#BudaWrestle2018

Sidakov Stuns Burroughs and Chamizo; Deng Notches One for China

Saturday, October 20, 2018 - 17:52 By Eric Olanowski

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BUDAPEST, Hungry (October 20) – On a day that saw three Olympic champions stumble it was youngsters from Russia and Georgia who proved to be the stabilizing antidote to chaos on the first day of wrestling at the 2018 Wrestling World Championships at the Papps Laszlo SportArena in Budapest.

Leading the way for Russia were wunderkinds Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (57kg) and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (74), both only 22 years old. While Rashidov was dominant throughout the day, Sidakov had arguably the toughest road to the finals, needing to defeat four-time world champion and Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS in the quarterfinals and then defeated two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in the semifinals.

The Georgian effort was spearheaded by defending world champion Geno PATRIASHVILI (125kg) who battled through back-to-back tense matches with Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) and Parviz HADI (IRI) to earn his second straight trip to the world finals. His finals compatriot, Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 22, breezed through the semifinals, earning a chest lock and fall in the second period against 2018 European Champion Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR).

DENG Zhiwei made history at 125kg, becoming the first freestyle wrestler from China to make the world finals. 

“I’m always having dreams about wrestling, and I’ve dedicated my life to the sport for the past 16 years…Now I get to bring honor to my country,” said Deng. 

Russia would have placed a third in tomorrow night’s finals were it not for an unlikely series of comebacks by David TAYLOR (USA). The fast-paced, rubber-kneed American had a career day, starting with an 11-6 decision over 2016 Olympic Champion Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI). Taylor trailed 6-2 at the end of the first period before rattling off nine unanswered points to earn the win. 

Taylor faced Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) the semifinals, where early in the match he took a swinging heel to the lower jaw, unbalancing him and briefly stopping the match. Rattled, but undeterred, Taylor fought on, but trailed 5-1 heading into the second period. But as he did against Yazdanicharati, Taylor found another level and immediately began attacking, eventually securing three takedowns and a pushout for the 7-5 victory. 

After the match, Taylor said, “I’d trade a kick in the face for a world championship any day.”  He then dedicated his victory to a training partner and teammate who was severely injured last month during a training session in the United States.

“Perry Strong. Strong like Rich Perry. He’s a fighter.” said Taylor. 

Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) throws Joseph COLON (USA) in the 61kg world semifinals. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

When fan-favorite and two-time world bronze medalist BONNE-RODRIGUEZ (CUB) made his international debut at the 2005 Pan-American Championships, Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) was only 9 years old. 

They’ll meet tomorrow night for the 61kg gold medal.

Sunday night’s finals will be the first time that the 34 year old Cuban has made a gold-medal bout, while Rashidov is looking to rebound from his silver medal performance from last year's World Championships.  

Tomorrow’s wrestling action starts at 10:30 am with championship action in 57kg, 65kg, 79, g and 92kg along with repechage from today’s weight categories. 

Finals will start at 7 pm local.

RESULTS 

61kg 
GOLD - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) vs. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB)

SEMIFINAL - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 10 - 0
SEMIFINAL - Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. Joseph Daniel COLON (USA), 9-4

74kg 
GOLD - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) vs. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)

SEMIFINAL - Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 8 - 1
SEMIFINAL - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA), 3-2 

86kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR)

SEMIFINAL - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) df. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS), 7 - 5
SEMIFINAL - Fatih ERDIN (TUR) df. Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)

125kg 
GOLD - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Zhiwei DENG (CHN)

SEMIFINAL - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Parviz Khodavirdi HADIBASMANJ (IRI), 13 - 6
SEMIFINAL - Zhiwei DENG (CHN) df. Sumit SUMIT (IND)

#JapanWrestling

Two-time Olympic champ Risako Kinjo brings curtain down on stellar career

Sunday, October 12, 2025 - 23:14 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 12) -- Risako KINJO (JPN), who won two Olympic gold medals under her maiden name of Kawai before capturing a fourth world title last year after giving birth, officially announced her retirement over the weekend.

"I felt that I had experienced everything that was good about being a wrestler," the 31-year-old Kinjo told the Japanese media Sunday on bringing down the curtain on one of wrestling's most sterling careers. "I felt fulfilled and happy with a life in which wrestling was my passion."

Kinjo also revealed that she is pregnant with her second child as she spoke to the media at the Japan Women's Open in Akitsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, where she was coaching younger sister Yukako TSUNEMURA (JPN), who was returning to the mat for the first time since becoming a mother herself.

Kinjo first announced her retirement on her Instagram account on Saturday night, stating that in the 24 years since she started wrestling at age 7, "I have had good experiences and bad, highs and lows. But to win four world championships and two consecutive Olympics was all due to the support and encouragement of many people. I thank them all."

Kinjo first struck Olympic gold at 63kg at Rio in 2016, then won out in a duel that captivated the wrestling world with fellow Rio and four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) for the 57kg spot at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she took home a second gold.

Of the clash of the titans with Icho, Kawai remarked, "I had no more difficult period than that. I'm glad I was able to experience it."

In the Tokyo semifinals, Kinjo had to face yet another Rio gold medalist in Helen MAROULIS (USA), who had moved up from 53kg. Kinjo came away with a 2-1 win, then defeated Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) 5-0 for the gold.

With Yukako also winning the 62kg gold, it elevated the Kawai sisters to celebrity status in the host country. The two got their start in the sport at the kids' club run by their mother. Both of their parents were national-level wrestlers.

Soon after Tokyo, Risako married former wrestler Kiryu KINJO, and in May 2022, gave birth to a baby girl. Instead of settling down to a domestic life, motherhood lit a fresh flame to continue the sport.

"I had originally planned to win the Tokyo Olympics and then retire gracefully," Kinjo said. "I even told people around me that I would quit after the Tokyo Olympics. But when I got married and got pregnant, I felt that my body wasn't only my own, and I wanted to continue wrestling.

"While I was pregnant, I watched Yukako's matches and thought to myself, 'If it were me, I would do it like this,' so after my child was born, I decided to try it again."

Her bid to win a third straight Olympic gold in Paris, however, was derailed by the reigning world 57kg champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), who went on to triumph in the French capital.

Rebuffing speculation that the loss would mark her swan song, she showed her passion for the sport by sticking around. With the incentive of wanting to have her daughter see her compete and make some history, she had no qualms about moving into the non-Olympic weight of 59kg.

She suffered a setback of sorts at the Asian Championships in April 2024, when she lost to Qi ZHANG (CHN) in the semifinals and had to settle for a bronze medal.

But she righted the ship at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in October that year in Tirana, Albania, where she cruised into the 59kg final and defeated Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) 4-2.

"No one from Japan had ever achieved becoming a 'world No. 1 as a mama', and it would be ideal if I could do it," Kinjo recalled thinking. "When I accomplished it at the World Championships last October, as soon as it was over I thought there is nothing else that I want."

That victory added to the three consecutive senior world golds that she won from 2017 to 2019. She also has a silver from 2015, and her laurels include a world cadet (U17) gold and two world junior (U20) titles, and she was a four-time Asian champion.

Kinjo was a star at Shigakkan University during its golden era as the elite powerhouse of women's wrestling in Japan, also producing such greats as Icho, Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), Eri TOSAKA (JPN), Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) and Sara DOSHO (JPN).

Looking ahead, she says her focus will be on raising her new baby while staying involved in the sport.

"Right now I am eight months pregnant, and first and foremost I will put my full efforts into proper childcare. And at the same time, I will be Yukako's coach and always maintain a link to wrestling," she said.

At the Japan Women's Open, a second-tier event that offers qualifying spots at the All-Japan Championships, Yukako showed she still has some rust to be knocked off. Entered at 59kg, she won her first two matches before falling to high schooler Miuna KIMURA (JPN) 4-1 in the semifinals.

The tournament also saw the return of Sakurai for her first competition since winning the gold in Paris. She needed three wins to take the 57kg title, defeating collegian Himeka HASEGAWA (JPN) 5-0 in the final.