#WrestleAlmaty

Susaki Secures Olympic Spot as Japan, China Fill Missing Women's Berths

Saturday, April 10, 2021 - 10:32 By Ken Marantz

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AL:MATY, Kazakhstan (April 10) -- After waiting a year for her chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) needed just over six minutes over three matches to secure the coveted spot.

Susaki won all three of her round-robin matches by technical fall in the women's 50kg class, assuring a top-two finish going into her final match to be held at the night session of Asian Olympic qualifying tournament on Saturday.

"Getting here was a long, tough road," Susaki said. "Really, it was because of the support and cooperation from a lot of people that I am here now."

Having achieved her primary goal of taking home an Olympic ticket from the Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports in Almaty, Susaki will now aim to add the 50kg title when she faces Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in the de facto gold-medal match.

Tsogt Ochir also won all of her three matches inside the distance to set up a showdown for bragging rights with Susaki in the fifth round of matches.

The 50kg class was the only one that Japan did not secure an Olympic spot at the 2019 World Championships in Nursultan. With Susaki's performance, the Olympic host will now be sending a full slate of six wrestlers in the women's competition.

China will also have a presence in all six weight classes after filling the two slots it had missed out on in Nursultan, with Jia LONG (CHN) advancing to the semifinals at 62kg  and Feng ZHOU (CHN) doing likewise at 68kg, although the latter had some bumps along the way.

Because the Asian nations secured so many women's Olympic berths at the Nursultan worlds -- a total of 16 -- all weight classes in Almaty had no more than seven entries and were competed using preliminary groups. The 50kg and 76kg have only five entries each, meaning a straight round-robin competition without semifinals or finals.

Mongolia, which gained just one Olympic spot in Nursultan, picked up three more, and could add another depending on how Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) fares in her final match at 76kg. India and Uzbekistan could also gain a place.

At this point, India and Kyrgyzstan have both clinched two berths each, while host Kazakhstan gained one through an inspired performance from veteran Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ), who will be returning to the Olympics after a 13-year absence.

Susaki had missed the 2019 World Championships after losing out on a place on the Japan team to rival Yuki IRIE (JPN), who remains the only wrestler on the planet to have defeated the 21-year-old. But when Irie failed to finish among the top six, it reopened the door to the Tokyo Games for Susaki.

She did not waste the opportunity, and avenged the loss the Irie at the 2019 All-Japan Championships to earn a ticket to the Asian Olympic qualifier. When the coronavirus pandemic hit the world, she along with the rest of the sporting world had to endure delays and postponements.

"I went through hard times when all hope had been lost about going to the Olympics," Susaki said. "It was very difficult. But going through that experience made me stronger."

Susaki started her campaign with a 50-second 10-0 technical fall over Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB), then followed that an 11-0 technical fall in 1:55 over Miran CHEON (KOR). In the latter, she mixed things up a bit by adding a gut wrench to her trademark lace lock.

The berth at the Olympics -- where the wrestling competition will be held in her native Chiba Prefecture --became hers with a no-messing-around 10-0 technical fall over Seema SEEMA (IND) in 3:25. The only reason the match lasted so long was that Susaki spent the latter half of the first period trying gain a fall with a leg lock and crossface hold before time ran out.

In the 68kg semifinals, Zhou, a 2018 world bronze medalist, gave up an early takedown to Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), but stormed back with a pair of 4-point moves to win 12-2 technical fall in 3:32.

In the final, Zhou faces a rematch with Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), whom she defeated in their group match 7-5. In that match, Zhou trailed 5-1 with a minute left, then having cut the lead to 5-3, used a front headlock roll to score four points in the final 10 seconds.

Zhou was not in much of a mood to talk about her performance, only that she expects to do better in Tokyo. "I don't want to say anything," she said. "I will win the gold in Tokyo. That's it. Nothing else.

"I don't feel I expressed myself completely in this competition. But I think I can do better."

Zhumanazarova gained her Olympic place and advanced to the final after also spotting her opponent a lead, rebounding from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Nisha NISHA (IND) by 13-3 technical fall in 4:15. After tying the match at the end of the first period, Zhumanazarova gained a takedown then finished the match with four lock-lace rolls.

China's Long, who finished third at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone Tournament, used a slick ankle pick to pick apart 2014 world champion Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) in their 62kg semifinal, scoring a 10-0 technical fall in 4:27.

Long will also have a rematch in the final, but against an opponent who had defeated her earlier in the day. Young Sonam SONAM (IND), who beat Long 5-2, clinched her Olympic ticket by rebounding from a 6-0 deficit to forge out a 9-6 win over plucky Asian silver medalist Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ).

