#WrestleTokyo

Elder Lorincz Grabs Greco 77kg Gold; Evloev, Mensah Stock Cruise to Olympic Titles

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 14:38 By Ken Marantz

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CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- The Lorincz family of Hungary is halfway toward a double Olympic celebration.

Veteran Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) made his fourth and final Olympics a triumphant one by defeating rising star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) 2-1 in the Greco-Roman 77kg final on Tuesday night at Makuhari Messe Hall A.

Two other reigning world champions also secured their first Olympic golds, with Musa EVLOEV (ROC) triumphing over a less-than-100-percent defending champion at Greco 97kg and Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) taking the women's 68kg crown.

Earlier, Lorincz's younger brother Viktor advanced to the final at 87kg, keeping alive their dream of taking home golds together from the Tokyo Olympics. It nearly happened at the 2019 World Championships, where Tamas won his lone world gold but Viktor lost in the final.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) celebrates after winning the 77kg GR final. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

"In the last five years we have trained hard," Tamas Lorincz said. "Even during the pandemic I trained with my brother. So there is a reason we are both in the final of this Olympics. This is my final Olympics."

The 35-year-old Lorincz, who also won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, showed his experience and saavy by doing exactly what was needed to advance through each round. After receiving a first-round victory by default, he won all of three of his subsequent matches by one point.

“I just thought no, I can’t lose, especially after I managed to defeat the Iranian," Lorincz told m4sport in Hungarian, referring to his semifinal win over Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI). "It gave him so much power that no one here could stop me. I am very glad that this won by me."

In the final against the 22-year-old Makhmudov, Lorincz was put in the bottom of the par terre in the first period, but held firm and did not give up any points. In the second period, he scored with a stepout, then received a passivity point himself. While he couldn't turn his young opponent, he did enough to preserve his lead.

"Incredible," Lorincz said. "I made it to my fourth Olympics, almost 35 years old. I don't want to believe this. I'm so happy."

Makhmudov, the 2018 Asian champion, had been aiming to become Kyrgyzstan's first-ever Olympic champion in any sport. Instead, he will have to settle for being the nation's fifth medalist in history (the sixth came a short time later in the women's 68kg), while establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Musa EVLOEVMusa EVLOEV (ROC), left, and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) after the former won the 97kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Evloev added the Olympic gold to his two world titles when he defeated rival Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 5-1 at Greco 97kg in a repeat of the 2019 world final in Nur-Sultan.

Rio 2016 and three-time former world champion Aleksanyan was visibly hampered by a leg injury he suffered in the semifinals, and while bravely fighting on, never really threatened the Russian.

Evloev, gaining the par terre position first, got a 2-point leg penalty that was given through a challenge, then added a 2-point throw for a 5-0 lead. In the second period, Aleksanyan was put on top, but could not put enough power from his legs to lift his opponent.

"I was nervous of course, every athlete is," Evloev said. "I was sure of myself, my strength, endurance. I have done this before. I tried to show whatever my coaches invested into me. I had some luck as well. I wanted to prove that I am the strongest in this category. This was a collective effort."

Asked how he felt about beating Aleksanyan for a third time, Evloev said, "I came here to grab my Olympic gold medal. I have no emotions, honestly. It was the same at the world championships, I was calm when I won. I don’t feel anything. I am just glad. I have worked a lot for it."

Evloev said the postponement of the Olympics had little effect on him.

"There is no difference for me," he said. "In 2020 I wrestled with the same guys, and won them all. If the coaches agree, I will be glad to participate in the World Championships [in Oslo] in two months."

The 28-year-old Evloev is also already talking about going for a second gold in Paris in 2024. Not surprising, given his obsession with the sport--although he's not so crazy about training.

"I go to sleep thinking about wrestling, I wake up in the morning thinking about wrestling," Evloev said. "It’s the easiest to wrestle at the competition, although the toughest parts is the preparation for me personally. The training [sessions] are crazy, after them you can’t fall asleep at night, then you wake up in the morning and all your body is in pain. So, I enjoy wrestling."

Tamyra Mensah StockWomen's 68kg Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA). (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

In the women's 68kg final, Mensah Stock proved she is truly in a class of her own with a steady 4-1 victory over Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), the first-ever Nigerian to make an Olympic final.

The 29-year-old American scored a defensive takedown, but was reversed as she tried to turn Oborududu over to make it 2-1. Undaunted, Mensah Stock went on the attack and scored with a powerful single-leg takedown.

