#JapanWrestling

Olympic Champ Higuchi on Fact-Finding Mission to Get Grasp on American Folkstyle

Thursday, March 6, 2025 - 11:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (March 6) -- The conventional wisdom is that domestic folkstyle hampers American wrestlers trying to make the transition to the international stage. Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), however, finds the opposite to be true, saying his toughest matches have come against opponents with such a background.

And the Japanese star has been on a fact-finding mission to find out why. Higuchi has been spending the winter learning American folkstyle while training at Lehigh University in the eastern U.S. in an attempt to find out what makes that version of the sport tick, and how he might be able to integrate its techniques into his own reportoire.

"When I face opponents who had done American style, I always have a hard time," Higuchi said in an interview last year prior to departing on his journey.

Higuchi, the freestyle 57kg gold medalist in Paris, cites the difficulty he had in the final with Spencer LEE (USA), the American sparkplug whom he defeated 4-2 with a late takedown off a scramble -- the aspect of the sport that Higuchi notes Americans are particularly adept at.

"It was the same with Seth GROSS [USA]," he added, referring to his opponent in a wild 15-7 semifinal victory en route to the 61kg world title in 2022. "It's a different culture, isn't it? The difference in styles, what makes them strong, that's something I haven't yet figured out. By not knowing, I feel I still have room for growth and that's exciting."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) wrestling at the Lehigh University. (Photo: Courtesy of Lehigh University)

The biggest difference between American folkstyle and the freestyle used around the globe is the emphasis on control in the former. Takedowns are generally the same, but what comes after that is how the two styles greatly differ.

In a loose equivalent of par terre, there is no returning the wrestlers to their feet after an allotted time for gaining exposure points, and the bottom wrestler is obligated to be on the move and try to escape or reverse. And there are no points for just exposing the back; the opponent must be held down on the mat for a certain count for points to be given.

"In college style, on the ground, they don't use the body lock, so their forearms are incredibly strong," Higuchi noted. "Maybe it was just Spencer Lee, but I feel like I have to train harder to get that strength in my forearms.

"Instead of a body lock, I think I can raise my level by learning how to maintain control [on top], how to get takedowns and how to use my body. I want to practice a lot."

Regarding his first impression of the differences, Higuchi said in a message earlier this winter, "I feel that in folkstyle, there are a lot of scramble situations. In freestyle, you wrestle trying to keep your legs from getting touched. But these guys don't seem to care if someone gets in on a tackle.

"From the time the leg is touched, they are thinking about how to get control of the opponent. In that way, the American wrestlers are far superior in scrambles then those from other countries."

Lehigh UniversityLehigh University wrestling training room.

Lehigh comes calling

While it was Higuchi who would go off in search of enlightenment, it was actually Lehigh that came to him and proferred an invitation to practice with the team in the middle of the U.S. collegiate wrestling season.

The 29-year-old Higuchi, who defeated Lehigh alumnus Darian CRUZ (PUR) in the quarterfinals in Paris, said he was approached in September after the Olympics. He needed little persuasion.

"For them to think so highly of me, I was really happy," said Higuchi, who was allowed to bring his wife and baby daughter. "I want to help them produce NCAA champions."

The final arrangements were made by Sanshiro ABE (JPN), a former NCAA champ at Penn State currently living in Pennsylvania where Lehigh is located, via Shingo MATSUMOTO (JPN), the head coach at Nippon Sports Science University, Higuchi's alma mater where he continues to train.

From the start, Lehigh coach Pat SANTORO (USA), along with Kerry MCCOY (USA), the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club, were on board with Higuchi's coming.

"When Kerry McCoy and I were approached we were obviously very excited," Santoro said in an interview by email. "Kerry spent some time in Japan last year with Darian Cruz and learned so much. I have been a huge fan of Rei's for many years, so it was an easy decision."

Lehigh's timing was just right, because soon after other teams came calling for Higuchi. But he said he had already made a commitment and would stick to it.

"Actually, from [Tadaaki] HATTA I heard that Oklahoma [State] definitely wanted me to come," Higuchi said. "But I had already decided to accept Lehigh's offer, so I thought maybe I could go after that had finished. Oklahoma [State], Penn State, Iowa. Well, Iowa, I'm not sure, with the connection with Spencer Lee," he said with a grin.

Lehigh, which has a traditionally strong wrestling program, is an academically select private university with an enrollment of 5,800 located in the town of Bethlehem, about 90 kilometers north of Philadelphia and 130 kilometers west of New York City.

Higuchi is one of a number of top Japanese who have taken "sabbaticals" at U.S. universities this winter, after the country's wrestlers suddenly became hot commodities when they came away from Paris with a stunning haul of eight gold medals, a silver and two bronzes.

Reigning world 61kg champion Masanosuke ONO has been training at No. 1-ranked Penn State, while Paris 74kg silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI and Tokyo Olympic 65kg champion Takuto OTOGURO mixed it up at Ohio State.

But unlike Higuchi, the others went for exposure to American training methods, not to learn folkstyle. "I think it can be applied to freestyle," Higuchi said. "When we tied up, Seth was really strong in that position. His ability to be in control is higher than in freestyle now. I want to be able to do that part of it."

Higuchi said he knew going into the venture that, while his aim was to learn the American style, his hosts were not going to let the opportunity to pick the brain of an Olympic champion go to waste. As such, it natually evolved into a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides, one in which Higuchi has already participated in a clinic for local wrestlers.

"I want to share the techniques I have with the Lehigh students, and conversely, I want to learn and absorb much from the Lehigh students that I can take back with me," Higuchi said. "I want it to be a fruitful three months."

Said coach Santoro: "Our staff and team ask a lot of questions about his training, learning new techniques and his mindset.

"I believe that freestyle and folkstyle are very similar and making a few minor adjustments will allow you to adapt to each style. At the end of the day, wrestling is wrestling and fundamentals are what wins at the highest level."

Higuchi said one thing he has he noticed is that American training sessions feature more live wrestling, while Japan's lean toward a more drill-oriented approach. "It's not a matter of which way is better, but the difference in culture seems to come out in the wrestling styles."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) with wife Yuki and daughter Nagi at the airport before flying to the United States. (Photo: Rei Higuchi / X)

Longest stay abroad

Aside from international tournaments and overseas training camps, it marks the longest time Higuchi has spent overseas. "The longest up to now has been about three weeks," he said.

"I've been on extended practice tours to Russia, Mongolia and other places. But the max has been three weeks."

Ever since he attended the 2017 NCAA Championships in the midwestern city of St. Louis in 2017 ("They had massive crowds. Everyone eats popcorn as they watch," he recalls), Higuchi has been enamored with the fervor that Americans show for the sport.

He plans to stay through this year's NCAA Championships, to be held in nearby Philadelphia on March 20-22, and might consider a future stay in the States if the opportunity arises.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Posing with Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and others at the 2017 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. (Photo courtesy of Rei Higuchi)

"I've always wanted to go [to America]," Higuchi said. "But it was dependent on my putting up good results...In the future, I may be a coach in Japan, or perhaps a coach of a wrestler in America. I don't know how many years I will continue as an athlete.

"But I want to find a future work place that values the skills I have acquired, the passion I have for wrestling and my way of thinking."

In Japan, Higuchi has earned a reputation for being professional, polite and, for a Japanese athlete, outgoing in his own way. Coach Santoro said that that description fits the wrestler who has shown up in the wrestling room.

"Rei is extremely polite and friendly, what I noticed right away is how much he really enjoys wrestling," Santoro said. "He works extremely hard, but he often is smiling or laughing after a great scramble.

"His technique is some of the best I've seen in the world, he is fundamentally sound in so many positions. He is also very good at explaining his thought process of positional wrestling and technique."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Playing the role of the typical tourist at the Statue of Liberty in New York in February. (Photo courtesy of Rei Higuchi)

Higuchi preceded his Lehigh adventure with a short stay at Cornell University, the alma mater of four-time world champion and two-time Olympic bronze medalist Kyle DAKE (USA) in upstate New York.

He arrived at Lehigh in December, but returned to Japan in early January to attend the wedding ceremony of fellow Olympic gold medalist and Nippon Sports Science alumnus Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN). When he returned to Lehigh, he was accompanied by his wife Yuki and daughter Nagi, who turned 1 in February.

The family, which took a sightseeing trip to New York City last month, has been staying at the home of Lehigh junior Ryan CROOKHAM (USA), who finished third at last year's NCAAs at 133lbs (60.3kg). Crookham is a local star from Hellertown, a neighboring town of Bethlehem.

"Our team loves having Rei around, they understand how elite he is and all of his accomplishments," Santoro said. "Seeing how well he prepares and how his mind works is very valuable for our guys. Some of the wrestlers on our team aspire to be World and Olympic champions, too."

Overcoming setbacks

Higuchi's determination enabled him to bounce back stronger from several devastating setbacks and ascend to the apex of the sport, the Olympic gold.

A native of Osaka in central Japan, Higuchi was pushed into the sport at age 3 by his mother, who was concerned he would be bullied because of his small size. His own stubbornness soured him on team sports, but was a good fit for an individual sport like wrestling.

"I was the type who would say, 'We lost because that guy stinks,'" Higuchi said in a 2019 interview with The Japan News. "In that way, wrestling is great. Everything depends on you. If you lose, it's you own fault. I think that is way it suits me."

His first setback came as an elementary school first-grader in 2002, when he lost in the final of that age group at the national championships. It's a loss that left a lifetime impression on him and solidified a distaste for losing that continued throughout his career. He went on to win his age group for the next five years.

He won his first senior national title in 2015 and qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he was dealt his second big disappointment. In the 57kg final, he suffered a heart-breaking and frustrating 3-3 criteria loss to Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in a match he had led 3-0.

Higuchi's bid to make amends for that loss led to perhaps the most devastating calamity of his career. After an unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at 65kg, he moved back down to 57kg, only to infamously fail to make weight at the Asian Qualifying Tournament. He then lost a playoff for the Japan team spot to Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Getting married -- his wife was a former national high school champion, and they had a long-distance relationship starting as high schoolers -- helped add structure to his life, and enabled him to better manage his nutrition and weight control. From there, there was no stopping him as he stormed to the gold in Paris.

The path ahead

So, what lies ahead for Higuchi? Like the vast majority of Japan's Paris medalists, he has not seen action since the Olympics, spending the time recovering and taking advantage of invitations to take part in TV variety shows and other frivolities.

Higuchi had toyed with the idea of entering the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in June, which will serve as the second of two qualifiers for this year's World Championships, but has indicated he will give that a pass.

His more immediate aim is to make the team to the 2026 Asian Games, a tournament that he has yet to compete in and which Japan will host in the fall of that year. He would likely have to begin the qualifying process for that at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December.

"The next objective is to win a tournament that I haven't won before, which is the Asian Games," Higuchi said. "That's what I'm shooting for."

Beyond that, including defending his Olympic title, remains undecided. "As an athlete, I think I'll want to keep going up to Los Angeles," he said. "I still don't know about that."

#JapanWrestling

Fujinami Claims 57kg Title, Bonus Trip 'Home' for Asian Games

Sunday, May 24, 2026 - 15:49 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (May 24) -- Not even an untimely knee injury, much less any opponent on the mat, was going to deter Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI from her next major objective.

Fujinami showed little effects of a knee injury suffered three weeks ago in capturing the women's 57kg title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Sunday, stretching her amazing winning streak to 153 matches dating back to 2017 and her junior high school days.