"The Kazakh girl was a very good wrestler and I was trailing 0-6, but I was confident of winning even after that," said Sonam, the 2019 world cadet champion. "This is incredible."

Sonam said that qualifying along with teammate Anshu ANSHU (IND), who made the final at 57kg, makes it all the more special.

"I train with Anshu, she is my partner and to qualify with her is great," Sonam said. "One of the best feelings."

For Anshu, her biggest battle might have been the one with the scale. She won all three of her matches by technical fall, capped by a 12-2 rout of  Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB).

"I was above weight and we reached Almaty just seven hours before weigh-in," Anshu said. "I was running at the airport in Tashkent to reduce weight. I just wanted to do it, qualify myself for Tokyo."

Her opponent in the final, Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), was equally dominant, as her 10-0 victory over Jieun UM (KOR) was her third technical fall of the day as well.

The award for gutsiet performance must go to Akhmetova Amanzhol, who endured a painful knee made worse in the semifinal to forge out an 11-1 technical fall over Hyungjoo KIM (KOR).

"When the bout finished, I was only thinking about going to Tokyo," Akhmetova Amanzhol said.

In the final, she will have a rematch of the most exciting bout of the day with Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), who advanced with a quick fall over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE).

In their group match, Bat Ochir led 8-1 when Akhmetova Amanzhol pancaked her onto her back for 4 points, and the Mongoila was only saved by the buzzer that ended the first period.

In the second period, the Kazakh went ahead 9-8 with a nifty 4-point back trip with Bat Ochir holding her leg in the air. With :02 left, Bat Ochir received 1 point for a stepout, then lost a challenge to have it revised to a takedown to give Akhmetova Amanzhol a 10-9 victory.

Akhmetova, now 35, will be returning to the Olympics for the first time since appearing at Beijing 2008, where she placed fifth at 48kg.

She showed she was still a force to be reckoned with at last year's Asian Championships, where she stunned two-time world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) in the final for her third Asian gold and first since 2014.

Women's wrestling results

50kg
Group Standings (through 4 rounds)
1. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) 3-0 (13 pts); 2. Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 3-0 (12 pts); 3. Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) 2-2 (8 pts); 4. Seema SEEMA (IND) 0-3 (1 pt); 5. Miran CHEON (KOR) 0-3 (1 pt).

Tsogt Ochir and Susaki clinch top two spots.

53kg
Semifinals
Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) df. Hyungjoo KIM (KOR) by TF, 11-1, 6:00
Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) by Fall, 1:16 (2-0)

57kg
Semifinals
Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) by TF, 12-2, 3:20
Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Jieun UM (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 1:52

62kg
Semifinals
Jia LONG (CHN) df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
Sonam SONAM (IND) df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 9-6

68kg
Semifinals
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Nisha NISHA (IND) by TF, 13-3, 4:15
Feng ZHOU (CHN) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR) by TF, 12-2, 3:32

76kg
Group Standings (through 4 rounds)
1. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 4-0 (16 pts); 2. Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) 2-1 (6 pts); 3. Pooja POOJA (IND) 1-2 (6 pts); 4. Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB) 1-2 (5 pts); 5. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) 0-3 (2 pts).

Medet Kyzy clinches first place.

#JapanWrestling

Kiyooka, Kusaka secure chance to add first world titles to Paris golds

Sunday, June 22, 2025 - 17:13 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (June 22) -- Kotaro KIYOOKA and Nao KUSAKA both lived up to their lofty status as Olympic champions. Now each will get a chance to add a first world title to their Paris gold.

Kiyooka and Kusaka, competing in their first major competition since triumphing at Paris 2024, both won titles on the final day of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships, then returned to mat to beat the same opponent in a playoff for this year's World Championships.

In one of the most anticipated duels of the tournament, Kiyooka, the Paris champion at freestyle 65kg, pulled off a double victory over former Nippon Sports Science University teammate and Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, whose chances were hampered by a knee injury in the playoff.

"It's my first time to be involved in a playoff and to face the same opponent twice on the same day," Kiyooka said. "It was a learning experience and a good opportunity."

Also Read: Motoki stuns Ozaki with last-second win in Japan's world team playoff

Kusaka, who has a 2023 world bronze to go along with his Paris gold at Greco 77kg, showed little effects of a recent back injury that curtailed his preparation in defeating Kodai SAKURABA to earn a ticket to the World Championships to be held Sept. 13-22 in Zagreb.

