Susaki, Okuno Repeat as Japan Finishes With 4 Gold Medals in Women's Wrestling

Thursday, October 25, 2018 - 19:40 By Andrew Hipps

BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 25) -- A pair of 19-year-olds repeated as world champions and closed out a dominating team performance for Japan in women's wrestling at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Haruna OKUNO (JPN) both won by technical fall in their gold-medal matches on Thursday to give team champion Japan two more gold medalists in women's wrestling and four overall in Budapest.

Susaki made it two senior world titles in two tries as she dominated three-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 10-0 in the gold-medal match at 50kg. She scored the first takedown by countering a Stadnik attack. Susaki then used a gut wrench to go up 4-0. Another takedown by Susaki made the score 6-0 at the break. She then ended the match with a takedown and gut wrench.

Susaki completely dominated her competition in Budapest, winning by fall in her first match and then picking up three straight technical falls without surrendering a point.

In addition to the two senior world titles, Susaki has won a junior world title and three cadet world titles.

Okuno cruised to a 10-0 technical fall over top-seeded Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) in the gold-medal match at 53kg. The match was competitive early with Okuno leading 2-0 at the break. But Okuno turned it up in the second period, picking up three takedowns and a turn to close out the technical fall.

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) denied Japan a third gold medal on Thursday as she defeated Yukako KAWAI (JPN) 6-2 in the gold-medal match at 62kg. It's Yusein's first world title after coming close multiple times. The 27-year-old previously won two world silver medals and two world bronze medals.

Yusein scored a takedown a minute into the gold-medal match and used a trap-arm gut wrench to quickly go up 6-0. The score stayed that way until the final seconds when Kawai added a late takedown to avoid being shut out.

Ningning RONG (CHN) came through to win the world title at 57kg, edging top-seeded Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) in a battle of returning world fifth-place finishers. Dudova scored first off the shot clock, but Rong took the lead after scoring a point off a caution. The 21-year-old Rong added to her lead in the second period with a takedown. Dudova scored a late two but Rong held the criteria and captured the gold medal.

Yanan SUN (CHN) added her forth world-level medal, claiming a bronze medal at 50kg with a 10-0 technical fall over Sonhyang KIM (PRK). She now has world medals in each of the colors to go along with an Olympic bronze medal.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR) won her first senior medal after winning three junior world medals and two cadet world medals. She topped Ritu RITU (IND) 10-5 for a bronze medal at 50kg.

The bronze medals at 53kg were won by Diana WEICKER (CAN) and Qianyu PANG (CHN). Weicker defeated multiple-time world medalist Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) 3-2. Pang edged Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) 2-1.

At 57kg, Pooja DHANDA gave India its first women's freestyle world medal in six years by defeating Grace BULLEN (NOR), a junior world medalist and cadet world champion, 10-7 in the bronze-medal match. Dhanda used two four-point moves -- one in each period -- to pace her to the victory.

Emese BARKA (HUN) gave the Hungarian fans something to cheer about as she captured her third bronze medal by shutting out Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) 6-0 at 57kg.

Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) halted Hungary's bid for another medal in women's wrestling as she shut out 2013 world champion Marianna SASTIN (HUN) 2-0 in a bronze-medal match 62kg. Tkach has now won world medals in two straight years as she won a silver medal in Paris.

Mallory VELTE (USA) defeated Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) 2-1 in the other bronze-medal match at 62kg to give USA its fourth medal in women's wrestling this week. Velte scored both of her points off the shot clock.

Japan finished with 156 points to take the team title in women's wrestling. China finished second with 119, followed by the United States with 103.

