japan, the whole of Kyrgyzstan will be watching her quest for a historic medal at Olympics.

No Kyrgyzstan wrestler has ever won a medal in women's wrestling at the Olympics. Forget that, no other woman had qualified for Olympics other than Tynybekova before Tokyo. Five years ago, she came agonizingly close to winning a medal in Rio Olympics but lost the bronze medal bout against Sakshi MALIK (IND) in the final seven seconds.

But in Tokyo, she is expected to win the gold medal. Such has been her aura in the last Olympic cycle that she is considered the best, is seeded top and has wins over almost all her opponents.

"We have been going at this for a very long time," Tynybekova was quoted as saying in a January 2020 interview with Sputnik. "I have already participated in two Olympic Games -- in London and Rio de Janeiro. I didn't manage to win medals in them because of my mistakes. The only thing missing from my piggy bank is an Olympic medal. I want not just a medal, but a gold one."

On Tuesday, she begins her campaign with a rematch of the Individual World Cup 2020 final against veteran Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) and a win will give her the winner of the Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and Kriszta INCZE (ROU) bout in the quarterfinal.

But she wants to make it to the final and a step closer to history, she will have to go through one of Aminat ADENIYI (NGR), Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), LONG Jia (CHN) and Kayla MIRACLE (USA). Last year, Long ran her close and Tynybekova was able to pull off a 6-6 criteria win in Rome, Italy.

"Since Kyrgyzstan gained independence, we have not had a gold medal in Olympic sports," Tynybekova said. "I want to make history by winning a gold at the Olympic Games."

She did not have those dreams a kid. The 29-year-old did not even know about wrestling till was 16 years old.

Tynybekova Worlds Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) became her country's first wrestling world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Born in Mailuu-Suu in the Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan. Tynybekova helped her parents at home and in the farm but was part was always finding a way to play sport.

That led her to basketball but when she discovered a wrestling program has begun in Bishkek, she left home to train in the new sport. Despite the reservations from her family, Tynybekova was sure that she wanted to do this.

She became so good at wrestling in such a short time that in 2012, she qualified for the London Olympics, the first woman wrestler from her country. Unfortunately, she failed to advance after her opening round loss.

But it sowed the seeds of a women's wrestling in the country. National team head coach Nurbek Izabekov has been trying to lift the standard of women's wrestling in Kyrgyzstan for close to two decades now. But when Tynybekova qualified for the Olympics in London, it worked as a catalyst.

Work began to prepare Tynynbekova to become the first Olympic medalist from her country. She claimed silver medals at the Asian Championships, bronze medal at the Asian Games but by the time Olympics came, she became Kyrgyzstan's first Asian champion in women's wrestling.

That fueled the ambition of winning a medal in Rio. But it was a heartbreak and left Tynybekova battling depression.

“After the 2016 Games, I had been in a long depression,” she says. “I couldn’t get over it for a long time. I had been analyzing a lot, I had been thinking a lot. I didn’t show tears in front of people, but after the loss I was ready to cry. I couldn't face my coach, who hadn't been home with his family for months to prepare me. Everything was burning inside me, and I was ready to sink. After returning to the village, I went into the room and cried alone.”

No one knew how to cheer her up. But it was the passion for wrestling and a unique gesture from the public in Kyrgyzstan that made her return to the mat. Using the loss in Rio as a motivation, she decided to train again and leave nothing to fate.

“My sister sent me a post and comments that Kyrgyzstanis wrote to me,” she says. “She said that I united the Kyrgyz people, that this had never happened before, that everyone supported me as a native.”

The loss in Rio made Tynybekova a mature wrestler and human being. Her style of forcing an attack changed to tactical wrestling of playing the clock. She even manages to pull of the last second takedowns which make her dangerous. Just like on that in 2019.

Tynybekova ran through a strong field to claim the world title in Nursultan, Kazakhstan. That too was the first time a wrestler, male or female, from the central Asian country had won the gold.

That lifted her to celebrity status in the country. Gifts were showed, film crews rushed to her village to get some footage of the childhood, she was on every TV channel. But missing out the medal in Olympic always remained a thorn in her heart.

Nothing has mattered to her more than winning the gold in Tokyo. Even when the Games were postponed because of COVID, she did not care. She kept training. Her quality is world class and she wants her competition to be the same. During her fourth Asian Championships title winning run in Almaty in 2021, she was very honest about her opponents.

“I know I can beat these wrestlers, so the emotions are not that strong as they would have been against Japan and China,” she said. “None of the opponents were as strong as those countries and it was not that enjoyable for me to wrestle."

Japan and China had pulled out of the tournament because of the COVID-19 related complications in travel and competition. In Almaty, Kyrgyzstan qualified two more wrestlers for the Olympics, the first time they had someone other than Tynybekova wrestling in the women's Olympics.

“The reason of the success of our women wrestlers is very simple,” she says. “We have an amazing coach. For the past 10 years he has been proving that the woman in Kyrgyzstan can achieve great results even on the international level.”

But it's not Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) or Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) who are projected to win the gold. It's Tynybekova, the girl who had to wrestle a court case as a teenager just before London. Then faced the painful truth that she missed a medal in Rio.

But Tuesday, she has a chance to rewrite history and put Kyrgyzstan on the world map of wrestling. A chance that she missed in Rio.

But local hope and her biggest rival Yukao KAWAI (JPN) is also chasing history. Youngster sister of Olympic champion Risako, Yukako is confident of winning the gold.

"Right now, I don't have the inferiority in strength with foreign opponents that I had in the past," Kawai recently told the Japanese press. "There are also those coming from non-[Olympic] weight classes, so everyone will be strong. I think the matches will be tough, but I've done a lot of hard training. I want the effects of that training to come out in the tournament. If I do that, I can definitely win."

Tynybekova Kawai Yukaki KAWAI (JPN), right, won for the first time against Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in February, 2020. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The rivalry has seen Tynybekova win their first encounter 8-6 in the final at the 2019 Asian Championships. Five months later, Tynybekova ended a close match with a fall in the third round at the World Championships. Another five months later, Kawai reduced the gap. The 23-year-old eked out a 6-1 at the 2020 Asian Championships in 2020.

But Tynybekova has experience on her side. She won title at the Yasur Dogu, Matteo Pellicone, Poland Open and Individual World Cup in 2020, and Asian Championships (in the absense of Japan and China) and Poland Open this year.

However, none of that will matter when she wrestle on Mat B at the Makuhari Messe Hall. Tynybekova has to start fresh, and she is motivated because of that loss in Rio.

“I am very grateful to those seven seconds,” Tynybekova told UWW. “If I hadn’t lost that match at the Olympics, I wouldn’t have become the World Champion. Together with my coach, we wouldn’t have been able to write the history of Kyrgyzstan. In other words, I am thankful to that defeat, that’s the good side if it. If there hadn’t been the loss, there wouldn’t have been a victory.”

#WrestleAmman

Tanabe outdoes Olympic medalist dad by claiming Asian 65kg gold

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - 21:16 By Ken Marantz

AMMAN, Jordan (March 29) -- By winning his first senior Asian title, collegian Kaisei TANABE (JPN) did something his father and coach was unable to accomplish. Now his aim to better dad's result at the Olympics.

Tanabe stormed to a one-sided victory in the 65kg final as Japan had two champions crowned on the first day of the freestyle competition at the Asian Championships on Saturday in Amman, Jordan.

Tanabe completed his golden run with a 12-2 victory over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) to outdo his father Chikara, who was a bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics but never medaled in two trips to the Asian Championships.

"My older sister is now a coach in China, and my father and mother are watching from home," the 22-year-old Tanabe said. "They give me advice before every match, and I incorporate that. This is a title won by my whole family."

Japan also got a gold from rising star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who added the 97kg title to the one he claimed at 92kg in 2023, while three countries split the three other golds at stake.

Asian Games silver medalist Chongsong HAN (PRK) won at 57kg, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) took the 70kg title with his third come-from-behind victory in four matches, and teenager Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) put on a performance well behind his years to capture the 79kg gold.

Kaisei TANABE (JPN) hits a throw against Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Tanabe, who lost in the first round last year at 61kg, showed the great strides he has made since then by sweeping through a tough field, culminating with a decisive victory over Tseveensuren, a world bronze medalist last year at 61kg.

"From the first match, I faced strong opponents, but I thought to myself, I face even stronger rivals back home in Japan," Tanabe said. "So I just did what I had to do in each and every match."

It was Tseveensuren who struck first, using a barrel roll for a 2-point takedown. But Tanabe shook off his early nerves and got down to business, scoring a 4-point takedown by getting behind Tseveensuren in the standing position and using a throw to bring him backward to the mat.

In the second period, Tanabe showed he has power to go with his speed when he shut down a headlock roll attempt for a 2-point exposure, also gaining a 2-point penalty when the Mongolian fled over the edge while his back is to the mat. A counter takedown and gut wrench then ended the match with 26 seconds to spare.

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"In the final, I was nervous and gave up points first," Tanabe said. "But then the match went my way and I was able to dictate the flow."

