Sydney Olympic Medalist Nagata Fails to Turn the Clock Back Again at Japan Nationals

Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 17:10 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (Dec. 19) — An Olympic silver medalist from yesteryear went out in the first round. A former world bronze medalist lost in the quarterfinals and promptly announced his retirement. And a current world silver medalist never even made it to the weigh-in.

The All-Japan Championships in Tokyo had more downs than ups for the few featured wrestlers in action on the opening day.

Katsuhiko NAGATA, a silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics—for the young folks, that was in 2000—returned to the national stage again at 46, only to be defeated at Greco-Roman 72kg by a reigning collegiate champion less than half his age.

Nagata was unable to take advantage of the par terre position like his opponent, 21-year-old Minto MAEDA, who executed a lift and a roll in the first period and held out in the second to oust the veteran 5-1.

“He turned me on the ground, and I wasn’t able to turn him,” Nagata said. “That’s what makes the difference between victory, and that’s why I lost.”

While Nagata won six consecutive national titles from 1997 to 2002, he left little mark on the global stage — with the notable exception of his stunning run to the final at Sydney 2000, ending with a loss to Filiberto ASCUY AGUILERA (CUB).

The Cuban would win the world title the following year in Patras, Greece, where Nagata would place 13th. In six trips to the World Championships, Nagata never finished higher than 10th, and he retired after placing 16th at the Athens 2004 Olympics.

Nagata then spent five years as a pro fighter in mixed-martial arts, before opening his own wrestling school in the Metropolitan Tokyo suburb of Chofu.

In 2015, he made a highly publicized and ultimately successful return to the mat at the All-Japan tournament, also known as the Emperor’s Cup, capturing the Greco 71kg gold for his seventh national title and first in 13 years.

Nagata, a father of five boys ranging in age from 7 months to 10 years, said he trains three times a week with various teams, including his alma mater, Nippon Sports Science University (Nittaidai). Why does he do it?

“I want to give them a view of me in an actual match,” he said of his own sons and the kids in his club.

Asked about coming back a second time in a pre-Olympic year, Nagata noted it might not just be a coincidence. “Maybe because it’s the year before an Olympics, I get caught up in the excitement and it gets my juices flowing.”

Takuto OTOGURO, a 2018 world champion, will be in action on Saturday at the All Japan Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

There were only a few big names in action Thursday at Komazawa Olympic Park Gym, as the Japan federation has stacked the marquee weight classes on the weekend.

That’s when such stars as Sara DOSHO and Takuto OTOGURO attempt to clinch places at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and others like Yui SUSAKI, Yuki TAKAHASHI and Shinobu OTA try to earn tickets to the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in March.

At the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, a medal in an Olympic weight class by a Japanese wrestler meant an automatic berth at Tokyo 2020. Five wrestlers achieved that goal—Mayu MUKAIDA (53kg), Risako KAWAI (57kg), Yukako KAWAI (62kg) and Hiroe MINAGAWA (76kg) for the women, and Kenichiro FUMITA (60kg) in Greco-Roman.

On Thursday, competition proceeded through the semifinals in three Olympic weight classes, with a chance to go to the Asian qualifier going to the winners of Friday’s finals.

Atsushi MATSUMOTO (JPN), a 2018 world bronze medalist, was upset in the quarterfinals. In his post-match interview, Matsumoto announced his retirement, saying, "I think this is the end." (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

One wrestler who won’t be heading to Xi’an, China, is Atsushi MATSUMOTO, a 2018 world bronze medalist at 92kg. Having moved up to 97kg, his bid to compete at Tokyo 2020 ended with a 2-2 loss to Takeshi YAMAGUCHI in the quarterfinals. That appears to be the last match of his career, which also included a short stint in Greco.

“I think this is the end,” said Matsumoto, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department. “From now, I will try to contribute to Japan as a police officer.”

Yamaguchi will face Naoya AKAGUMA in the final in a rematch of their world team wrestle-off last summer, which Akaguma won, but his first-round loss in Nur-Sultan reopened the door to the Olympic qualifying process for everyone else. The two have combined to win the past seven national titles.

Yuta NARA (JPN) will take on Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) in the 97kg Greco-Roman finals. (Photo: Sachio Hotaka)

Two other world team members, Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA at freestyle 125kg and Yuta NARA at Greco 97kg made their respective finals to stay on the potential track to the Olympics.

