Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume

Thursday, September 5, 2024 - 23:02 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 5) -- Three minutes and 33 seconds on the mat, 40-0 in four bouts and zero points conceded.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) could not have asked for a better debut at the U20 level as she won the 59kg gold medal at the World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on Thursday.

Ever since her heartbreaking loss in the U17 World Championships final in 2022, Onishi has not looked back and won the U17 and U20 World titles without giving up points. Her title run on Thursday saw her finish the 59kg final against Alexis JANIAK (USA) 10-0 in 43 seconds.

Not that her earlier bouts were any different.

The 18-year-old won her first bout against Elena KUROVA (AIN) 10-0 in a minute, defeated KOMAL (IND) in 34 seconds in the quarterfinals and humbled former U17 world champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) 10-0 in a minute and 16 seconds.

"This was my first win in the U20 category," Onishi said. "I am grateful to my family, friends, and coaches and I wanted to give something back. So I'm honestly really happy that I was able to win.

"I was able to show what I had been practicing, and my challenge this time was to attack aggressively. I was able to accomplish that and win without conceding a point. I'm really satisfied with that."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) used the leg lace as her go-to attack throughout the tournament. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier this year, Onishi joined the Nippon Sports Science University, whose current and former wrestlers won a combined five gold medals at the recently concluded Paris Olympics. In the short period she has been there, Onishi has trained majorly with 53kg Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

"Akari really has nothing but positives for me," she said. "It's been a really short period of time since I entered NSSU, but during that time, I've been able to do various training sessions with them, and it's been an opportunity for me to become stronger."

Before coming to Spain, Onishi made a name for herself in Japan when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (nee KAWAI) in the Meiji Cup in May. She won the gold medal and earned a playoff against Kinjo for the Non-Olympic World Championships next month.

Onishi led 5-0 at the break in the playoff but Kinjo scored two points going behind for a takedown and adding a 2-point exposure to cut the lead to 6-4. With :15 on the clock, Kinjo got in on a single and managed to lift up the leg and expose Onishi's back with eight seconds left, putting her ahead 6-6 on criteria. But Onishi squirmed back to her feet and with a mighty charge, went for a double-leg takedown that forced Kinjo out just as time expired. The referee gave her 1 for a stepout, but after an agonizing wait for the challenge review, it was nullified as Kinjo's foot was just centimeters from the edge when the clock hit all zeroes.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) won the 59kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While Onishi was disappointed to have not made it to her first senior worlds, she made her loss to Kinjo a driving force for future competitions.

"It was my first experience to wrestle the same person [Kinjo] twice in one day," she said. "I was really disappointed that I couldn't make it at the very end, but on the other hand, it gave me confidence, and I used that energy to reach even higher heights. My desire to win overwhelmingly next time."

The process to be at the next year's senior World Championships begins in December for Onishi. She will be part of the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup next year. She will try to win both and earn a spot on the senior team for the World Championships.

As far as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics go, Onishi expressed her desire to be there. But for that, she will have to decide if she wants to cut to 57kg or jump to 62kg. In both weight classes, defending Olympic champions are waiting for her. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) at 57kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg will be her biggest challenges.

"I haven't decided on my weight class yet, but I definitely want to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics," she said. "No matter what weight class I'm in, I'm determined to beat the current champion."

Yu ZHANG (CHN) celebrates after winning the 50kg final at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Onishi was the only gold medalist of the day for Japan. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) wrestled in the 50kg final against Yu ZHANG (CHN) but lost a close final in the last 10 seconds.

After winning two age-group Asian titles, Zhang dropped the U20 Asian final against Rinka OGAWA (JPN) in June. But she left nothing to chance in Pontevedra, pulling off a suplex in the final 10 seconds to beat Morikawa 7-6 and clinch her first gold medal at any World Championships.

Morikawa was the first to get on board as Zhang spun on her back to give two points to Morikawa. It became 4-2 for Morikawa at the break as Zhang got two points for a counter lift while Morikawa was awarded two for exposure as Zhang's hand opened after she finished the lift.

Zhang for the criteria on 4-4 as she scored a two-point exposure over Morikawa, who answered with an underhook to slam Zhang on the mat and score two points. She had 26 seconds to defend her two-point lead but Zhang used a semi-duckunder to step behind Morikawa and lock her in her arms. She completed the throw for two points and a 6-6 criteria lead. Japan challenged the decision but it only added a point to Zhang's score for the lost challenge.

"I have performed well," Zhang said. "After finishing the tournament, I feel that I am still very happy."

Former U23 world champion Yumeka TANABE (JPN) has been the coach for China's U20 team and Zhang acknowledged her inputs for the match.

"I need to mention that I have a lot to learn from Tanabe," she said. "I hope that after this competition, I can improve myself, find out the problems, and solve them to reach an advanced level."

Zhang's twin sister Jin will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal against Calra JAUME SOLER (ESP), Spain's first-ever World Championships finalist in wrestling.

"I want to tell her that she can confidently and boldly perform to her level tomorrow," she said as advice to her sister Jin. "She can also win a gold medal."

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) celebrates after winning the 76kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

India and the United States also crowned champions to remain in the race to win the team title on Friday.

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) won the 76kg gold medal after beating Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0, in the 76kg final. This is the second year in a row that India has won the gold medal in the heaviest weight class.

Berwal won the first point when Orlevych was put on the activity clock and she failed to score. The Indian then added a stepout to lead 2-0. Orlevych was called for passivity in the second period as well and she failed to score giving Berwal another point. A few bad attempts from Orlevych ended in Berwal capitalizing and scoring a two-point takedown to stretch the lead to 5-0.

The gold medal is India's fifth in Women's Wrestling at the U20 World Championships, an impressive number for a country that got its first U20 world champion in Women's Wrestling in 2022.

Berwal, a former 72kg silver medalist at the U23 World Championships, now faces the tough challenge of making it to the senior team. But for that, she will have to win against 2023 U20 world champion Priya MALIK (IND), U23 world champion and Paris Olympian REETIKA (IND) and other up-and-coming youngsters.

"I am satisfied with my wrestling," Berwal said. "Now that I have decided to the Olympic weight class 76kg, there is no turning back and back myself to prove it."

For the United States, Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) took less than a minute to pin Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and win the 55kg gold medal for her country.

Byambasuren was trying to get Rodriguez uncomfortable but the American tossed her on the mat and held her back to secure a fall in the final. This was the second fall of the tournament for Rodriguez who won her four bouts without conceding a point.

At 68kg, U20 European champion Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) handed Ayse ERKAN (TUR) a 12-2 defeat in the final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN), 7-6

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), 7-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. MUSKAN (IND), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall

BRONZE: Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) df. Karina HONDA (JPN), via fall (8-7)
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (AIN), 12-2

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU) df. Uladzislava KUDZIN (AIN), via fall
BRONZE: KOMAL (IND) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), via fall (12-2)

BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN), 7-0

76kg
GOLD: Jyoti BERWAL (IND) df. Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Naomi SIMON (USA) df. Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 8-2

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Jin ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. JYOTI (IND), 4-3
SF 2: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Nethmi AHINSA (SRI), via fall

57kg
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) vs. Bertha ROJAS (MEX)

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Bertha ROJAS (MEX) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-4

62kg
GOLD: NITIKA (IND) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: NITIKA (IND) df. Nagisa ITO (JPN), 7-3
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 4-3

65kg
GOLD: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) vs. Beyza AKKUS (TUR)

SF 1: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Zaixue RUI (CHN), 10-0
SF 2: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (AIN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) vs. Yuqi LIU (CHN)

SF 1: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall
SF 2: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Elvira ERSSON (SWE), 10-0

#WrestlePontevedra

Norwegian king Mukubu reigns supreme at U23 Worlds

Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - 23:56 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 19) – When Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) first burst onto the wrestling scene in Norway, he was noticed as a refugee. But as he grew as a wrestler over the years, Mukubu has proved himself as a force to reckon with in wrestling.

Mukubu became the first male wrestler from Norway to win the U23 World Championships when he won the Greco-Roman 82kg gold medal in Pontevedra, Spain on Wednesday.

The U20 world silver medalist last year, Mukubu made sure he goes home with the title this year, giving no chance to Karlo KODRIC (CRO) in the final gold medal bout which he won 10-1, extending Croatia's wait for a world champion.

And then came out the celebration in which he placed a crown on his head symbolizing him as the king of the [wrestling] world, at least for now.

Exacue MUKUBU (NOR) Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) throws Karlo KODRIC (CRO) for four points. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Mukubu was eight years old when he fled the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo with his mother and four siblings for Norway. For four years, the family was unaware of the whereabouts of Exauce's father who had been taken to the USA by the United Nations peacekeeping forces.

“In 2013, we received a phone call and my mother was screaming,” Mukubu said. “It had been four years since any news of my father. We did not even know where he was.”

Last year, Mukubu and his family flew to the United States to meet his father after 12 years and first since moving to Norway.

“So many people don't know this history about me,” he said. “It was awesome to see him after 12 years and know my history.”

While his father still cannot stay with the Mukubus in Norway, he remains in constant touch and is interested in his son's wrestling.

Mukubu first trained in the sport when he was 10 years old. One day, his mother lost her patience seeing the siblings fight around the house. Hence, she went up to their neighbor Sheikhrullah, a former wrestler, to take the kids to train.

“He took us to wrestle and I fell in love,” Mukubu recalled.

While the three other siblings moved on to other sports; Gabriel is part of Norway's U18 ice hockey team, Mukubu stayed. It took some time for him to make his mark but in his first championships, he won a bronze medal at the U17 Euros in 2018. The biggest breakthrough came when he reached the final of the U20 Worlds last year.

“I was 8-0 in the final in Ufa but to make it 10-1 here, it feels awesome to finally take the gold medal,” he said.

Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) with his gold medal in Pontevedra. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In Pontevedra, Mukubu looked a notch above the field as he outscored his opponents 29-1 with a burst of big throws including two in the final Kodric.

“In this tournament, I went in with the belief that I can do it,” he said. “All the work I have put in has paid off with a gold medal.”

In the last year, Mukubu has been training in the Netherlands with the Sterkenburg twins and in Denmark with European champion and world silver medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN). The four first met at the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia four years ago.

“We have been in together since,” he said. “We want to build a team and qualify for the Paris Games.”

That's the complex part. Bisultanov and Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) are at 87kg and will try to qualify for that weight. Mukubu is tempted to 77kg but the coaches want him to go for 87kg.

“Coaches want me to go 87kg but I am not big yet so I want to go 77kg,” he said. “Maybe I will try to have some bouts at 87kg. But I will go with the flow. This year I wrestled against wrestlers who have been to the Olympics and World Championships and I think 77kg is better.”

It is yet to be seen if he will be able to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, both Norway and his family are pinning hopes on Mukubu for a brighter future.

Norway failed to qualify a single wrestler for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it does not want the same to happen this year. The wrestling team is also the subject of an NRK TV documentary 'Hodet i klemme', translation to 'headlock', which shows the wrestling team's journey.

On the other hand, Mukubu's family hopes to get a job through wrestling. He is currently building an app that lets a person reserve car parking in advance, Mukubu has pushed that project for later and set his sights on the Olympic qualification.

“Ultimately, I have to take care of my family,” he said. “It's a different culture. They are happy for me but I have responsibilities. But I don't get money for wrestling. For now, it's all about the Olympics, but one day, I have to return.”

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) ended a four-year wait for a world title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Kamal wins gold

In other gold medal bouts, European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) ended a three-year wait for a world title. He won the U20 gold in 2019 but has since been able to repeat the same at the senior level.

Wrestling another young star Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) in the final, Kamal never looked in trouble and scored an 8-0 win.

After getting points for stepout and passivity, Kamal got a huge four to lead 6-0 before a caution for two points against Mammadli gave him the gold medal.

Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) won the long gold medal for Azerbaijan in Pontevedra. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

But Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) made sure Azerbaijan finished with a gold medal as he denied another Croatian wrestler the opportunity to create history. He defeated Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO) in the 72kg final as Croatia's wait for the Greco-Roman world champion was extended by another year.

Puklavec scored two points over Gurbanov but never looked in control of the final as the Azerbaijan wrestler scored eight points.

Alex SZOKE (HUN) claimed the 97kg gold with a 3-2 win over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliksan)

At 97kg, senior world silver medalist Alex SZOKE (HUN) used his experience to win 3-2 against returning bronze medalist Markus RAGGINGER (AUT).

Szoke, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, was awarded the par terre position and he turned Ragginger to lead 3-2.

When Szoke was put in forced par terre, he fled the hold. After an Austrian challenge, he was cautioned and the bout restarted in par terre with Szoke leading 3-2. But Ragginger failed to score and the bout ended with the same scoreline.

U20 world champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) defeated Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) 17-7 to win the 67kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran won the team title with 138 points, 37 points more than second-placed Georgia. Turkey jumped over Azerbaijan to finish third with 93 points.

For Iran, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) won the third gold medal of the tournament by winning the 67kg weight class.

With a sense of calm about him, Sohrabi overcame a 7-0 deficit to win the gold medal 17-7 against Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA).

He was surprised early by a Snjoyan takedown. Sohrabi was put in par terre from which Snjoyan scored a four to lead 7-0. But Sohrabi got a headlock for four, a call which France challenged and lost to make it 7-5.

Sohrabi began the second period with another big four to lead 9-7 and with Snjoyan struggling to match his pace, the U20 world champion used the underhook to perfection to score stepouts.

Once the lead swelled to 13-7, Sohrabi was happy to play out the clock but Snjoyan attempted a big throw which resulted in him giving up another four points and the win to the Iran wrestler.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) reached the final at 50kg without giving up a point. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's wrestling also began Wednesday in Pontevedra and as expected, world and Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) wasted no time stamping her authority.

In her three bouts, Susaki won without being scored and finished all her bouts inside the first period. She is one win away from completing a grand slam of winning all the world titles along with the Olympic gold, for which she will face Anksuh PANGHAL (IND) in the final Thursday.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) also made it to the gold medal bouts at 55kg, 59kg and 68kg.

Matsuyuki will face Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final who defeated senior world bronze medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-6 in a battle.

At 76kg, Dymond GUILFORD (USA) will face returning silver medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) for the gold medal bout.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), 8-0

BRONZE: Olzhas SULTAN (KAZ) vs. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Melkamu FETENE (ISR) df. Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), via injury (11-7)

67kg
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), 17-7

BRONZE: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Julian HORTA (COL), 3-1
BRONZE: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) df. Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), 8-2

BRONZE: VIKAS (IND) df. Daigo KOBAYASHI (JPN), 6-0
BRONZE: Amir ABDI (IRI) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 3-1

82kg
GOLD: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 10-1

BRONZE: Lukas AHLGREN (SWE) df. Ranet KALJOLA (EST), 7-1
BRONZE: Beka GURULI (GEO) df. Ali HUNC (TUR), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Markus RAGGINGER (AUT), 3-2

BRONZE: Ali ABEDI (IRI) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 1-1
BRONZE: NITESH (IND) df. Igor ALVES (BRA), 10-0

Women's wrestling semifinals

50kg
GOLD: Ankush PANGHAL (IND) vs. Yui SUSAKI (JPN)

SF 1: Ankush PANGHAL (IND) df. Nada MOHAMED (EGY), via fall
SF 2: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Alisha HOWK (USA), 9-8
SF 2: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN), 10-0

59kg
GOLD: Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) vs. Magdalena GLODEK (POL)

SF 1: Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) df. Lexie BASHAM (USA), 9-0
SF 2: Magdalena GLODEK (POL) df. Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT), 8-2

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Sienna RAMIREZ (USA), 9-4
SF 2: Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 6-5

76kg
GOLD: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) vs. Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)

SF 1: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) df. Inkara ZHANATAYEVA (KAZ), 11-0
SF 2: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 4-1

Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume

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Norwegian king Mukubu reigns supreme at U23 Worlds