In December, Tanabe earned his ticket to Amman by winning the national title in the absence of Paris Olympic champion and former Nippon Sports Science University teammate Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who has yet to return to competition. (Tanabe also finished second in Greco-Roman at 67kg.)

With an Asian championship providing a boost of confidence, he now aims to remain the top dog in a weight class in which Japan has had the two most recent Olympic gold medalists.

"Japan is really strong in the 65kg weight class," Tanabe said. "I want to hone the weapons that only I possess and take on all of the top rivals."

At 97kg, Yoshida won a battle of young stars in the final of a weight class that saw world and Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) withdraw at the last minute after not recovering sufficiently from a shoulder injury.

Yoshida was largely untroubled in defeating 2023 world 92kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 7-1, chalking up four stepouts and keeping his taller opponent at arm's length throughout the match.

The 21-year-old Yoshida got three of the stepouts in the first period, then added a fourth early in the second. He then received an activity point and got behind for a takedown before the 20-year-old Aitmukhan, who had to settle for a silver medal for the third straight year, picked up a consolation stepout.

"Tazhudinov didn't compete which made it a little easier, but it's still important that I practice even harder," Yoshida said.

Yoshida, whose father is Iranian and runs the kids wrestling club in Japan where he and his siblings started the sport, has emerged as Japan's biggest hope for its first Olympic success in the heavy weights since Akira OTA (JPN) won Olympic silvers at 90kg in 1984 and 1988.

"Japan is very strong in the light weights, and I don't think we're close to that level in the heavy weights," Yoshida said. "But we'll work hard to try to get to that level."

Yoshida came into Amman riding a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event in February, where he turned heads with a stunning 5-5 victory in the semifinals over former Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA).

He had termed that victory "lucky," but gave himself more credit for his triumph in Amman. "It was not so much lucky, more that I think I just put out everything that I had this tournament," Yoshida said.

Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the 57kg gold medal with an 8-1 victory over Milad VALIZADEH (IRI). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Han, the silver medalist at the 2023 Asian Games who missed out twice in qualifying for the Paris Olympics, completed a strong performance by defeating young Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) 8-1 for the gold.

Han opened the scoring with a nice duck under for a takedown, and the first period ended with him up 2-0. After Valizadeh started the second period with a stepout, Han gained another point when Iran unsuccessfully challenged a slick move by Han, who spun in mid-air to get out of an underhook.

To add insult to injury, Han was awarded a point when Valizadeh continually remained on his knees in defense at the edge to avoid a stepout. With :05 left, Han clinched the gold with a double-leg takedown for 4.

Valizadeh took home the silver in just his third tournament on the senior level.

Nothing was a sure thing when it came to matches involving Akmataliev, who chalked up his third come-from-behind victory when he rallied from a four-point deficit to defeat Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) 5-4 in the 70kg final.

Rassadin, aiming to improve on his silver medal from last year at 74kg, scored two takedowns in the first period to go ahead 4-0.

Akmataliev came to life in the second period, gaining a takedown from a duck under, than going ahead on criteria with a 2-point counter lift.

At the end, Rassadin got hold of an ankle but Akmataliev high-stepped out of it, and an unsuccessful challenge gave Akmataliev his final point.

The victory gave Akmataliev his first gold in four appearances at the Asian Championships and second medal overall following a silver in 2022, the year he also won a world bronze. He also has a world silver from 2021.

Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) hits a four-point throw against Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) in the 79kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The most dominant victory of the finals was turned in by world U23 champion Yousefi, who was never challenged in charging to a 10-0 victory over Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN).

Yousefi, who finished second at this year's Zagreb Ranking Series event, received an activity point before scoring a takedown, despite a daring and athletic attempt by Saipudinov to prevent it. With Yousefi holding his leg in the air, Saipudinov executed a back flip, but the Iranian held on and completed the takedown anyway.

In the second period, Yousefi piled on the points with a single-leg takedown, a 2-point tilt and a 2-point exposure off a double-leg attempt to make it 8-0.

A driving double-leg takedown that went over the edge was originally scored 2 points, but was downgraded to 1 on challenge. No matter, it still gave Yousefi his 10th point to end the match at the 5-minute mark.

Iran goes 3 for 3 in bronze-medal matches

The trio of Iranians who didn't make the finals all came back to take home bronze medals. World U23 bronze medalist Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) left no doubt in his 65kg match, pulling away in the second period for a 10-0 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

Ahead 1-0 from an activity point in the first period, Ebrahimzadeh got a takedown and a stepout to pad the lead, then after a second takedown, reeled off two trap-arm rolls to end the match in 4:25.

Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) eked out a 2-1 victory over last year's 61kg champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the other 65kg match, which finished without a technical point but with a peculiar ending.

Both wrestlers had received an activity point, with Kim's coming in the second period to give him the advantage on criteria. Zhumashbek Uulu was scrapping in the final seconds for a score and, with the match still in progress, he signaled for his side to push the challenge button, ostensibly to penalize Kim for fleeing. The challenge was thrown out and Kim got the win.

Sina KHALILI (IRI), two years removed from winning the world U17 gold medal at 65kg, captured a 70kg bronze by defeating veteran Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by fall after pulling away to a 9-2 lead.

Khalili got an activity clock point, then scored two driving single-leg takedowns to lead 5-0 at the break. After giving up a stepout and fleeing point, Khalili scored a takedown, then stuffed Tumur Ochir's arm throw attempt to secure the fall.

Tumur Ochir had moved up from 65kg, where he was a world bronze medalist in 2021 and took the silver at last year's Asian Championships. He barely missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics.

In the other 70kg match, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), the world and Asian silver medalist last year, added a second Asian bronze to his collection with a solid 8-0 victory over Russian-born Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), a one-time European medalist.

Aoyagi, who started the year with a victory at the Tirana Ranking Series event, received an activity point in the first period, then got going in the second. He chalked up a single-leg takedown and gut wrench, then countered a takedown attempt for 2 at the edge that was upheld on challenge.

At 97kg, Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI), the 2023 world U20 champion at 92kg, spotted Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) an early takedown, but then took control and scored three takedowns, including a 4-pointer at the end of the first period, to notch a 9-3 victory.

Hemelyayev, who also finished fifth in 2022 at 125kg, had been aiming to become Turkmenistan's first Asian medalist since 2018.

Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) earned his second career Asian medal at 97kg when he bulled his way to a first-period takedown, then held on after giving up a stepout in the second to defeat Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) 2-1.

Earlier, Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) claimed his third medal in three trips to the Asian Championships, and he was made to work for it in an 8-6 victory at 57kg over Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), the Arab champion who did himself proud on the continental stage.

Kalzhan led 5-2 at the break and increased the lead with a takedown and stepout to make it 8-2. But Albehadilalbors didn't give up, forcing a stepout, then countering with a roll through on the edge for 2. A stepout with :12 left cut the lead to 2, but Kalzhan held on in the final seconds to add to his bronze from 2023 and silver from 2022.

Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) won the other bronze at 57kg with an opportunistic victory by fall over Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), the young Japanese champion who has taken the rare route of heading to the United States for university.

After giving up an activity point in the first period, Sakamoto, who wears the headgear of Oklahoma State University, went ahead in the second with a stepout off a single-leg attack.

Batkhuyag responded with a stepout, onto which a fleeing point was tacked on to go ahead 3-1. Sakamoto then made a tactical error. When Batkhuyag got in deep on a single, Sakamoto reached over and tried to roll through. But the Mongolian stopped the move by sitting on his chest and the match ended with a quick call of the fall at 4:39.

At 79kg, Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) dropped former world bronze medalist and Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) for a 2-point takedown with :20 left to earn a 4-4 victory on last-point criteria and add to his 2023 bronze at 74kg.

Olonbayar opened with a takedown, but the Russian-born Budazhapov came back with a takedown while on the activity clock, and went ahead with a 2-point counter tilt.

In the second period, Olonbayar got behind in standing position and pulled Budazhapov backwards to the mat. Originally scored a 4-point takedown, it was downgraded to 2 on challenge. That kept Budazhapov's hopes alive, but Olobayar held on for the win.

Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) picked up his first major medal in impressive fashion, defeating Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by fall in the other 79kg match.

After receiving an activity point, Evloev caught Yergesh in a cradle while countering a single-leg attempt, then rolled him over onto his back for the fall.

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Milad VALIZADEH (IRI), 8-1

BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Husein ALBEHADILALBORS (IRQ), 8-6
BRONZE: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) by Fall, 4:39 (5-1)

65kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 5:34

BRONZE: Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 2-1
BRONZE: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:25

70kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), 5-4

BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) by Fall, 4:31 (9-2)

79kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) by TF, 10-0, 5:00

BRONZE: Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) df. Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) df. Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) by Fall, 2:35 (3-0)

97kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 7-1

BRONZE: Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM), 9-3
BRONZE: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ), 2-1

With Kyrgyzstan Watching, Tynybekova Ready to Conquer Tokyo

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Tanabe outdoes Olympic medalist dad by claiming Asian 65kg gold