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

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

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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
 

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 1 Highlights

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 06:57 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 18) -- The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 are the sixth edition of the Games and are being held in Riyadh. The first day of wrestling saw four Greco-Roman weight class -- 60kg, 67kg, 77kg and 87kg.

Olympic and world champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) needed an insane comeback to beat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the 67kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won golds at 60kg, 77kg and 87kg with rather ease.

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12:35: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) finds a way to score a takedown with a 30 seconds remaining and beat Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), 7-6, in the 87kg semifinal. Zhanyshov was leading 6-5 at the break. Farokhi, struggling slightly with his conditioning, wrapped his arm around Zhanyshov's waist before slamming him on the mat for two points.

12:30: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) takes out Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) in the 67kg semifinals and sets up a mouth-watering final against Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)

12:25: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) bounces back from 2-0 down to beat Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) 5-3 in the 87kg semifinal and reach final.

12:20: Olympic champion Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) lifts Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) against gravity and completes the suplex for four points. He once again hits the four-pointers and wins his 67kg semifinal 9-0.

12:10: Alisher GANIEV (AZE) makes it to the final at 60kg after an 8-0 win over Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI). Big four-pointer in that match from Ganiev. He will face Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) for the gold medal.

11:51: Former world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) starts off with a Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK) and moves into the semifinals at 87kg. Too easy for him.

11:50: World 82kg champion Gholamreza FAROKHISENJANI     (IRI), who moved up to 87kg and won U23 World Championships gold as well, begins with a 3-0 win over Islam ABBASOV (AZE) at 87kg in Riyadh

11:45: Olympic champion Saied ESMAEILI (IRI), placed directly in the quarterfinals, starts with a big 8-0 win over Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) at 67kg. He is expected to face Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the final, a rematch of the final at World Championships.

11:24: World 63kg champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB), who had move up to 67kg for the Games, beats Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), 5-2, and moves into the semifinals

11:10: Quarterfinal at 67kg between Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) and Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ). The first par terre advantage goes to Beishekeev who scores two points using a front headlock. Jafarov gets the par terre in second period and scores two turns and leads 5-3, which will be his winning score as well.

10:52: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) hangs on for 1-1 Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) victory having got the first criteria.

10:45: Big match at 60kg as Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) faces U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB). Ganiev with a over-under control and hits a throw for two points to lead 2-0. Mammadli tries to find some attacks going but fails to get Ganiev down. Ganiev goes into the break leading 2-0. Mammadli is put in par terre in the second period, giving Ganiev 3-0 lead. Mammadli goes down in the quarterfinals as Ganiev defends his 3-0 lead and wins at 60kg.

10:30: Olympic bronze medalist and world silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) gets going with a 9-0 victory over Ashraf ASLAM ZADA (AFG) at 67kg.

10:25: Amir ABDI (IRI) hits a front headlock throw for four and then a turn for two to win 8-0 against 72kg world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) in their 77kg bout. Just one minute and 35 seconds needed for him to win 9-0.

10:21: World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), who has not wrestled in international competition since the Paris 2024, returns to mat in Riyadh. In his first bout at 77kg, he warms up with an 9-0 technical superiority over Sami SLAMA (TUN).

10:10: European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) gets the first par terre position and then scores the four gut-wrenches to win 9-0 against Latuf MADI (COM) in the first bout at 60kg.

10:00: Hello from Riyadh! The first day of wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 and there will four Greco-Roman weight classes in action.