The four-day Meiji Cup at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym was serving as the second of two domestic qualifiers for the team to Zagreb, along with the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December. A victory at both tournaments earned an automatic spot, while a playoff was held at the end of each day to decide between separate winners.

Both Kiyooka and Kusaka had participated in the German Bundesliga in the autumn after the Paris Olympics, but otherwise had joined the vast majority of Japan's medalists who reaped the rewards of their new-found fame, attending special events and appearing on variety TV shows.

They, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg, were the only ones among Japan's eight gold medalists who decided to return to the mat in earnest at the Meiji Cup.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA scores four with a unique throw in the freestyle 65kg playoff with Kaisei TANABE. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

For the 24-year-old Kiyooka, making it to his first World Championships gives him a chance to prove that his victory in Paris was no fluke and that he is no one-hit wonder.

"Before the Olympics, the word out there was that I wouldn't win, but I managed to turn that idea on its head," Kiyooka said. "Still, I'm a champion who came out of the blue, so I'm really not the established king. I want to take the world title so that people both at home and abroad recognize that Kotaro Kiyooka is the true champion."

He and Tanabe, who won his first career Emperor's Cup title in December, have often sparred together in practice, but had never faced each other in an official match.

In an entertaining final that featured a constant tangle of legs and arms amid wild scrambles, Tanabe struck first with a takedown, but Kiyooka responded with a takedown-gut wrench combination to go into the second period ahead 4-2.

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Sydney Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, put the pressure on, but could only manage a late stepout as Kiyooka held on for a 4-3 victory.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA works for a takedown against Kaisei TANABE during the freestyle 65kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the playoff, Kiyooka opened with a stepout off a scramble, then received an activity point. But when he scored a stepout late in the period, Tanabe was slow to get up and indicated he had suffered a knee injury.

Tanabe bravely forged on and scored 2 off a counter lift off a Kiyooka takedown attempt, but Kiyooka kept his leg hold and made it 7-2 with an intriguing 4-point move.

With Tanabe on his back, Kiyooka stood straight up, then moved to the edge, where he launched an aerial cartwheel that caused Tanabe to land flat on his back.

"I wanted to lift him up and get a big point," Kiyooka said. "But Tanabe is a competitor with a high level of talent and athleticism, and if I didn't do it right, he could be the one to get the points. I was glad that I gave it a try.

"To get a big score provides an advantage later on. From now, I'm going to need a move like that, because without it, I'll have to settle for one or two points, which makes it easier for the opponent to catch up. I'm going to add it to my regular practice."

Tanabe stayed down and took an injury timeout, and it was soon after that Kiyooka put the match away with a counter lift and two exposures to win 13-2 in 5:45.

"My opponent's condition wasn't very good in the final, and then his knee became painful in the playoff," Kiyooka said. "So he wasn't at his best, but I couldn't let that sway me and I had to fight to the end.

"At this tournament, the main thing was to win, as it was where I was making my return. I'm also also making a new start with a new company affiliation and wanted it to go right, so I'm glad I could win the title and make the team to the World Championships."

Kiyooka, whose younger sister Moe lost a playoff at women's 53kg on Saturday, said the extended layoff caused him some concern.

"There was some anxiety, but as long as I did what I needed to do, I thought it would lead to a result like this," Kiyooka said. "There are only so many days until the Los Angeles Olympics, and this have given me an idea of what I will need to work on to put it all together."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA bulls his way to a takedown in the Greco 77kg playoff with Kodai SAKURABA. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Kusaka never seemed in danger in either of his matches against Emperor's Cup champion Sakuraba, nor did he show the dominance that led to Olympic gold.

In the Meiji Cup final, Kusaka came away with a 5-1 win in which he scored no technical points. In the first period, he received a passivity point, then when Sakuraba tried to escape from the bottom of par terre, he was hit with a 2-point penalty for a leg foul, and an unsuccessful challenge made it 4-0. Kusaka then received a second passivity point in the second period and that was it.

Kusaka was more productive in the playoff, bulling his way to a takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second in chalking up a 4-1 victory.

"I became more fatigued that I expected," Kusaka said. "It's been awhile since I went all out. No matter how much you build up in practice, you don't get the tension that you get in a match."

Kusaka revealed that his preparations were curtailed when he suffered a serious back strain while weight training in late May. He said the injury was so serious, it was first time he ever had to be transported on a stretcher.

"I had good luck when it came to the Olympics, but this time I had to go through that," he said. "For two weeks, I couldn't wrestle at all and I spent a week in bed."

Like Kiyooka, Kusaka wants to enhance his relatively slim resume with a world title.

"I've been wrestling 21, 22 years, and it's something I've always aspired to," Kusaka said. "I'm getting attention as an Olympic champion, but I want to be active around the world. The 2024 season went extremely well and I received the MVP award, which was great. But I don't want to be a one-hit wonder. I have to keep getting results."

Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN)Kyotaro SOGABE squares off with longtime rival Katsuaki ENDO in the Greco 67kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Another playoff of note occurred at Greco 67kg, where Paris Olympian Kyotaro SOGABE secured his latest triumph over longtime rival and fellow NSSU alum Katsuaki ENDO.

Endo won the Emperor's Cup in Sogabe's absence, but the latter set up the playoff with a 4-0 victory in the Meiji Cup final in which he twice received passivity points, scoring a gut wrench after his second chance at par terre. In the playoff, Sogabe never gave Endo an opening and rolled to a 9-0 victory.

Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN)Teenager Rin SAKAMOTO gestures after securing his ticket to the senior worlds at freestyle 57kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Among the two men's weight classes that did not need to go to a playoff, teenager Rin SAKAMOTO secured his ticket to Zagreb at freestyle 57kg by crushing Kento YUMIYA 10-0 to complete the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double.

The 19-year-old Sakamoto is a maverick among Japanese wrestlers, in that he decided to pursue a collegiate career in the United States, where he now competes for powerhouse Oklahoma State University.

He admittedly had trouble at the Emperor's Cup adjusting back to freestyle after practicing in the American folkstyle. But this time, with the U.S. collegiate season over, he was able to focus exclusively on the international style.

Sakamoto had a disappointing showing at the Asian Championships, where he lost in the bronze-medal match, but returned to Japan in April and won the qualifying tournament for the World U20 Championships.

Regarding making his first senior worlds, Sakamoto said, "I'm excited," citing the fact that he can match Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, who was also 19 when he won the world title in 2018. Unfortunately, should Sakamoto triumph in Zagreb, he will fall one month short of Otoguro's record for Japan's youngest-ever male world champion.

At Greco 60kg, Emperor's Cup champion and two-time Asian medalist Kaito INABA defeated Yu SHIOTANI 5-2 in the final to earn his first trip to the World Championships.

Asian and world U23 champion Kodai TAKAHASHI will get another shot at the senior worlds after he defeated Emperor's Cup champion Hikaru TAKATA 3-0 in the freestyle 74kg playoff.

Takahashi, who missed the Emperor's Cup due to an injury suffered while competing at 79kg at last year's non-Olympic worlds, secured a place in the playoff by beating Takata in Saturday's semifinals. then topping Masaki SATO 3-1 in the Meiji Cup final.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Rin SAKAMOTO df. Kento YUMIYA by TF, 10-0, 2:22

BRONZE: Rikuto NAGAI df. Kodai NAKAISHI by TF, 10-0, 5:59
BRONZE: . Rikuto ARAI df. Fuga SASAKI, 4-1

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaisei TANABE, 4-3

BRONZE: Shinnosuke SUWAMA df. Ryuto SAKAKI, 8-5
BRONZE: Yuto NISHIUCHI df. Takuma AKIYAMA by TF, 10-0, 5:45

World Team Playoff: Kiyooka df. Tanabe by TF, 10-0, 5:45

74kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI df. Masaki SATO, 3-1

BRONZE: Kanata YAMAGUCHI df. Hikaru TAKATA by Def.
BRONZE: Toki OGAWA df. Tenju HOSAKA, 2-1

World Team Playoff: Takahashi df. Takata, 3-0

Greco-Roman

60kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Kaito INABA df. Yu SHIOTANI, 5-2

BRONZE: Seima TOKUHARA df. Eiru TAKAYAMA, 5-2
BRONZE: Koto GOMI df. Maito KAWANA, 7-7

67kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Katsuaki ENDO, 4-0

BRONZE: Kensuke SHIMIZU df. Chiezo MARUYAMA, 3-2
BRONZE: Haruto YABE df. Kojiro HASEGAWA, 8-5

World Team Playoff: Sogabe df. Endo by TF, 9-0, 5:50

77kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA df. Kodai SAKURABA, 5-1

BRONZE: Fuga MISAIZU df. Shu YAMADA by Def.
BRONZE: Isami HORIKITA df. Naoki KADODE, 5-3

World Team Playoff: Kusaka df. Sakuraba, 4-1