At the non-Olympic Greco 55kg, Shota OGAWA, who put on an impressive run to the silver medal in Nur-Sultan, struggled with his weight and did not show up for the early morning weigh-in.

A source close to Ogawa, who would have been aiming for his inaugural Emperor’s Cup title, said his condition had deteriorated so much he had to visit a hospital for an intravenous solution.

That opens the way for Asian silver medalist Hiromu KATAGIRI to defend his title after storming into the final with two technical falls and a fall. In his path to the gold stands high schooler Yu SHIOTANI, who is coached by Shota TANOKURA, who won the last of his three national titles at the lowest weight in 2017.

The 55kg division had another intriguing twist. As ancient as Nagata might seem, he is not even the oldest competitor entered in the tournament. As fate would have it, the two oldest wrestlers in the history of the Emperor’s Cup both qualified this year at Greco 55kg.

Tomohiro KAWAGUCHI, at 49 years 10 months, earned the honor of being the oldest ever (based on available resources), edging Kyosuke ASAKAWA, who turned 48—which would have been the record—11 days ago. Kawaguchi lost his opening match by technical fall, while Asakawa won a preliminary round match before losing in the first round, also by technical fall.

The previous record for most elderly competitor was held by Hidemitsu YUGAWA, a former national runner-up who was 47 years 9 months when he competed at freestyle 96kg in 2009.

There was one surprise among the four women’s weight classes, when high schooler Tsugumi SAKURAI notched a 4-2 victory at 55kg over former world junior and U-23 champion Saki IGARASHI.

Sakurai will face Kana HIGASHIKAWA, Igarashi’s teammate at Shigakkan University, in the final.

High schooler Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) will wrestle Sara NATAMI in the 62kg Nordic group finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka).

At 59kg, rising star Yuzuka INAGAKI, the world junior and U-23 champion this year at 62kg, moved one win away from a second straight senior national title.

Competing in a Nordic group format as there are only six entries, the high schooler won two group matches and her semifinal without surrendering a point, setting up a rematch in the final with Sara NATAMI, whom she beat 5-0 in the group stage.

Defending champion and Asian silver medalist Naomi RUIKE advanced to the final at 65kg, which also used the Nordic group for its seven entries. She also went unscored upon in two matches, before beating Miki KAWAUCHI by 11-0 technical fall in the semifinals.

By the luck of the draw, Kawauchi was placed in the same group with younger sister Saki, who is two years her junior. Facing each other in their opening matches, Miki played the standard role of older sibling and showed little mercy in coming out on top with a 12-4 victory.

“She’s my younger sister, and more than anyone I don’t want to lose to her,” Miki said. “She’s my top rival. I went in determined not to lose.”

Miki explained why the Osaka Prefecture natives, who are teammates at Nittaidai, entered the same weight class in the first place. “This is my last tournament,” Miki revealed, “and I thought it would be good if we could wrestle each other, so we entered the same weight class.”

Day 1 Results
Freestyle

61kg (19 entries)
Semifinals
Ryuto SAKAKI df. Kodai OGAWA, 3-1
Keita SHIMIZU df. Ryutaro HAYAMA, 3-2

70kg (16 entries)
Semifinals
Hikaru TAKADA df. Tsuyoshi NAKAMURA by TF, 13-3, 3:35
Shin HARAGUCHI df. Shinnosuke SUWAMA, 3-0

97kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Naoya AKAGUMA df. Keiwan YOSHIDA, 7-1
Takeshi YAMAGUCHI df. Takashi ISHIGURO, 6-5

125kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA df. Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO by TF, 11-0, 4:06
Tetsuya TANAKA df. Taiki YAMAMOTO, 3-1

Greco-Roman

55kg (23 entries)
Semifinals
Yu SHIOTANI df. Kagetora OKAMOTO, 7-3
Hiromu KATAGIRI df. Hirokazu ONO by TF, 8-0, :39

60kg (12 entries)
Semifinals
Kosei TAKESHITA df. Kaito INABA, 4-0
Ayata SUZUKI df. Maito KAWANA, 10-3

72kg (22 entries)
Semifinals
Nao KUSAKA df. Minto MAEDA, 3-2
Takuya TOMIZUKA df. Takahiro YAMAMOTO, 6-6

82kg (15 entries)
Semifinals
Satoki MUKAI df. Yuto MATSUZAKI by TF, 9-0, 2:33
Yoji KAWAMURA df. Shoma YAMASAKI, 5-1

97kg (14 entries)
Semifinals
Yuta NARA df. Masayuki AMANO, 3-0
Yuri NAKAZATO df. Masaaki SHIKIYA, 6-5

Women’s Wrestling

55kg (10 entries)
Semifinals
Tsugumi SAKURAI df. Tomoha UCHIJO by TF, 13-1, 5:57
Kana HIGASHIKAWA df. Hikari HIGUCHI, 6-4

59kg (6 entries)
Semifinals
Sara NATAMI df. Ayami SUGIMOTO by TF, 10-0, 3:44
Yuzuka INAGAKI df. Yumi KON by TF, 10-0, 2:00

65kg (7 entries)
Miyu IMAI df. Rin TERAMOTO, 6-0
Naomi RUIKE df. Miki KAWAUCHI by TF, 11-0, 5:57

76kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin
(Standings after 3 rounds)
1. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0), 2. Rino ABE (2-0), 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (1-1), 4. Miku SAITO (1-2), 5. Yune KOMATSU (0-3).

#WrestlePontevedra

Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume

Thursday, September 5, 2024 - 23:02 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 5) -- Three minutes and 33 seconds on the mat, 40-0 in four bouts and zero points conceded.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) could not have asked for a better debut at the U20 level as she won the 59kg gold medal at the World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on Thursday.

Ever since her heartbreaking loss in the U17 World Championships final in 2022, Onishi has not looked back and won the U17 and U20 World titles without giving up points. Her title run on Thursday saw her finish the 59kg final against Alexis JANIAK (USA) 10-0 in 43 seconds.

Not that her earlier bouts were any different.

The 18-year-old won her first bout against Elena KUROVA (AIN) 10-0 in a minute, defeated KOMAL (IND) in 34 seconds in the quarterfinals and humbled former U17 world champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) 10-0 in a minute and 16 seconds.

"This was my first win in the U20 category," Onishi said. "I am grateful to my family, friends, and coaches and I wanted to give something back. So I'm honestly really happy that I was able to win.

"I was able to show what I had been practicing, and my challenge this time was to attack aggressively. I was able to accomplish that and win without conceding a point. I'm really satisfied with that."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) used the leg lace as her go-to attack throughout the tournament. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier this year, Onishi joined the Nippon Sports Science University, whose current and former wrestlers won a combined five gold medals at the recently concluded Paris Olympics. In the short period she has been there, Onishi has trained majorly with 53kg Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

"Akari really has nothing but positives for me," she said. "It's been a really short period of time since I entered NSSU, but during that time, I've been able to do various training sessions with them, and it's been an opportunity for me to become stronger."

Before coming to Spain, Onishi made a name for herself in Japan when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (nee KAWAI) in the Meiji Cup in May. She won the gold medal and earned a playoff against Kinjo for the Non-Olympic World Championships next month.

Onishi led 5-0 at the break in the playoff but Kinjo scored two points going behind for a takedown and adding a 2-point exposure to cut the lead to 6-4. With :15 on the clock, Kinjo got in on a single and managed to lift up the leg and expose Onishi's back with eight seconds left, putting her ahead 6-6 on criteria. But Onishi squirmed back to her feet and with a mighty charge, went for a double-leg takedown that forced Kinjo out just as time expired. The referee gave her 1 for a stepout, but after an agonizing wait for the challenge review, it was nullified as Kinjo's foot was just centimeters from the edge when the clock hit all zeroes.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) won the 59kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While Onishi was disappointed to have not made it to her first senior worlds, she made her loss to Kinjo a driving force for future competitions.

"It was my first experience to wrestle the same person [Kinjo] twice in one day," she said. "I was really disappointed that I couldn't make it at the very end, but on the other hand, it gave me confidence, and I used that energy to reach even higher heights. My desire to win overwhelmingly next time."

The process to be at the next year's senior World Championships begins in December for Onishi. She will be part of the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup next year. She will try to win both and earn a spot on the senior team for the World Championships.

As far as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics go, Onishi expressed her desire to be there. But for that, she will have to decide if she wants to cut to 57kg or jump to 62kg. In both weight classes, defending Olympic champions are waiting for her. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) at 57kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg will be her biggest challenges.

"I haven't decided on my weight class yet, but I definitely want to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics," she said. "No matter what weight class I'm in, I'm determined to beat the current champion."

Yu ZHANG (CHN) celebrates after winning the 50kg final at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Onishi was the only gold medalist of the day for Japan. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) wrestled in the 50kg final against Yu ZHANG (CHN) but lost a close final in the last 10 seconds.

After winning two age-group Asian titles, Zhang dropped the U20 Asian final against Rinka OGAWA (JPN) in June. But she left nothing to chance in Pontevedra, pulling off a suplex in the final 10 seconds to beat Morikawa 7-6 and clinch her first gold medal at any World Championships.

Morikawa was the first to get on board as Zhang spun on her back to give two points to Morikawa. It became 4-2 for Morikawa at the break as Zhang got two points for a counter lift while Morikawa was awarded two for exposure as Zhang's hand opened after she finished the lift.

Zhang for the criteria on 4-4 as she scored a two-point exposure over Morikawa, who answered with an underhook to slam Zhang on the mat and score two points. She had 26 seconds to defend her two-point lead but Zhang used a semi-duckunder to step behind Morikawa and lock her in her arms. She completed the throw for two points and a 6-6 criteria lead. Japan challenged the decision but it only added a point to Zhang's score for the lost challenge.

"I have performed well," Zhang said. "After finishing the tournament, I feel that I am still very happy."

Former U23 world champion Yumeka TANABE (JPN) has been the coach for China's U20 team and Zhang acknowledged her inputs for the match.

"I need to mention that I have a lot to learn from Tanabe," she said. "I hope that after this competition, I can improve myself, find out the problems, and solve them to reach an advanced level."

Zhang's twin sister Jin will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal against Calra JAUME SOLER (ESP), Spain's first-ever World Championships finalist in wrestling.

"I want to tell her that she can confidently and boldly perform to her level tomorrow," she said as advice to her sister Jin. "She can also win a gold medal."

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) celebrates after winning the 76kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

India and the United States also crowned champions to remain in the race to win the team title on Friday.

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) won the 76kg gold medal after beating Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0, in the 76kg final. This is the second year in a row that India has won the gold medal in the heaviest weight class.

Berwal won the first point when Orlevych was put on the activity clock and she failed to score. The Indian then added a stepout to lead 2-0. Orlevych was called for passivity in the second period as well and she failed to score giving Berwal another point. A few bad attempts from Orlevych ended in Berwal capitalizing and scoring a two-point takedown to stretch the lead to 5-0.

The gold medal is India's fifth in Women's Wrestling at the U20 World Championships, an impressive number for a country that got its first U20 world champion in Women's Wrestling in 2022.

Berwal, a former 72kg silver medalist at the U23 World Championships, now faces the tough challenge of making it to the senior team. But for that, she will have to win against 2023 U20 world champion Priya MALIK (IND), U23 world champion and Paris Olympian REETIKA (IND) and other up-and-coming youngsters.

"I am satisfied with my wrestling," Berwal said. "Now that I have decided to the Olympic weight class 76kg, there is no turning back and back myself to prove it."

For the United States, Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) took less than a minute to pin Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and win the 55kg gold medal for her country.

Byambasuren was trying to get Rodriguez uncomfortable but the American tossed her on the mat and held her back to secure a fall in the final. This was the second fall of the tournament for Rodriguez who won her four bouts without conceding a point.

At 68kg, U20 European champion Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) handed Ayse ERKAN (TUR) a 12-2 defeat in the final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN), 7-6

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), 7-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. MUSKAN (IND), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall

BRONZE: Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) df. Karina HONDA (JPN), via fall (8-7)
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (AIN), 12-2

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU) df. Uladzislava KUDZIN (AIN), via fall
BRONZE: KOMAL (IND) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), via fall (12-2)

BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN), 7-0

76kg
GOLD: Jyoti BERWAL (IND) df. Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Naomi SIMON (USA) df. Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 8-2

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Jin ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. JYOTI (IND), 4-3
SF 2: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Nethmi AHINSA (SRI), via fall

57kg
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) vs. Bertha ROJAS (MEX)

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Bertha ROJAS (MEX) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-4

62kg
GOLD: NITIKA (IND) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: NITIKA (IND) df. Nagisa ITO (JPN), 7-3
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 4-3

65kg
GOLD: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) vs. Beyza AKKUS (TUR)

SF 1: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Zaixue RUI (CHN), 10-0
SF 2: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (AIN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) vs. Yuqi LIU (CHN)

SF 1: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall
SF 2: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Elvira ERSSON (SWE), 10-0

Sydney Olympic Medalist Nagata Fails to Turn the Clock Back Again at Japan Nationals

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Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume