Rising Star Fujinami Earns Ticket to Oslo Worlds for Senior International Debut

Thursday, May 27, 2021 - 16:01 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (May 27) --- Watch out world, Akari FUJINAMI is ready to take you on. And take you down.

Fujinami, a highly touted future star in the boundless constellation of Japanese women's wrestling, has set a date for her highly anticipated senior international debut. It will come at the World Championships in Oslo in October --- one month before her 18th birthday.

"Just imagining that makes me excited, the thought of me competing there," Fujinami said. "My image is that the world level gets higher year after year, and I want to keep getting better so that it makes people think, 'that Fujinami is strong.'"

There was no doubt about that on Thurday, when the 2018 world cadet champion secured her ticket to Oslo in the women's 53kg class by winning the title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in Tokyo, beating two world medalists along the way.

The victory followed up Fujinami's one last December at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, which marked her first tournament on the senior level. The two tournaments serve as qualifiers for the World Championships, with playoffs for weight classes in which the winners are different.

Fujinami earned the spot on the Japanese team outright with a 10-0 technical fall victory in the final over Nanami IRIE, the 2019 world silver medalist at 55kg, in a repeat of the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup.

"It gives me some boost of confidence, but looking at the world, I feel I need to get much stronger," Fujinami said. "Many issues that need to be addressed came out, and heading to the World Championships, I will have to practice harder."

Fujinami advanced to the final with an 11-2 victory over two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO, who has been trying to work out of a slump after losing out on the Olympic spot at 53kg to Mayu MUKAIDA.

Fujinami also beat Okuno at the Emperor's Cup, but Okuno was suffering from a strained leg muscle at the time. Okuno said she was physically fine this time, but was just overmatched by the high schooler.

"When it comes to level, at this point its not right to even compare me with Fujinami," Okuno said. "Having strong opponents in my weight class stimulates me. And Fujinami's presence means something to me and gives me something to aim for."

Fujinami has not lost since June 2017, when she was defeated in the final of the national junior high school championships to Umi ITO, who placed second on Thursday at 50kg. She has now won 19 consecutive tournaments and 75 straight matches, including the cadet 53kg title at the 2020 Klippan Lady Open and the 2018 world and Asian cadet golds.

At 1.63 meters, Fujinami is relatively tall for a Japanese, and she uses her added reach to keep opponents from getting a clear shot at a takedown. That's if they get a chance, because she is almost always on the offensive as a whirlwind of motion, much like another native of Mie Prefecture in central Japan, Saori YOSHIDA.

Fujinami swept through her three Meiji Cup matches relying mostly on a single-leg takedown that she says she polished after having some trouble at the Emperor's Cup.

Akari FUJINAMI looks to set up a shot on two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO. She won the match, 11-2. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

"At that time, I realized that I had a problem finishing up my tackles," she said. "This time, I kept in mind working for the point as soon as I grabbed the leg. There were times it was good and other times I got anxious, and I need to still work on that."

The lone high schooler in her weight class, Fujinami displayed amazing composure and confidence. Asked if she felt pressure, she replied, "I kept telling myself, just go as usual, just go as usual. Because of that, I was able to go into my matches in a calm manner."

Among those impressed with Fujinami is two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI, who will attempt to win the 50kg gold medal in her Olympic debut this summer. She even said she could learn a thing or two from the teenager.

"She's really strong," said Susaki, who is not entered in the tournament but is there to support her Waseda University teammates. "She has good technique when tying up, and has good speed. There are things that I can learn from her."

Like Susaki, the 11 other wrestlers who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics have skipped the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym. Also missing are fans, friends and family members, as strict coronavirus protocols are in place due to Tokyo's declaration of a third state of emergency amid a recent surge.

"I was able to follow up the Emperor's Cup and win here which was the main thing, but I'm also grateful that under these circumstances a tournament was able to be held," Fujinami said in a sign of maturity.

Fujinami did have a family member with her -- her father, Toshikazu, who is her coach at Inabe Gakuen High School. He also heads the kids wrestling club where she started the sport at age 3, following in the wrestling shoes of older brother Yuhi FUJINAMI, a 2017 world bronze medalist in freestyle 70kg.

"At first she didn't show much interest," Toshikazu recalled. "It took about a year before she started doing it for real. I brought her to the wrestling club, but she didn't care. She came along with her older brother. I thought it would never happen if she kept on like this."

But Akari stuck with it, and started to give a show of things to come.

"She really got serious about her third year of elementary school," Toshikazu said. "Up to then, she didn't win very much. In her third year, she won her first national title. That lit a fire and she really took off."

Asked what kind of child Akari was, her father didn't hesitate in pointing out what is also behind her success: "She was the type who hated losing. If you played a game with her and she lost, she would get really down, and knock over things just to see what would happen."

Fujinami's father said he first realized his daughter's potential for success on the highest level when she won her first national junior high school championship in her third year, after falling short the previous two years.

"From there, she started to pull away," he said. "In her first and second years, she lost to wrestlers who were older and are now here at the nationals. After she won in her third year, she really started progressing.

"Another turning point was the qualifying for the world cadet [in 2018] where she won a close match in the final over an older opponent," he added, referring to the 2018 Junior Queens Cup, where as a junior high schooler she beat high schooler Rina KATAOKA 4-2 in the final.

"By winning that, you could see she had really changed and improved. At that point, I felt she could make a challenge on the world level, and she won the Asian cadet and world cadet. That match was the turning point."

Recognizing her potential, the Japan federation invited Fujinami to a recent national team camp, where word is she more than held her own in sparring with Mukaida. Fujinami used it as opportunity to absorb as much as she could from the nation's elite.

Fujinami, who was too young to enter the qualifying process for the Tokyo Olympics, has her sites set firmly on Paris in 2024.

"In two more years, I want to be in the thick of things with the Olympics, and become an Olympian and win the title," she said. "To make my dream come true, I want to take in everything I can from today's wrestlers all the way up to Paris."

Nonoka OZAKI laces her way to a 6-0 shutout win over Yui SAKANO. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Ozaki also gains ticket to Oslo

In other action, another former world cadet champion from 2018 will be joining Fujinami on the flight to Oslo for her senior international debut, as Nonoka OZAKI captured the 62kg title with a 6-0 victory over Yui SAKANO.

"Last year I won the Emperor's Cup, and that gave me the right to enter the Meiji Cup," Ozaki said. "I trained with the goal of winning the title and getting to appear at the World Championships. I was relieved to achieve that, and I am determined to be ready for the World Championships."

Ozaki repeated as world cadet champion in 2019, and won three consecutive cadet titles at the Klippan Lady Open from 2018 to 2020.

"I have experience of winning the world cadet title, and it will be my first senior tournament [overseas]," Ozaki said. "I'm really excited. I've been watching as senior wrestlers have won world titles, and I've always thought I definitely want to stand on that stage."

Ozaki is a graduate of the same elite JOC Academy that produced Susaki, but she veered from the usual path by entering Keio University, a school known for its academics and not for wrestling. She will continue to train at the Academy while pursuing her studies in the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies.

Also bound for Oslo for their first senior World Championships are 2019 world junior champions Sae NANJO at 57kg and Miwa MORIKAWA at 65kg.

Nanjo, who also won the world U-23 title in 2019, chalked up three straight technical falls without giving up a point, capped by an 11-0 victory in the final over Sakura MOTOKI.

Morikawa had just one match, but it was tough one as she forged out a 4-2 victory over 2020 Asian champion Naomi RUIKE.

In Greco-Roman, newly crowned Asian champion Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA earned a second trip to the World Championships when he took the 67kg gold with a 9-5 victory over teenager Kyotaro SOGABE.

#wrestlebishkek

Badaghimofrad Claims Historic Asian Gold for Qatar

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - 18:37 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 8) -- Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) continued to make history for his adopted homeland, and this time it came at the expense of his real one.

Iranian-born Badaghimofrad gave Qatar its first-ever gold medal at the Asian Championships, coming from behind for a 4-3 victory over Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) in the Greco 82kg final on Wednesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

“I won a bronze medal at last year's Asian Championships, and this year I'm very happy that I managed to take a bigger step and win a gold medal,” Badaghimofrad said.

On a night when five different countries struck gold to finish up the Greco competition, Alisher GANIEV (UZB) ended a recent run of runner-up finishes with a victory at 60kg, and world and Olympic champion Hadi SARAVI (IRI) won his third straight title and fourth overall at 97kg.

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), who had settled for the silver medal the past two years, made it to the top step of the podium at 67kg to give the host nation its fourth gold, and Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) handed Iran another defeat in a final to take the 72kg crown.

Despite going two for seven in gold-medal matches, Iran cruised to the team title by medaling in every weight class for the first time since 1983. The wrestling powerhouse finished with 195 points to outdistance host Kyrgyzstan, which had four champions and compiled 153 points. Uzbekistan, with two gold medalists, was third with 136.

Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) turns Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) during the 82kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Badaghimofrad, who had been a world cadet (U17) silver medalist and world junior (U20) bronze medalist, was competing for Iran when he first appeared at the Asian Championships three years and 15 kilograms ago, placing fifth in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

A native of Khuzestan Province in southeast Iran, he changed his allegiance after 2023 and debuted for Qatar in February 2025 at the Tirana Ranking Series, where he could only manage a seventh-place finish. But a month later, he placed third at the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan, marking Qatar’s first ever medal in Greco and just its second overall.

Badaghimofrad’s more recent results were not exactly awe-inspiring – an 11th place at the World Championships in Zagreb, then back-to-back seventh places at Ranking Series tournaments in February this year.

And the outlook did not appear much better in Wednesday’s final when Hosseini, the winner of this year’s Tirana Ranking Series tournament, opened the scoring with a gut wrench for a 3-0 lead in the first period.

In the second period, Badaghimofrad got his chance in par terre and, breaking down stiff resistance from Hosseini, managed to roll him over. An Iranian challenge for a potential leg foul was unsuccessful, putting the Qatari up 4-3, which is how it ended.

“I had wrestled my opponent before, so we were both familiar with each other’s styles,” Badaghimofrad said. “Knowing I could apply my move on the ground, I approached the match without any stress. When the referee gave the passivity warning, I was able to execute my move and emerge as the winner.”

Badaghimofrad knows he still has a way to go if he wants to achieve similar success on the bigger global stages.

“My wrestling isn’t perfect yet, and I’m gradually trying to improve it … so I can get thebest result at the World Championships and the Olympics,” he said.

Alisher GANIEV (UZB) defeated Se Ung RI (PRK) in the 60kg final to claim his first-ever Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ganiev finally got the result he was looking for, escaping from second-place purgatory by avenging a loss in last year’s 60kg final with a victory by fall over world and Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK).

Ganiev went up 2-1 when he stepped over and gained an exposure on Ri’s gut-wrench attempt from par terre. In the second period, he increased the lead with a passivity point and a challenge point, but made the score moot when he pancaked Ri to the mat and held on for a fall at 5:06.

“The plan was not to rush, to wrestle patiently, wait for the right moment in par terre,” Ganiev said. “However, during the match, things changed. I managed to score points [from bottom] in par terre. In the second period, I continued with my approach. We prepared specifically for this opponent.”

Ganiev finished second at the Zagreb Ranking Series in February 2025, and again at this year’s. In between, he lost in last year’s Asian final to Ri and in the final of the World Championships to Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ).

“I had been waiting for a long time,” Ganiev said. “This is my second Asian Championship. In the first one, I finished in second place. Now in 2026 I finally took first place. Today, all the hard work paid off. In the 2025 final, I made mistakes, but this time I corrected them.”

Hadi SARAVI (IRI) defended his Asian title with a 7-1 win over NITESH (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While a number of Saravi’s teammates faltered at the final hurdle, the two-time Olympic medalist proved to be a rock of stability in claiming the 97kg gold with a solid albeit not overwhelming 7-1 win over NITESH (IND).

“I managed to finish the competition with the gold medal,” Saravi said. “After the World Championships, I set aside some time for recovery to get my body back in shape. The coaches decided to send me to the Asian Championships. I arrived at this competition with only a relative level of readiness, but thankfully I managed to achieve the best result and claim gold.”

Saravi, whose long list of laurels also includes four world medals, reeled off two rolls from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0. After being put on the bottom in the second but never budging, Saravi added a pair of stepouts to beat Nitesh for the third time in as many career meetings and clinch his fourth Asian gold over a seven-year span.

“The final was tougher [than the previous matches] because I’d suffered a knee injury before arriving, which was bothering me a bit and meant I couldn't keep up with my training properly or come to the competition fully prepared,” Saravi said. “Because of that I was a bit unsettled.”

Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) tries to pin Javad REZAEI (IRI) during the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, Amanbek capped his senior Asian debut with a stunning victory by fall over Javad REZAEI (IRI), which more than avenged a 3-2 loss to the Iranian in the quarterfinals of the Tirana Ranking Series that Rezaei won.

“It’s the first time I’ve taken first place in the 72-kilogram category,” said Amanbek, who moved up from 67kg this year. “It’s been an incredibly emotional day.

“I’d give myself a ten out of ten. I did really well. Everything went exactly as I’d planned. I can give myself a pat on the back.”

The quick succession of moments that led to Amanbek’s victory started with him on the bottom of par terre. When Rezaei tried to force a gut wrench, Amanbek stepped over, scooped Rezaei’s head and held him down for a fall in 1:50.

“I know that Iranian wrestler, we faced each other at a ranking tournament in Albania,” Amanbek said. “I lost there. Today I got my revenge. I was in good spirits. We went out there and stuck to our tactics and our game plan. That’s why we won.”

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) scores a four-point throw on Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 67kg, Beishekeev wrapped up a strong Greco outing for the home team by soundly defeating former world bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) 8-2.

“I can say that this victory means a lot to me,” Beishekeev said of triumphing in front of the home crowd at Zhastyk Arena. “I truly felt the strong support of my people, it gave me strength and motivation. Thanks to that, everything came together today and I became a champion.”

Beishekeev all but put the match away in the first period, when he not only completed a gut wrench from par terre, but added a 4-pointer by lifting Shimizu and dumping him onto this back.

In the second period, Beishekeev gave up a passivity point but nothing from the bottom of par terre, and received a point himself when the Japanese side unsuccessfully challenged for a leg foul. A late stepout by Shimizu only changed the margin of victory.

In the three previous Asian Championships, Beishekeev’s results had been: bronze, silver, silver.

“Behind this success is a lot of hard work,” he said. “I worked patiently, step by step, never forgetting my goal and constantly pushing forward. If we continue working with the same determination, I believe a gold medal at the World Championships is also possible. “

Iran Iran won the team title in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Entire Iranian team comes away with medals

In the bronze-medal matches, Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) and Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) both picked up their first major senior medals and assured that nobody on the Iranian Greco team would be leaving Bishkek empty-handed.

Ahmadi Vafa, who won world titles at each of the three age-group levels from 2022 to 2024, secured a bronze medal at 60kg with a 10-0 rout of Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

After a 4-point throw from par terre, Ahmadi Vafa tossed Kamaliyev again, although he didn’t get the necessary exposure and it was ruled a 2-pointer. But the Iranian continued the move and forced Kamaliyev to his back for 2 more to end it at 1:49.

The other bronze at 60kg went to Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), who was back on the Asian scene for the first time since winning the 55kg gold in 2022, the same year he won a world bronze.

Shiotani hit a 4-point throw from par terre, good enough for a 5-1 win over two-time former Asian U23 champion Haodong TAN (CHN).

At 67kg, Mohsen Nezhad, a 2025 world U23 bronze medalist, gained his bronze without a fight, as he received a victory by default from world silver medalist Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), who had suffered an elbow injury in his quarterfinal loss to Beishekeev on Tuesday.

Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) captured his second career 67kg bronze when he fought back from behind three times to eventually come away with a 6-5 win over Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB).

A drag-by takedown in the final 30 seconds finally put Sahrawat over the top, after he had trailed 1-0, 3-2 and 5-3 during the match.

At 72kg, Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) saw his bid for a place in wrestling history harshly ended by Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB), who needed less than a minute to uncork a pair of 4-point throws in a 9-0 romp.

Narikuni, the 2022 champion at Freestyle 70kg, was looking to join the select group of wrestlers with Asian medals in both styles – a group that compatriot Kaisei TANABE (JPN) joined the previous day by taking a bronze at 63kg.

Ironically, last December, Narikuni had pipped Tanabe in each’s bid to become the first wrestler in 52 years to complete the Freestyle-Greco double at the All-Japan Championships. Narikuni did it by also winning the Freestyle 70kg title, while Tanabe fell short by finishing third at 65kg.

Narikuni will be returning to the Bishkek mat on Friday for the Freestyle 70kg qualification rounds as he attempts to bounce back from his Greco disappointment. Narikuni also won the world gold in Freestyle in 2022, but his attempt to repeat that feat in Greco last year in Zagreb ended in the first round.

Dongyu LI (CHN) took the other bronze at 72kg on Wednesday with a somewhat odd victory by fall over Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ).

After breaking out to a 5-0 lead with two rolls from par terre, Li secured double underhooks and pancaked Ismailov to his back for 4 points.

Having achieved a win by technical superiority, Li stood up and thrust his fists in the air in triumph, only to notice that Ismailov was still lying on his back. Li then hopped on top of his prone opponent for an easy fall in 2:40.

At 82kg, Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM) became the third wrestler from Turkmenistan to make it to a bronze-medal match in Greco and have a chance to become the country’s first medalist since 2018, and the third to come up short.

Kakabayev never really had a chance against PRINCE (IND), who reeled off four rolls in a row from par terre en route to a 10-1 victory. That gave Prince a senior Asian bronze a year after winning one on the U20 level.

The other 82kg match saw veteran and former Asian champion Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) earn his fourth straight Asian medal and second straight bronze with a 5-3 victory over Rui LIU (CHN).

Magomadov, the 2023 champion at 72kg and a bronze medalist last year at 77kg, hit a 4-point throw from par terre in the first period, then held on after giving up a 2-point penalty in the second.

At 97kg, Zagreb Ranking Series silver medalist Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), the 2024 world U20 champion at 82kg, never gave Minho LEE (KOR) a chance, spinning behind for a takedown then chalking up a combination of exposures and rolls for a 9-0 victory in 1:27.

Zegang WANG (CHN) was equally dominant in taking the other 97kg bronze with an 11-1 victory over Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) in his Asian debut.

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Se Ung RI (PRK) by Fall, 5:06 (6-1)

BRONZE: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Haodong TAN (CHN), 5-1
BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) by TS, 10-0, 1:49

67kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN), 8-2

BRONZE: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) df. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) by Inj. Def.
BRONZE: Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) df. Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 6-5

72kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Javad REZAEI (IRI) by Fall, 1:50 (2-1)

BRONZE: Dongyu LI (CHN) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) by Fall, 2:40 (9-0)
BRONZE: Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) df. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) by TS, 9-0, :48

82kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Amin HOSSEINI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Rui LIU (CHN), 5-3
BRONZE: PRINCE (IND) df. Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM) by TS, 10-1, 2:06

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Hadi SARAVI (IRI) df. NITESH (IND), 7-1

BRONZE: Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) df. Minho LEE (KOR) by TS, 9-0, 1:27
BRONZE: Zegang WANG (CHN) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by TS, 11-1, 4:11

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Son Hyang KIM (PRK) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), 12-8
SF 2: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TS, 8-0, 2:00

55kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) by TS, 10-0, 1:33
SF 2: Yuxuan LI (CHN) df. Hansika LAMBA (IND) by TS, 11-1, 5:54

59kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. NEHA (IND), 12-5
SF 2: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) df. Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) by TS, 10-0, 4:00

68kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 1-1
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL), 7-0

76kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) by TS, 11-0, 1:03
SF 2: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 7-2

Rising Star Fujinami Earns Ticket to Oslo Worlds for Senior International Debut

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Badaghimofrad Claims Historic Asian Gold for Qatar