Asian Games

Rio Champ Dosho to Miss Asian Games Due to Shoulder Injury

By Ken Marantz

World and Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) will miss the Asian Games in Jakarta this summer due to a left shoulder injury suffered at the recent Women's World Cup, the Japan Wrestling Federation has announced on its website.

Dosho's reign as a world champion is also in doubt, as she will almost surely to be forced to skip the Japan Invitational Championships (Meiji Cup) in June, which is serving as the final domestic qualifying tournament for Japan's team to the world championships in Budapest in October.

Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Aline FOCKEN (GER) by 3-0 to win the gold medal at the 2017 World Championship. Photo by Martin Gabor.

Dosho suffered the injury, which has necessitated surgery, during her 68kg match against Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) on the opening day of the World Cup in Takasaki, Japan. Dosho took a 2-1 lead early, then held on to win by that score as Japan beat Canada 8-2.

The four-time world medalist skipped the gold-medal match the following day against China, which Japan won 6-4 for its fourth straight title. As team captain, she joined the celebrations on the mat.

Dosho, a product of powerhouse Shigakkan University who won a seventh consecutive national title last December, captured gold medals at 69kg at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2017 Paris world championships.

Dosho has not lost since the 2015 world championships in Las Vegas, where she fell in the third round 11-7 to FENG Zhou (CHN). She came back to win the bronze medal.

Ironically, Dosho and Feng were in line for a rematch in the final at the Women's World Cup, but Dosho's injury scuttled the clash.


Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 6-0 to seal her spot in the 2017 world finals. Photo by Martin Gabor. 

Dosho's place at the Asian Games will be taken in a three-way wrestle-off between Ayana GEMPEI, Miwa MORIKAWA, and Naruha MATSUYUKI on April 22 at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo.

Gempei and Morikawa finished 1-2 at 65kg at the national championships, while Matsuyuki was the 72kg champion. All three were members of the Japan team in Takasaki.

At the Asian Games, wrestling will be held Aug. 19-22, with six weight classes in each style.

As entries must be finalized by the end of May, the Japan federation cannot use the results of the Meiji Cup to determine its team. As such, in principle, the winners of the respective weight classes at the national championships will fill the team spots, according to the website.

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 2 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) — The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will enter the second day with two Greco-Roman weight classes, 97kg and 130kg, and three women’s wrestling weight classes — 50kg, 53kg and 57kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:15: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) with a fall over Chebila CHEIMA (ALG) in the 50kg semifinal and enter the final in which she will face Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

13:05: Mohamed ADELLATIF (EGY) scores a takedown in the second period to survive a passivity call and win his semifinal at 130kg against Fatih OZTURK (TUR) 3-0. He will face Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) for the gold medal

12:45: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) with some strong counters after Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) scored the first four points. Djamila made it 6-4 before Suleyman scored a go behind and led 6-6 and a turn to lead 8-6. The Turkiye wrestlers defends the late attacks from Djamila and wins 10-6 to enter the 57kg final.

12:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) reaches the final at 130kg after an 8-0 pounding of Roman KIM (KGZ) in the semifinal. He scored four points using a suplex. Kim was called for a leg foul which gave two more points to Hedayati. A takedown and he finishes with technical superiority.

12:05: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) has not trouble in his semifinal against Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), beating him 9-0 with four turns from par terre and advance to the final at 97kg.

11:45: World bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) gets a solid 5-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) to advance to the final at 97kg. The big question is can Ahmadiyev challenge Saravi?

11:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) looks unstoppable at 130kg. He scores a takedown and three turns to beat Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) 8-0

11:25: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) gets another dominant win at 57kg. She pins MIM (BAN) and moves into the semifinal with the top spot in the group.

11:10: World and Olympic champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) was in some trouble when put in par terre and Rouabah FADI (ALG) almost turned him but Saravi manages to defend that. Saravi then scores a takedown, gets par terre and scores two turns to lead 7-1 and also win with that score.

11:00: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) gets hold of a struggling Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in Round 2 at 50kg and finishes with a 12-2 win. Mammadova clearly struggling with a knee injury

10:55: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) began well again Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY), taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Egyptian managed to make a comeback and beat Kandelaki 4-3 at 130kg.

10:40: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) went neck-to-neck before the former stepped up her game and secured a five-point lead 13-8. Suleyman scored a four-point and two counters to score her 8 points while Aliyeva kept coming back every time Suleyman scored. But soon, Aliyeva scored two counter lifts to win the match 15-10 at 57kg.

10:25: Two quick finishes in Round 1 at 57kg in women’s. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) laces MIM (BAN) for a 10-0 win while Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) beats Veronica AYO (UGA) 10-0 as well.

10:15: World U23 champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) squares up against the Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) in Round 1 at Greco 130kg. He begins with a stepout before securing the first par terre advantage. He scores one more point to win 3-0.

10:05: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) takes little time to secure the fall over Chahd JELJELI (TUN) in the first bout at 57kg. The former world U23 champion is the favorite to win gold here.

10:00: Day two of the Islamic Solidarity Games and we have Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) among other stars in action.