Mensah Stock was never in danger in the second period as she became the second American woman in history to win an Olympic wrestling gold with a near repeat of her 6-1 win over Oborududu in the first round at the 2019 worlds.

"I am so happy and I want to cry but I am controlling it," Mensah Stock said.

The American has lost just once since her triumph in Nur-Sultan, a loss to Feng ZHOU (CHN) at the Matteo Pellicone tournament in January 2020 -- which she avenged with a technical fall in the quarterfinals on Monday.

The six bronze medals on offer each went to a different country, with the biggest surprise coming at Greco 77kg, where unheralded Shohei YABIKU (JPN) upended two-time world bronze medalist Geraei.

JapanShohei YABIKU (JPN) won the bronze medal at 77kg GR weight class. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Yabiku, whose lone international achievement of any note was a world junior bronze medal from 2013, rallied from an 0-3 deficit to score a 13-3 technical fall that ended with 6 seconds left in the match.

Yabiku needed a late 4-point throw to beat Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) 5-3 in his opening match before losing 3-2 to Lorincz, and came up big again against Geraei.

Put in the par terre position trailing 2-3, he lifted and flipped the Iranian for 5 points. At the end, Geraei tried a desperation jump over the top of Yabiku, but the Japanese dumped him to the mat for 4 points to end the match.

"I lost in the second round, and I wanted to feed off that disappointment to win the bronze medal, and I'm glad I could do it," said Yabiku, who is only the second athlete in Japanese history from the southern islands of Okinawa to compete at an Olympics.

"I hope this medal inspires kids on Okinawa to follow their dreams," he said.

The medal also fulfills the dream of his parents. His father was an Asian bronze medalist who was injured during qualifying for the 1992 Barcelona Games and never appeared in the Olympics, and his mother was a nationally ranked javelin thrower.

While the host country could celebrate a new hero, an older one will be looking for a way to turn around a recent run of misfortune.

Rio 2016 champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) came into the Tokyo Olympics aiming for a second Olympic gold, but will head home empty handed after losing in the women's 68kg bronze-medal match by fall to 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR).

Cherkasova caught Dosho in a barrel roll that put her on her back, then clamped down for a fall in 2:33 to win the bronze in her second Olympic appearance.

It was Cherkasova who won the 2018 world gold after Dosho was unable to defend the title she won the previous year after undergoing shoulder surgery. That injury and later knee problems curtailed Dosho's preparations for Tokyo, although the one-year postponement helped her recover somewhat. Still, it was obvious that she was not the same wrestler who won the gold in Rio.

The other third-place match at 68kg also ended in a fall, with Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) decking Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) at 5:06 after building a 10-1 lead. That made Zhumanazarova the first Kyrgyzstan woman in history to win an Olympic medal, albeit because Tynybekova will have to wait until Wednesday to receive hers. 

Iran picked up a bronze at Greco 97kg when 2020 Asian champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) went on a second-period tear to defeat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-2.

Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) won the other 97kg bronze with a 10-0 technical fall over Alex SZOKE (HUN). This was Poland's first medal at Greco-Roman in Olympics in 25 years. 

Two-time European champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), the 2019 world silver medalist at 82kg, won the other Greco 77kg bronze with a 4-1 victory over Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Tynybekova sets up clash with Kawai

In semifinals held earlier in the session, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) stayed on track to become Kyrgyzstan's first Olympic champion in any sport, but she will face a tough challenge from local rival Yukako KAWAI (JPN) after they both advanced to the women's 62kg final.

AIsuluu TynybekovaAisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will wrestle for the 62kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tynybekova, who became her country's first-ever world champion in 2019, put on a technical clinic in disposing of Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by 10-0 technical fall in 3:57.

Tynybekova swept up three single-leg takedowns, then finished up the match with consecutive counter lifts off a Koliadenko takedown attempt.

Kawai had a tougher test but skillfully scraped together a 3-2 victory over Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), avenging a loss to the Bulgarian in the final at the 2018 World Championships.

Yusein took the lead on a stepout and an activity clock point, but Kawai went ahead on criteria with a single-leg takedown at the end of the first period. In the second, she gained an activity clock point then held on to assure herself of at least a silver medal in her Olympic debut.

Yukako KAWAIYukako KAWAI (JPN) reached the final at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Not that she would be satisfied with silver. Like the Lorincz brothers, the 2019 world bronze medalist is on a mission with her sister Risako to win golds together at the Olympics. Risako will begin her quest for a second straight Olympic title on Wednesday at 57kg.

"Tomorrow, my older sister Risako gets started, and I wanted to do what I could to get a good momentum going," Kawai said. "It was a tough match, but I fought believing up to the end that I would definitely win, so it was good."

The clash between Tynybekova and Kawai will be the third since 2019. Tynybekova won the first two before Kawai took their most recent encounter at the 2020 Asian Championships.

In the Greco 67kg semifinals, world U-23 and Asian champion Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI), the younger brother of Mohammadali, assured there would be an Olympic medal taken back to their family home when he posted a 6-1 victory over Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

Geraei ZoidzeMohammaedreza GERAEI (IRI) advanced to the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Zoidze had gotten the day's competition off to a rousing start by knocking off Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) in the first round, but fell into a 4-1 hole against Geraei when he was dealt a 2-point penalty for leg-grabbing and lost a further point with an unsuccessful challenge.

“I came here for the gold medal," Geraei said. "All of my competitors are so powerful, but if you want to get the gold medal, it’s not important how good the competitors are. I have a plan for all of them.

"I was so sad for my brother who was defeated last night, because we thought that he would be in the final. But we are separate, I have my own goals."

The clash was a rematch of the 2019 world U-23 quarterfinals, which Zoidze led 5-2 with a minute to go, only to have Geraei throw him onto his back with a back suplex. That knocked the fight out of the Georgian and he conceded a fall.

Parviz NASIBOVParviz NASHIBOV (UKR) defeated Mohamed ALSAYED (EGY) to reach 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In the final, Geraei will face 2018 world junior bronze medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), who pulled a rabbit out of his hat in rallying to defeat Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY) 7-6.

Elsayed, who was looking to become just the third Olympic wrestling champion in Egyptian history, scored with a big 4-point throw in the first period and led 6-0 in the second.

But somehow it all fell apart, as the 22-year-old Nasibov cut the lead with a 4-point move off a scramble. With Elsayed visibly fatigued as he tried to fend off Nasibov, he tried a half-hearted throw that Nasibov easily countered for a takedown that was upheld by challenge and give him the victory.

Looking ahead to the final, Nasibov said, "The Iranian wrestler is really good, he is strong. The one who is stronger and the one who desires more will win the final. I am young, I am excited and I really want it. Tomorrow I’ll try to do the same thing I’ve done today."

Egypt hopes were again shattered in the next match, as Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) joined his brother as a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics by beating Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) 9-2 in the 87kg semifinals.

That set up a rematch of the 2019 world final with champion Zhan BELINIUK (UKR), who defeated Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) 7-1 in the other semifinal.

Lorincz gave up an early takedown and was trailing 2-2 on criteria when he bulled the unheralded Metwally over with a standing pancake for 4. An unsuccessful challenge and 2-point penalty for a head butt finished off Metwally, who can draw satisfaction for having made an Olympic semifinal without ever having even appeared at a World Championships.

Beliniuk, who will be looking to improve on the silver medal he won at the 2016 Rio Olympics, scored a 4-point throw and a 2-point gut wrench out of the par terre in the second period to defeat Huklek, who will attempt to become Croatia's first-ever Olympic wrestling medalist in the bronze-medal match.

"In Rio, I was 25, I was a young guy," Beliniuk said. "Now I have more experience. I am not getting younger, but I prepared for this competition very well."

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

67kg
SF1 - Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 6-1
SF2 - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY), 7-6

77kg
GOLD - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 2-1

BRONZE - Shohei YABIKU (JPN) df. Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) by TF, 13-3, 5:54
BRONZE - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 4-1

87kg
SF1 - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Mohamed METWALLY (EGY), 9-2
SF2 - Zhan BELINIUK (UKR) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), 7-1

97kg
GOLD - Musa EVLOEV (ROC) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-1

BRONZE - Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN) by TF, 10-0, 1:53
BRONZE - Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 9-2

Women's Wrestling

62kg
SF1 - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:57
SF2 - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 3-2

68kg
GOLD - Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), 4-1

BRONZE - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Sara DOSHO (JPN) by Fall, 2:33 (2-0)
BRONZE - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) by Fall, 5:06 (10-1)

#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."