Weekly FIVE! August 20, 2019

Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 11:34 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing Japan's eight gold-medal performance at Junior Worlds and Kamal claiming his third consecutive junior world title. Also looking at Russia's final wrestle-offs, Dake downing Dieringer, and counting down until the first whistle at the World Championships.

1. Japanese Women Win Eight of Ten World Golds
Japan’s women’s wrestling team went eight-for-eight in world title bouts -- claiming an unheard-of eight of ten gold medals at the 2019 Junior World Championships last week in Tallinn, Estonia. They also added on a pair of bronze medals and brought their tournament grand total medal count to ten on their way to doubling Russia’s second place team score. Japan finished the tournament with 230 points, while the Russian Federation, who finished in second place, had 115 points. Ukraine (91 points) rounded out the top three 139 points behind the Japanese women.

The team champions were led by the pair of two-time senior-level world champions Yui SUSAKI (50kg) and Haruno OKUNO (53kg).

Susaki claimed back-to-back junior world titles after seizing a 10-0 victory over 2016 cadet world silver medalist Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) in the 50kg finals.

With her win last week, Susaki brought her grand total to seven overall world gold medals since appearing at her first World Championships in 2014. When asked where this world title stacks up on her list, Susaki said, “My final goal is an Olympic gold medal. I will do my best and I will try to practice towards my final goal.”

Susaki pushed her total world championship record to 31-0 -- with 29 of those wins being shutout victories. Perhaps a more impressive stat is Susaki has now outscored her 31 world championship opponents 290-6 en route to reaching the top of the podium.

She believes the reason she’s so successful is because her strength and mind. She said, “The reason why I get the championships is my own strength and mind.”

Haruno OKUNO was one of Japan's eight wrestlers who won a junior world title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Japan’s second two-time senior world champ to win junior world gold last week was Haruno Okuno, who won the 53kg title.

Okuno said she keeps all of her world title belts at her parent’s ’house. Well, their house gained an additional world championship belt after their daughter claimed her fifth world title in as many tries. The reigning two-time senior-level world champion added her first junior world title to her list of accomplishments after expelling Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL), 7-2 in the 53kg gold-medal bout.

By watching Okuno’s four matches, where she outscored her opponents 35-2, you would have never been able to tell that she was facing extreme neck pain on her right side. After her finals match, she talked about having to work on her counter offensive attacks because of her pain, saying “Now I feel neck pain, so I didn’t try to (tackle). In this tournament, the counterattack was very nice for me.”

In her finals match, the always calm and stoic Okuno shot a low-level attack and picked up the early two-point lead. Her counter offense came into play when she stopped a Nandintsetseg attack and used a fluid arm-drag to a head outside single leg to pick up four points – improving her lead to 6-0. She then surrendered her first points of the tournament, an inactivity point and a stepout, but was awarded a brutality point after her Mongolian opponent was warned several times for hands-to-the-face. Okuno closed out her run to her first junior world title with a 7-2 victory.

When asked if there’s a difference between a junior world title and a senior world title, Okuno said, “There isn’t difference between junior and senior because it means the same. It a world championship. I’m always feeling very happy to (wrestle) against the world’s wrestlers.”

Japanese Medal Winners:
50kg - Yui SUSAKI (GOLD)
53kg - Haruna OKUNO (GOLD)
55kg - Saki IGARASHI (BRONZE)
57kg - Akie HANAI (GOLD)
59kg - Sae NANJO (GOLD)
62kg - Yuzuka INAGAKI (GOLD)
65kg - Miwa MORIKAWA (GOLD)
69kg - Naruha MATSUYUKI (GOLD)
72kg - Yuka KAGAMI (GOLD)
76kg - Yasuha MATSUYUKI (BRONZE)

2. Kamal Wins Third Straight Junior World Title
Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will represent Turkey in Nur-Sultan in mid-September at the World Championships, but first, he made the journey to Estonia and claimed his third straight junior world title.

Kamal held up three fingers to the crowd, signaling his possession of a third consecutive junior world title after he defeated Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 7-2 in the 60kg gold-medal bout. “I’m very happy to win the third gold medal in the junior category. I was before in the cadet finals three times and I lost,” said Kamal.

In his gold-medal bout, the Turkish wrestler trailed after the first period, but he expected to be in that position. “The match plan was (to be) safe in the first (period)…Safety first.” The second period was pivotal for Kamal in picking up his third world. After playing it safe in the first period, Kamal said, “In the second period, I go full power.” That’s exactly what he did. In the final three minutes, Kamal got to work quickly, smothering Hovhannisyan with a right-side gut wrench follow by a four-point lift from the right side and commanded the 7-1 lead. He conceded a second-period point but ended up carrying the Turkish flag around the mat at a World Championships for the third consecutive year with a 7-2 victory.

Kamal’s attention now shifts towards the Senior World Championships, where he’ll be Turkey’s 60kg world team representative. The new minted three-time junior world champ begins his quest to win a senior world gold on September 16.

3. Russia’s Freestyle World Team Set
The final wrestle-offs for Russia’s freestyle team took place last weekend, and a trio of world champions will be heading to Nur-Sultan looking to defend their world titles from last year’s Budapest World Championships.

The three world champs who hadn’t locked up their spot until last weekend were Zaur UGUEV (57kg), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (74kg) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg).

At 57kg, defending world champion Zaur Uguev was excused from the Russian National Championships after a bronze-medal finish at the European Games.

To make his third straight world team, Uguev had to take out Arian TYUTRIN to earn his spot on the world team. There were questions surrounding Ugev’s health coming into the match, but he clearly showed he’s the best 57kg wrestler in the most dominant freestyle nation on earth with a 10-0 win in his wrestle-off.

In the 74kg wrestle-offs, defending world and European Games champion Zaurbek Sidakov, who was also granted a release from the Russian National Championships, earned his spot on this year’s team as he narrowly snuck got past 2016 world champion Magomed KURBANALIEV, 2-1.

Four-time world and Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev was the final wrestler to cement his spot on the world team. The defending European champion and European Games gold medalist pulverized Vladislav BAITSAEV, 10-0 in their wrestle off.

Sadualev’s win last weekend leaves hope for the wrestling community to see the rematch between the three-time world and Olympic champions “The Russian Tank” and Kyle “Captain America” Snyder in the 97kg finals.

Russia’s Freestyle World Team:
56kg – Zaur UGUEV
61kg – Magomedrasul IDRISOV
65kg – Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV
70kg – David BAEV
74kg – Zaurbek SIDAKOV
79kg – Gadzhi NAVIEV
86kg – Artur NAIFONOV
92kg – Alikhan JABRAILOV
97kg – Abdulrashid SADULAEV
125kg – Anzor KHIZRIEV

4. Dake Downs Dieinger in Two Straight Matches, Will Represent USA at 79kg
Reigning 79kg world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) returned from injury and defeated Alex DIERINGER (USA) in two straight matches to make his second consecutive United States world team. Dake scored a tactical 3-2 victory in match one, then opened up a little in the second match and grabbed the 4-1 victory -- booking his ticket to the 2019 World Championships.

Last year, in his World Championships debut, Dake outscored his opponents 37-0 en route to his first world title. After defeating Dierging in two straight matches last weekenk, Dake heads to Kazakhstan as the favorite to repeat in a weight depleted due to Olympic weight changes.

USA’s Freestyle World Team:
57kg - Daton FIX
61kg - Tyler GRAFF
65kg - Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS / Zain RETHERFORD
70kg - James GREEN
74kg - Jordan BURROUGHS
79kg - Kyle DAKE
86kg - Pat DOWNEY
92kg - J'den COX
97kg - Kyle SNYDER
125kg - NickGWIAZDOWSKI

5. The Countdown Begins to the World Championships
We’re officially under a month away from the start of the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Today marks the 25th day until the first whistle at the Barys Arena in Kazakhstan's capital city formally known as Astana.

This year’s World Championships will hold immense weight because the top-six wrestlers in each weight category will qualify their nation's spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The schedule for this year’s Worlds is much different than that of the Budapest World Championships. Unlike last year, where Greco-Roman closed out the 2018 World Championships, Greco-Roman will instead kick things off this year -- beginning on September 14. Women’s wrestling will be sandwiched in between Greco-Roman and freestyle -- starting on September 17. Finally, freestyle will close out the World Championships, with the potential third match-up between the three-time world and Olympic champions Abdulrashid Sadualev and Kyle Snyder squaring off the 97kg gold medal. The pair have split the last two world titles at 97kg, with Snyder winning in Paris and Sadualev exacting revenge in Budapest by picking up the 70-second fall.

Here is the World Championships SCHEDULE.

#KoreaWrestling

Special referee at national meet part of Japanese efforts to get more women to become officials

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 - 20:32 By Ikuo Higuchi

(Editor's Note: The following appeared on the Japan Wrestling Federation website on Jan. 1. It has been translated and published by permission.)

With its connection to the Paris Olympics, this year's Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships drew a record field of 470 competitors. But history was also made regarding the third person on the mat. For the first time ever, a foreign referee was on the whistle, one specifically invited with the hope of producing long-term effects beyond the outcome of matches.

The Japan federation brought in Ji-Woo LEE, one of six Korean women holding international licenses, as part of its efforts to get more women interested in becoming referees. Lee is a holder of the UWW's highest Category IS License, which qualifies her to officiate at the Olympics and World Championships.

While Japan remains the dominant country in women’s wrestling, in the case of women referees, it can be regarded as “undeveloped.” Of Japan’s 19 international referees, only two are women, putting Japan far behind United World Wrestling’s objective of having equal numbers from both genders.

JPN1 Ji-Woo Lee holds the highest Category IS License. (photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

"It was a big surprise, and wonderful," Lee said of being asked to officiate at the All-Japan Championships, which was held Dec. 21-24 in Tokyo and was serving as a qualifier for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in April. "It is really a joyful [moment] in my life. A big honor, also."

Lee said she was impressed by the large and enthusiastic crowd that packed into Yoyogi No. 2 Gym, saying it reminded her of the atmosphere at the big venues that stage the World Championships and European Championships.

JPN4 Lee faces Saori YOSHIDA at the 2004 Asian Championships in Tokyo. (photo by Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Lee herself was no stranger to Japan. Long before she officiated at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she came on numerous trips during her career as a wrestler to train at the well-known Oka Wrestling Dojo in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture. Wrestling at 55kg and competing under the name LEE Na-Lae, she faced three-time Olympic champion Saori YOSHIDA three times, in the final at the 2002 Asian Games, and at both the 2004 and 2005 Asian Championships. Lee was the lone Korean woman to appear at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

While she knows a little Japanese, she basically operates in her native Korean or English. As for communicating on the mat at the All-Japan, she said, "I used very simple words. 'Fingers.' 'Open.' Maybe after a foul, I say, 'Next time caution.' Or 'One more time, the match is finished.'" Having Olympic experience both as a wrestler and a referee has given her the confidence to dish out warnings as she sees fit and remain in control on the mat.

JPN2 Lee made her Olympic refereeing debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021. (Photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

Handling the big matches

After retiring as a wrestler, Lee went to the 2012 London Olympics as a national team coach, then changed course and embarked on a new path to become a referee, while also earning a doctorate and becoming a professor at Yong-In University. She obtained the Category IS License just before the 2019 World Championships, and was among the officiating crew at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

It was Isao OKIYAMA, head of the Japan Federation's refereeing commission, who suggested inviting Lee to the All-Japan. Okiyama's thinking took a two-pronged approach. In the big matches with so much at stake, the federation would get a neutral official completely free of any suspicions -- justified or not -- about college affiliations and other links that are so strong in Japanese wrestling.

And, by having a female Category IS official at Japan's highest-level tournament, it would bring national attention on the existence of female referees and further motivate more women to want to become one.

JPN5 Lee was on the whistle when Nonoka OZAKI defeated Ami ISHII in a vital 68kg match with Olympic implications. (photo by Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At this year's All-Japan, three matches in particular stood out, each with global implications: 1) the first-round match at women's 68kg in which Nonoka OZAKI defeated Ami ISHII, who had needed to win the title to fill the Paris Olympic berth she secured for Japan at the World Championships; 2) the freestyle 65kg semifinal between Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO and collegian Kotaro KIYOOKA, which Otoguro lost to end his chances of a repeat in Paris; and 3) the 68kg final between Ozaki and Miwa MORIKAWA, which Ozaki won to advance to a future playoff with Ishii for the Paris ticket.

Lee was the mat official for all three. Asked if she was nervous, she replied, "I'm never nervous. I know this championships is very important for Japan, also in the world because the champions [can go to the Olympic qualifier]. More than being nervous, I was concerned with doing my best to make fair and clear decisions."

She admits she did feel jittery at her first major tournament at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan (now Astana). She particularly recalled a bronze-medal match between Iranian and Azerbaijan wrestlers where it seemed the entire crowd turned against her. "I was very nervous. One time [I made a] mistake, just a warning, and everyone goes, 'Boooooo,'"she recalled with a laugh.

JPN4 Lee poses with the three Japanese female referees at the All-Japan Championships, from right, Mariko SHIMIZU, Airi FURUSATO and Honoka SAITO. (photo courtesy of Airi FURUSATO)

Getting more women involved

At the All-Japan, there were only three other women referees, Airi FURUSATO, Mariko SHIMIZU and Honoka SAITO, putting them well in the minority. Only Furusato and Haruka WATANABE, currently on maternity leave, hold international licenses, and neither is at the Category IS level.

Of the 393 referees registered domestically in Japan, just 19 are women, or 4.8%. The percentage is even lower for those with a Class A license, which is required for officiating at the All-Japan — just seven out of 197, or 3.6%.

In its Global Gender Gap Report released in June last year by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 125th out of 146 countries in terms of achieving gender equality. While Japan is on top in women's wrestling, when it comes to women referees, it unfortunately aligns with the gender gap ranking.

JPN6 World champion Akari FUJINAMI tries her hand as a referee at a men's collegiate event last May. ((photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Among recent moves to cultivate women referees was having world champions Akari FUJINAMI and Yuka KAGAMI serve as referees at the men's East Japan Collegiate League last May. Officials hope that seeing the female stars filling such roles will appeal to more women to consider becoming referees.

Lee said she hopes to see more Japanese women entering the referee ranks and believes that with the right training and support, they can become as much as factor as their wrestling sisters. In fact, it was Japan's Osamu SAITO, a former member of the UWW Refereeing Commission, who encouraged and mentored her and to whom she credits her advancement.

"I am waiting for the day when I can work with Japanese women referees," Lee said. "We are professionals with skills. I support the development of women referees."

--Translation and editing by Ken Marantz

Weekly FIVE! August 20, 2019

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Special referee at national meet part of Japanese efforts to get more women to become officials