With her 8-0 victory in the final over Sena NAGAMOTO on the final day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, Fujinami earned a ticket back home, so to speak -- a spot on Japan's team to this year's Asian Games, which will be near her Mie Prefecture hometown in neighboring Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture.

"The Asian Games will be in my home area of Nagoya, so I have strong feelings about it," Fujinami said. "I know the competition is going to be tough, but that only makes me look forward to it even more. I will go into it imagining the people from back home seeing me crowned as champion."

The Meiji Cup was serving as the second of two qualifiers, along with the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships held in December, for not only the Asian Games, but also for the World Championships to follow three weeks later in late October.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) defeated Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) in the 57kg final. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Fujinami would not commit making the trip to Astana for the World Championships, where she could win a third world gold and first since moving up to 57kg after winning the 53kg gold at the Paris Olympics.

Another factor weighing on the Japanese wrestlers is that the World Championships is just two months before this year's Emperor's Cup, which will have increased importance as the starting point in the qualifying process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I will consult with my coach. There is also the Emperor's Cup, and we will discuss it seriously and make a decision," said Fujinami, who has made no secret of her ultimate goal of an Olympic repeat and whose demeanor showed her leaning toward giving the worlds a pass.

Two days earlier, Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI passed on a chance to compete in a playoff for the world team spot at Freestyle 61kg because he is solely focused on a return to the Olympics at 57kg. For him, a shot at another world title has no bearing on his plans.

Meanwhile on Sunday, two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI fended off world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI in a blockbuster women's 62kg final, then expressed her excitement over earning a ticket to both big events, as did fellow Paris Olympic bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI, who cruised to victory at women's 50kg.

Two Paris gold medalists -- Kotaro KIYOOKA at Freestyle 65kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco-Roman 77kg -- also emerged victorious, with the former saying he will be going to both global competitions, but the latter stating definitively he will skip the World Championships.

Fujinami, who is still making the adjustment to the higher weight, won the world U23 gold at 57kg last October before capturing the Emperor's Cup title, although that included the biggest threat to her winning streak when she had to fight off her back in a 4-2 win in the final over Himeka TOKUHARA.

Her next big test was to have come at last month's Asian Championships in Bishkek, but she was forced to pull out due to an ankle injury. No sooner had that healed when she suffered a left knee injury in preparation for the Meiji Cup.

But, with the Asian Games in mind, as well as having new obligations and an increased fan base after gaining a corporate sponsorship upon her graduation from Nippon Sports Science University, she was determined to press on.

“I injured my knee three weeks ago," Fujinami said. "My ankle had finally healed and was I training for the Meiji Cup when I got injured, and at that time I could barely even walk. At that moment, I thought, ‘Why again, why now?’

"But for the first time, I pictured the faces of the people supporting me. If it were my old self, I probably would have just given up, but when those faces came to mind and I thought about what to do, the people around me helped. I came to realize that I am able to do wrestling thanks to various people.”

In Sunday's final, Fujinami relied solely on her unstoppable single-leg attack against Nagamoto, the Asian champion at 59kg. She twice used it to gain a 2-point exposure when Nagamoto tried for counter lifts, and twice finished it off for proper takedowns.

Asked if she was concerned about her lack of ground points, Fujinami inferred she was working on it by saying, "Please look forward to [seeing me at] the Asian Games."

An expanded reportoire would seem essential in what Fujinami herself acknowledges is one of the stronger women's weight class.

"In the world, the level of the 57kg weight class is very high, and also in Asia," she said. "I expect very good wrestlers to be entered at the Asian Games, and I want to start preparing for that right away."

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) managed a close 2-1 victory over Sakura ONISHI (JPN) at 62kg. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp)

Ozaki, who has had her fill of missing out on national team spots for major competitions, assured she won't miss the two coming up this year with a well-executed 2-1 victory over rising star Onishi in their highly anticipated 62kg final.

Ozaki scored a single-leg takedown in the first period, then limited Onishi to a stepout after she got in deep on a single leg of her own in the second.

"While I was thinking what I should do on the mat, I kept my heart strong until the end," Ozaki said.

The victory came a day after Ozaki defeated Paris Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI in the semifinals, a repeat of her win in the Emperor's Cup final. That had avenged a loss to Motoki in last year's Meiji Cup final and subsequent playoff that kept Ozaki out of the 2025 World Championships.

"When it comes to Japanese opponents, we all pretty much know each other well, and it makes it more difficult to fight," Ozaki said. "We are all preparing for the Olympic qualifying.

"Separately from opponents from around the world, dealing with Japanese opponents, I have already experienced the Olympic qualifiers, so I understand very well how emotionally tough it can be, and I think various things can go out of sync."

Ozaki, the world champion at 62kg in 2022 and at 65kg in 2023, also has some unfinished business at the Asian Games, which Japan will be hosting for the first time in 30 years.

"First of all, I finished second at the last Asian Games [in 2023]," she said. "As for making the World Championships, last year I lost out in a playoff and didn't go. Now I have the chance to become a three-time world champion."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) secured a fall over Rinka OGAWA (JPN) in the 50kg final on Sunday. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Susaki, the Tokyo Olympic champion who had to settle for a bronze in Paris, let out an uncharacteristic roar after completing the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double with a victory by fall over Rinka OGAWA in the 50kg final.

"I definitely wanted to win and make it to my first Asian Games and to my first World Championships in three years, and the moment I won, I was truly ecstatic," Susaki said.

Susaki opened with a pair of takedowns, but her chicken wing after the second one slipped off, allowing Ogawa to get behind to make it 4-1 at the break. Early in the second period, Ogawa slipped in an underhook, but Susaki deftly clamped down and blocked the opposite inner thigh to slam Ogawa to the mat. She completed the fall in 3:33.

"When she got the underhook, I thought she had the advantage, but I didn't panic, knowing I had a move for that situation," Susaki said. "I had confidence and was able to use a throw technique.

"It was just instinct. In my first match yesterday, I also used a throw for a fall. I think that I've become better at making the most of lone chances. I've included it in my practice, so I can use it any situation."

Susaki's domination bodes well in her quest to regain the Olympic gold in Los Angeles.

"At this tournament, the 50kg field had everyone who will be competing to go to the Los Angeles Olympics, so to win here is a big step forward," she said. "I was able to use a winning pattern that I practiced and won the title, so it was a very good tournament."

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) won the 65kg gold medal at the Meiji Cup. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Kiyooka, not to be outdone by his younger sister Moe, defeated longtime practice partner and fellow NSSU alum Kaisei TANABE 3-0 in a repeat of last year's 65kg final.

Kiyooka scored a first-period takedown, then added a stepout in the second period to beat Tanabe, with whom he participated -- and even faced -- during a stint in the German Bundesliga.

"It's been almost exactly a year since [Tanabe and I] met in this same final, and there are things we were both aware of about each other," Kiyooka said. "Last year he was injured and couldn't give his all. I went back and reviewed our matches, and I came up with a strategy. Looking back on what I actually did, I felt the main thing was that I was able to stay calm."

Last year, Kiyooka defeated a hampered Tanabe in a playoff for the world team spot after beating him in the final, in which Tanabe was injured. Kiyooka then lost in the final in Zagreb to Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), whom he had beaten for the gold in Paris.

"Getting to the World Championships, it gives me a chance for revenge and to win my first world title, making it an important event," Kiyooka said.

"As for the Asian Games, it gives my family, those in my company and people who otherwise would not have the chance to see me compete overseas to see me up close. And just like at the Olympics, I hope to give them the best result possible."

On Saturday, Kiyooka's sister Moe won the women's 53kg title to clinch her national team place. She has already one-upped her in the world gold department, having won the 55kg title in 2024.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) managed a 6-3 victory in the gold medal bout at 77kg. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

At Greco-Roman 77kg, Kusaka took issue with a mysterious penalty called against him and a phantom stepout that produced no point, but otherwise was untroubled in notching a 6-3 victory in the final over Isami HORIKITA, a repeat of the Emperor's Cup final.

Kusaka was leading 3-0 when his challenge of an apparent stepout that was not awarded a point was unsuccessful. He then added an indisputable stepout to lead 4-1 at the break. In the second period, he sandwiched two more stepouts around a 2-point penalty that he was at a loss to explain.

"I really don't know," he said, while imploring that he was not being critical of the referees. "The referee kept telling me, 'Head up, head up.' It's the first time I've ever been penalized in that situation."

What Kusaka made crystal clear was his decision to bypass the World Championships in favor of the Asian Games, saying he lacked motivation for the former. Like Kiyooka, he won a silver medal at last year's worlds in Zagreb.

"I don't have loads of motivation and like to channel it all into one thing," Kusaka said. "Winning the Asian Games title, that's my objective for this year."

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) pinned Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) in the 74kg final. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

In a battle between reigning world champions, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI defeated Kota TAKAHASHI in the Freestyle 74kg final to earn a return trip to the World Championships.

Aoyagi, the world 70kg champion last year, was leading 7-0 when Takahashi launched a comeback late in the second period. He pulled to within 7-4, helped by a penalty point against Aoyagi for kicking and a fleeing point during a stepout.

But a desperation throw in the final seconds was stopped dead by Aoyagi, and Takahashi stayed motionless on the mat, allowing a fall to be called just before the buzzer.

At Greco-Roman 60kg, 2023 Asian Games silver medalist Ayata SUZUKI defeated reigning Meiji Cup champion Kaito INABA 3-3 in the final, then edged Emperor's Cup champion Koto GOMI 7-6 in the playoff for the national team.

Suzuki trailed 6-2 in the playoff when he hit a 4-point arm throw to go ahead on criteria, then added a stepout for good measure.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Rikuto NAGAI df. Kento YUMIYA, 13-4

BRONZE: Isami TAKATA df. Yuta KIKUCHI, 8-2
BRONZE: Daito KATSUME df. Rin SAKAMOTO by Inj. Def.

World team playoff: Yamato OGAWA df. Nagai, 9-8

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaisei TANABE, 3-0

BRONZE: Kaiji OGINO df. Kaito MORIKAWA by Inj. Def., :02 (0-0)
BRONZE: Takara SUDA df. Shuya MIURA, 2-1

74kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Kota TAKAHASHI by Fall, 5:59, 11-4

BRONZE: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yujin TAKIZAWA, 2-0
BRONZE: Hikaru TAKATA df. Shingo ANDO, 6-1

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Ayata SUZUKI df. Kaito INABA, 3-3

BRONZE: Daijiro SONE df. Koto GOMI by Def.
BRONZE: Maito KAWANA df. Yu SHIOTANI, 8-1

World team playoff: Suzuki df. Gomi, 7-6

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA df. Isami HORIKITA, 6-3

BRONZE: Kodai SAKURABA df. Naoki KADODE, 3-2
BRONZE: Issei HONNA df. Ariya YOSHIDA, 12-9

87kg
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. So SAKABE, 5-4

BRONZE: Rondo KODAMA df. Takahiro INAMOTO by TS, 8-0, 2:24
BRONZE: Daisei ISOE df. Genki YAHAGI, 4-1

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI df. Rinka OGAWA by Fall, 3:33 (8-1)

BRONZE: Umi ITO df. Minoriho YONEHARA by TS, 13-2, 5:59
BRONZE: Haruna MORIKAWA df. Miyu NAKAMURA, 7-0

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 8-0

BRONZE: Sara NATAMI df. Rin KINOSHITA by Fall, 1:30 (2-0)
BRONZE: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Sae NOGUCHI, 9-4

62kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI df. Sakura ONISHI, 2-1

BRONZE: Sakura MOTOKI df. Yuzuka INAGAKI, 10-2