Finals Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Yanan SUN (CHN) df. Sonhyang KIM (PRK) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Ritu RITU (IND) by VPO1, 10-5

53kg
GOLD: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) by VSU, 11-0
BRONZE: Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) by VPO1, 2-1
BRONZE: Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) by VPO1, 3-2

57kg
GOLD: Ningning RONG (CHN) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) by VPO1, 3-3
BRONZE: Pooja DHANDA (IND) df. Grace BULLEN (NOR) by VPO1, 10-7
Emese BARKA (HUN) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) by VPO, 6-0

62kg
GOLD: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Yukako KAWAI (JPN) by VPO1, 6-2
BRONZE: Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) by VPO1, 2-1
BRONZE: Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) by VPO, 2-0

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - 13:40 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 31) -- Clashing in an all-Iranian final at 74kg at the Ulaanbaatar Open with the spot on the Iranian team for World Championships on the line, Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Yones EMAMI (IRI) made it to the final after some tough bouts.

Head coach Pejman DOROSTKAR did not sit in any corner and the second coaches did not shout instruction, the case in most bouts which involves qualification for a national team.

While Emami was the favorite, Yazdani was the challenger. Emami has been here before. Yazdani wanted to prove he belongs at 74kg.

And he had planned it perfectly -- don't let the score get out of hands and then go all-out in the final minute against Emami. It all worked well until the final minute.

Emami brought his top-notch defense to the mat to deny Yazdani an opening and then tactically did not engage with Yazdani in last 30 seconds to win the final, the spot on Iran team and deny Yazdani a bid to make the World Championships in Zagreb.

The final was not spectacular as it did not have big moves or crafty scrambles. It began with both wrestlers being called passive by the referee in the first minute.

But Yazdani was given the second warning before Emami in the first period and the latter took a 1-0 lead at the break. As the bout resumed, Yazdani scored a stepout early in the second period to take a 1-1 criteria lead. Emami answered with a stepout and took a clear 2-1 lead.

Yazdani was unfazed despite falling behind as it was still under control as he has planned. Then came the burst of attacks to score a takedown. He got a single-leg attack and almost put Emami down. But as he back peddled, Yazdani went out of bounds and then fell on his knees before he could get Emami out. Emami was awarded a point which made it 3-1 but Yazdani challenged the call.

The initial call of one point for Emami was upheld and Yazdani lost the challenge, adding another point to Emami's score which was now 4-1.

With 36 seconds remaining, Yazdani still went for the kill and as Emami was evading, Yazdani was giving two points on different occasions but that was all Yazdani got as he dropped the final and a chance to be in the Iran team for Zagreb.

While Emami did not celebrate the win, Yazdani failed to hold his tears back on the podium as he was awarded the silver medal.

"Amirmohammad is my friend and brother," Emami said. "We train together a lot, so we’re pretty familiar with each other’s wrestling style. That’s why this match was a bit tough."

One of the biggest differences in the bout Emami's defense which made Yazdani, who had recently switched from 70kg to 74kg, work harder for any points.

"I had thought about it [defense] during practice and even throughout the day trying to fix my weaknesses," he said. "I used to give away points too easily, but I had improved a bit here, and I hope I can keep getting better from this point on."

Emami now has a bigger challenge -- to win a medal for Iran at the World Championships at 74kg.

"The World Championships are definitely at a higher and tougher level," he said. "We take part in training camps and practice under the supervision of the coaching staff."

There was a third Iranian -- Noorali ABOUZARI (IRI) -- in the fray to make the team but he lost to JAIDEEP (IND), who won bronze medal at 74kg.

The other bronze medal at 74kg went to Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), who almost defeated Yazdani in the semifinal. Toktomambetov led 6-4 with 10 seconds remaining when Yazdani got behind and scored a turn to finish the bout 6-6 and win on criteria.

Two other Freestyle weight classes were also in action on Saturday and Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW) at 92kg and Osman GOCEN (TUR) at 86kg won gold medals.

At 86kg, Osman GOCEN (TUR) won gold medal after he defeated Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) 7-0 while Saadulaev won gold medal Asian silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) injury defaulted in Round 5 back at 92kg.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), via inj. def.
BRONZE: JAIDEEP (IND) df. Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL), via fall

86kg
GOLD: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL), 7-0

BRONZE: Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL) df. Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Deepak PUNIA (IND)
BRONZE: Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN

Susaki, Okuno Repeat as Japan Finishes With 4 Gold Medals in Women's Wrestling

Comments

Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships