#WrestleAlmaty

Susaki and Higuchi Poised to Returned to Japan's Starting Lineup

By Eric Olanowski

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (March 31) -- Japanese stars Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) are poised to make their return to the starting lineup at next week's Asian Olympic Qualifier (April 9-11).

Susaki will represent Japan at 50kg for the first time since the '19 Women’s Wrestling World Cup, where she went 2-0 and scored wins over Yanan SUN (CHN) and Whitney CONDER (USA). Higuchi, on the other hand, will make his 57kg debut in Japan's lineup for the first time since winning a silver medal at the '16 Olympic Games. 

Susaki, the two-time world champion, fell to Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a ’19 playoff and lost her starting spot on Japan’s ’19 world championship team. But, in surprising fashion, Irie dropped a barn-burning quarterfinal-match in Nur-Sultan to Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sun and squandered the opportunity to qualify the Tokyo Games host nation at 50kg. This left the door open for Susaki to make a last-ditch effort to reclaim her starting spot, and hopefully, compete at the Olympic Games in her home country.

Susaki regained her starting spot and the right to represent Japan at the Asian Olympic Qualifier by winning gold at the ’19 December All-Japan Championships.

Meanwhile, Higuchi will return to international competition at 57kg for the first time since the '16 Rio Olympic Games. The energetic fan-favorite is best known for his unbelievable showing in Rio where he put on an absolute show en route to a surprising run to the finals. Higuchi won four matches in Brazil before ultimately falling to Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in the gold medal match.

Since that magical run in Rio, Higuchi has competed at 61kg and 65kg. But after falling to Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in a Japan wrestle-off, Higuchi was forced to move back down to 57kg to keep a dream alive of improving his silver to Olympic gold. He defeated ’17 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI at the All Japan Championships and earned his right to represent Japan at 57kg.

The Asian Olympic Qualifiers kicks off on April 9-11 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Greco-Roman action starts on Friday, followed by women's wrestling on Saturday, and freestyle closes out the competition on Sunday. 

50kg Women's Wrestling Entries
Seema SEEMA (IND)
Misaki YOSHIBA (JPN)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

57kg Freestyle Entries
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Ahmed Jawad Kadhim AL ZAIDAWI (IRQ)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Kodai OGAWA (JPN)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Hyeonsik SONG (KOR)
Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Allen Mitch ARCILLA (PHI)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

#wrestlebishkek

Asian U20 Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (July 4) -- The Asian U20 Championships begins on July 9 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Around 300 wrestlers are expected to participate in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle will close off the competition on July 13. For full schedule of the Asian U20 Championships, click here.

Note: These are preliminary entries and subject to change 72 hours before the draws of each style. For final entries and brackets, refer to UWW Arena.

Freestyle

57kg
Wanxing LYU (CHN)
ANKUSH (IND)
Arshia HADDADI (IRI)
Rikuto NAGAI (JPN)
Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ)
Azim ABDYKALYKOV (KGZ)
Inseong BAK (KOR)
Naran Ulzii BARKHAS (MGL)
Hayden ANCHETA (PHI)
Saihusein MALIKOV (TJK)
Kabe MATJANOV (TKM)
Chih Kai LU (TPE)
Asadbek SAIDTURAEV (UZB)

61kg
Jiayu HUANG (CHN)
Anuj VISHNOI (IND)
Abolfazl BAKHSHOUDEH (IRI)
Hyuga SATONAKA (JPN)
Allan ORALBEK (KAZ)
Askat TOKTOMATOV (KGZ)
Davaadorj ARIUNBOLD (MGL)
Muhammad WAHAB (PAK)
Ahlidin JABOROV (TJK)
Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Abdulloh KHABIBULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Yufei DING (CHN)
ASHWANI (IND)
Sajad PIRDAYEH (IRI)
Shina YASUMI (JPN)
Yeraly ZHENISSOV (KAZ)
Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
Jongpil YOON (KOR)
Janchivdorj TUVDUU (MGL)
Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK)
Ali AL MUTAWA (QAT)
Hakim GHOIBZODA (TJK)
Bagtyyar ANNAYEV (TKM)
You Wei LAI (TPE)
Komiljon YUSUFOV (UZB)

70kg
Jinrui LIU (CHN)
SOURABH (IND)
Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI)
Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN)
Sungkar SEIDAKHMET (KAZ)
Zalkarbek TABALDIEV (KGZ)
Ankh Erdene ALTANGEREL (MGL)
Sohail KHAN (PAK)
Muhammadfoteh OLIMOV (TJK)
Batyr BEGENJOV (TKM)
Javokhir CHULIBOYEV (UZB)

74kg
Jinpeng ZHU (CHN)
VIVEK (IND)
Mohammad MAMIVAND (IRI)
Yujin TAKIZAWA (JPN)
Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ)
Ilim ZHUMABEKOV (KGZ)
Yong SHIN (KOR)
Burenjargal BATBAYAR (MGL)
Saad AL SULAITI (QAT)
Muhammadamin ABDULOEV (TJK)
Vatan ANNAORAZOV (TKM)
Jeng CHUAN (TPE)
Umarkhon MUYDINOV (UZB)

79kg
Guanpeng XIAO (CHN)
AMIT (IND)
Abolfazl Mehdi SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)
Natsura OKAZAWA (JPN)
Askhab KHAJIYEV (KAZ)
Zhakshylyk BAITASHOV (KGZ)
Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Jorullo ABDUFATTOKHOV (UZB)

86kg
Chunchen LIU (CHN)
SACHIN (IND)
Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI)
Rintaro INOUE (JPN)
Navruz AKHMEDKHANOV (KAZ)
Elnur AKYBAEV (KGZ)
Juhwan LEE (KOR)
Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Dovletgeldi MYRADOV (TKM)
Nodirbek ABDULLAEV (UZB)

92kg
Iqbal AHMADI (AFG)
Hairui YUE (CHN)
SACHIN (IND)
Toohid NOORY (IRI)
Yuya YOSHIDA (JPN)
Samir DURSUNOV (KAZ)
Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ)
Bayarbaatar ERDENEMUNKH (MGL)
Orazmuhammet HOJALYYEV (TKM)
Sherzod POYONOV (UZB)

97kg
Jiawei LI (CHN)
VISHAL (IND)
Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI)
Genki HOKI (JPN)
Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)
Aitenir MAKSATOV (KGZ)
Yujun LEE (KOR)
Temuujin ENKHMEND (MGL)
Muhammetdurdy MUHAMMETDURDYYEV (TKM)
Mukhammadjon ISMOILJONOV (UZB)

125kg
Maysam SHAH QOL (AFG)
Ruijie LI (CHN)
Jaspooran SINGH (IND)
Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI)
Akinari ORIYAMA (JPN)
Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)
Sulde DONGAK (KGZ)
Baejoon JANG (KOR)
Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL)
Eldorbek KHASANOV (UZB)

Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) is the defending champion at Greco-Roman 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Zongyao WU (CHN)
NITIN (IND)
Payam AHMADI (IRI)
Masatora HONDA (JPN)
Yerassyl MUSSAN (KAZ)
Kutman KALBAEV (KGZ)
Nuryagdy DOVRANOV (TKM)
Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB)

60kg
Dahua XIONG (CHN)
SURAJ (IND)
Seyediman HOSSEINI (IRI)
Sota SAKAKI (JPN)
Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)
Erbol OZGONOV (KGZ)
Jueui YANG (KOR)
Muteb ALMUWALLAD (KSA)
Abbosjon TURAQULOV (TJK)
Husniddin ULUGBEKOV (TKM)
Shu Wei CHUNG (TPE)
Khurshidbek NORMUKHAMMADOV (UZB)

63kg
Xiaoli FAN (CHN)
VARUN (IND)
Mohammad ABOUTALEBI (IRI)
Kazuto FURUICHI (JPN)
Yesbol SHAMILOV (KAZ)
Emirlan DUISHENALIEV (KGZ)
Haitham BARAHMAH (KSA)
Muhammadjon ABDULOEV (TJK)
Kemal KAKABAYEV (TKM)
Ming Han SHEN (TPE)
Sardor KHOLMURZAEV (UZB)

67kg
Zhengye HAN (CHN)
YOGESH (IND)
Gholamreza ABDOVALI (IRI)
Taisei MAEDA (JPN)
Alibek TURLYGAZY (KAZ)
Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ)
Mingun JEONG (KOR)
Sunat ABDULLOEV (TJK)
Ding Jen HUANG (TPE)
Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB)

72kg
Rihao YAN (CHN)
Akash PUNIA (IND)
Amir SAEIDI (IRI)
Kento NOMURA (JPN)
Alikhan DURSUNOV (KAZ)
Ilgis KANYBEKOV (KGZ)
Anvarjon JURAEV (TJK)
Kaka CHARYYEV (TKM)
Ahmad KODIROV (UZB)

77kg
Wentao RAO (CHN)
Sachin KUMAR (IND)
Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI)
Fuga MISAIZU (JPN)
Omar DUISEMBEK (KAZ)
Adilet ABYKEEV (KGZ)
Juwan CHOI (KOR)
Ali A MAJRASHI (KSA)
Kemal BERDILIYEV (TKM)
Jeng Jung CHUAN (TPE)
Bekmurod RUSTAMOV (UZB)

82kg
Zheying SONG (CHN)
PRINCE (IND)
Alireza MOHAMMAD (IRI)
Aito TANGE (JPN)
Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)
Mirsaid IUNUSOV (KGZ)
Majd M HAWSAWI (KSA)
Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB)

87kg
Xinyu LIU (CHN)
ROHIT (IND)
Hamidreza KESHTKAR (IRI)
Rondo KODAMA (JPN)
Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ)
Asylbek NIIAZBEK UULU (KGZ)
Kangju LEE (KOR)
Chen Feng SUNG (TPE)
Bobur ABDURASULOV (UZB)

97kg
Yikai KAN (CHN)
NAMAN (IND)
Mohammad SEYDI (IRI)
Koki MATSUMOTO (JPN)
Beibit KORGANOV (KAZ)
Rustam SADYKOV (KGZ)
Jaeno CHOI (KOR)
Javohir KHUJAEV (UZB)

130kg
Yeersheng YEERGEN (CHN)
Joginder RATHEE (IND)
Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)
Taiki IWASAWA (JPN)
Ilya BORODAY (KAZ)
Talasbek BOOBEKOV (KGZ)
Seunggyu MIN (KOR)
Amirkhon BERDIKULOV (UZB)

Mansi LATHER (IND)Senior Asian Championships bronze medalist Mansi LATHER (IND) is aiming for her first Asian U20 gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Shenyu LIU (CHN)
SHRUTI (IND)
Mai OGAWA (JPN)
Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ)
Dilnaz ABDYKADYROVA (KGZ)
Nilufar NURMUKHAMMADOVA (UZB)

53kg
Xiaole HAN (CHN)
SAARIKA (IND)
Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN)
Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ)
Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ)
Roeun SONG (KOR)
Ya Hsin CHEN (TPE)
Khusniobod SULTANNAZIROVA (UZB)

55kg
Huiyi WEI (CHN)
REENA (IND)
Yuna SAWATANI (JPN)
Aida ALZHAN (KAZ)
Aziza SHUMKAROVA (KGZ)
Odonchimeg TSEVEEN (MGL)
Yi Hsuan TSENG (TPE)
Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB)

57kg
Xinyu WANG (CHN)
Neha SHARMA (IND)
Rin KINOSHITA (JPN)
Anna STRATAN (KAZ)
Akylai SATYBAEVA (KGZ)
Eunso CHO (KOR)
Yu Hsuan CHENG (TPE)
Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB)

59kg
YANGJIBAZONG (CHN)
Ashlesha BAGADE (IND)
Sae NOGUCHI (JPN)
Akmarzhan MAYABAS (KAZ)
Aidai NURUDINOVA (KGZ)
Erdenebolor LKHAGVASUREN (MGL)
Kai Yi LI (TPE)
Ulbiyke KARLYBAEVA (UZB)

62kg
Zhengwei MA (CHN)
ANJLI (IND)
Hana YOSHIKAWA (JPN)
Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ)
Manzura ZHUSUEVA (KGZ)
Yeyeon LEE (KOR)
Gundegmaa ENKHBAATAR (MGL)
Tzu Ling WU (TPE)
Nigina SABIROVA (UZB)

65kg
Sangquzhen GE (CHN)
MUSKAN (IND)
Ayana HISHINUMA (JPN)
Kyzzhibek ZHARKYNBAYEVA (KAZ)
Asel ZHAPAROVA (KGZ)
Narkhajid NYAMSUREN (MGL)
Kang Yu CHIANG (TPE)
Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB)

68kg
Wenjin QIU (CHN)
Mansi LATHER (IND)
Haruka KOBARU (JPN)
Uldana TILEUKHAN (KAZ)
Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ)
Yeonwoo SONG (KOR)
Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL)
Enejan YOLDASHOVA (TKM)
Sheng Fang CAI (TPE)
Iroda TURDYMURATOVA (UZB)

72kg
Yawen WEI (CHN)
HARSHITA (IND)
Ai SAKAI (JPN)
Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ)
Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ)
Oyun Erdene ENKHBAATAR (MGL)
Nazik BAZAROVA (TKM)
Saodat TURAEVA (UZB)

76kg
Saihan AO (CHN)
KAJAL (IND)
Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN)
Meruyert NAZARBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aizharkyn ZHANYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL)
Gulnaz BAKYYEVA (TKM)
Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB)