Women's World Cup

Host Japan Holds Off China for 4th Straight Women's World Cup Title

Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 23:20 By Ken Marantz

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Missing one of its world and Olympic champions from the lineup, Japan needed someone among its less heralded members to step up and notch a pivotal win.
 
Enter Ayana GEMPEI (JPN), whose come-from-behind victory at 65kg clinched host Japan's 6-4 victory over China in the final of the Women's World Cup, giving the host country its fourth consecutive title and 10th overall.

"I was so focused, I didn't really think about that," Gempei said of being in position to give Japan an insurmountable lead. "Anyway, I went out there absolutely determined to win."

Facing TANG Chuying (CHN), Gempei was trailing 3-2 when she scored a takedown and roll in the final 12 seconds to notch a 6-3 victory.

"I was losing, but I thought I could definitely get something somewhere. I believed in what I brought [to the mat]. I went for it with confidence."
Yuki IRIE (JPN) celebrates her 10- technical fall over Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan of China (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne). 

Yuki IRIE (JPN) got the host country off to a perfect start when she overwhelmed Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN), building up a 10-0 lead before scoring a fall with :46 remaining.

Irie, who had beaten world champion Yui SUSAKI at the Japan championships in December, was coming off a disappointing showing at the recent Asian Championships in Bishkek, where she had to settle for a bronze medal in a tournament dominated by China.

But before the packed house of 2,000 at Takasaki Arena and national TV audience, Irie showed what makes her a force to be reckoned with.

"At the start, I was wondering about Irie," Japan head coach Hideo SASAYAMA said. "If we lose there, it could be a problem. But if we win the opener, it gets things rolling. She came up with a fantastic victory and that got the momentum going for Japan."

Paris 2017 world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) followed with a victory at 53kg by fall over OUYANG Junling (CHN), in contrast to her labored 7-6 victory the day before over Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA).

"In yesterday's match, I allowed the opponent to work her strategy," Okuno said. "Today, I was able to do what I wanted to do."

Paris 2017 silver medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) kept the ball rolling with a 10-0 technical fall victory in 1:27 over XIE Mengyu (CHN) at 55kg.

While those three victories could be expected, the next few matches would be decisive for China, which was relying on setting the stage for its highly touted trio of heavyweights.

RONG Ningning (CHN) looks for the fall in the finals of the Women's World Cup (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Next up for China was Bishkek 2018 gold medalist RONG Ningning at 57 kg, and it was a surprise to many when Katsuki SAKAGAMI jumped out to a 4-0 lead. But Rong stuffed Sakagami on a double-leg tackle attempt, sending her to her back before ripping off five consecutive rolls---the last of which just beat the first-period buzzer for a 15-4 technical fall.

At 59kg, Yukako KAWAI (JPN) pulled off a key win when she scored a second-period takedown for a 3-1 victory over PEI Xingru (CHN), who, like Rong, was one of five newly crowned Asian champions who took the mat for China on Sunday.

Kawai's older sister, Rio 2016 Olympic and Paris 2017 world champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) lived up to expectations by forging a 10-4 victory over Bishkek 2018 silver medalist LUO Xiaojuan, putting Japan up 5-1.
Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) battles for control in Sunday night's final (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Gempei, a world under-23 champion, scored her decisive victory over the lanky Tang, who was a head taller than the stocky Japanese.

"Whoever the opponent, whatever their body type, I only think about having to fight by using the moves that I know," Gempei said. "So I don't think about that."

With Rio 2016 Olympic and Paris 2017 world champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) skipping the final due to a shoulder injury suffered during the preliminary round, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) proved no match at 68kg for Bishkek 2018 champion ZHOU Feng, going down to defeat 9-0.

China's two other Asian champions, Yue HAN (CHN) at 72kg and ZHOU Qian (CHN) at 76kg, finished up with wins that only served to slim Japan's margin of victory.

Han, a Paris 2017  bronze medalist, was pushed to the limit by Masako FURUICHI (JPN) and needed two second-period takedowns to notch a 10-7 victory, while Zhou followed by topping Paris 2017 bronze medalist Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) 7-1.

Mongolia takes bronze for 3rd straight year
In a thrilling third-place playoff that featured a number of late, come-from-behind wins, Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) provided the shocker that helped clinch Mongolia's 6-4 victory over the United States for a third consecutive bronze medal.

The U.S. had cut Mongolia's lead to 4-3 with victories over two of its top wrestlers when Bishkek 2018 silver medalist Sharkhuu faced Tamrya MENSAH (USA) in a pivotal bout at 68kg.

Mensah stormed to a 5-0 lead, but in the second period, Sharkhuu used an inside trip to send the American to her back, then finished off the match with a fall with 1:56 left.

"Our team, we all supported each other and were saying, 'You can do it,'" Sharkhuu said. "I was just thinking about the team and thinking 'I have to win.'"

Regarding her winning move, Sharkhuu said, "That technique is not my technique, but for the last month I have been trying it."

After Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) at 55kg and Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) at 59kg pulled off last-second victories, the U.S. got back into the match with two big wins.

Mallory VELTE (USA) held on for an 11-9 victory at 62kg over Paris 2017 world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), who was not at 100 percent and had defaulted two group stage matches.

Then, Forrest MOLINARI (USA) ended a close battle at 65kg with former world champion Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) with a first-period fall. 

"Orkhon was injured, but she tried her best," Sharkhuu said. "I really appreciate her [effort]. We are all one team."

Mongolia coach Byambajov BATTULGA said the team is improving as younger wrestlers start to step up.

"We have a good mix with young wrestlers getting better," Battulga said. "We're more confident. Two champions lost, we were shocked. But Sharkhuu came up with a big win."

High drama for the lower places
Meanwhile, there was drama in the morning as both of the playoffs for lower places were split evenly 5-5 between the competing teams, and had to be decided on classification points.

Canada held on to edge Belarus 24-21, with the main difference coming from the fact that Belarus had one more victory by default or forfeit than Canada. 

The outcome was not decided until the final match at 76kg, when Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), needing to win by fall, could only manage a 6-4 victory over Justina DI STASIO (CAN).

With the score 2-2 and less than minute left, Marzaliuk pressed to lock up di Stasio's arms to set up a throw. The Canadian resisted but was flipped over as they went out of bounds for a 4-point move.

"I think I was trying so hard to not step out of bounds that I overcompensated and drove so hard," di Stasio said. "I don't know how I got flipped over."

Adding to the drama, di Stasio was injured on the play and needed medical attention. "I've got a little neck thing going on," she said. "I don't know why I landed on my head in the last two matches."

A default would have given Belarus the victory---a detail that the Canadian said she was not aware of.

"No, I had no idea---which I'm happy about," said di Stasio, who added she never thought about stopping the match.

For Sweden, splitting the matches with Romania in the seventh-place playoff but losing on classification points 24-22 was a moral victory of sorts, given the young squad's bleak results in the group stage when it won just two matches overall.

"Yesterday was really tough for the whole team," said veteran Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), the Rio 2016 bronze medalist who beat Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by technical fall at 72kg. "When I was almost the last match, I could feel everyone was so sad. It was hard. But it's a good experience."

Final Day Results
1st-2nd Place
JAPAN 6 CHINA 4
50 kg: Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. SUN Yanan (CHN) by Fall, 0:46 (10-0)
53 kg: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. OUYANG Junling (CHN) by Fall, 4:33 (4-0)
55 kg: Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. XIE Mengyu (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 1:15
57 kg: RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) by TF, 15-4, 3:00
59 kg: Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. PEI Xingru (CHN), 3-1
62 kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN), 10-4
65 kg: Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. TANG Chuying (CHN), 6-3
68 kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 9-0
72 kg: HAN Yue (CHN) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN), 10-7
76 kg: ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), 7-1

3rd-4th Place
MONGOLIA 6 UNITED STATES 4
50 kg: Victoria ANTHONY (USA) df. Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) by Fall, 3:49 (8-2)
53 kg:  Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), 10-6
55 kg: Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) df. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), 9-6
57 kg: Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. Allison RAGAN (USA) by TF, 10-0, 1:38
59 kg: Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), 5-4
62 kg: Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), 11-9
65 kg: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) by Fall, 3:22 (4-4)
68 kg: Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) df. Tamyra MENSAH (USA) by Fall, 1:56 (4-5)
72 kg: Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA), 11-3
76 kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 3:59

5th-6th Place
CANADA 5 BELARUS 5
(Canada won 24-21 on classification points)
50 kg: Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) by Fall, 3:12 (6-2)
53 kg: Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) by Default
55 kg: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Jade PARSONS (CAN), 10-4
57 kg: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR), 7-0
59 kg: Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR) df. Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) by TF, 12-2,2:15
62 kg: Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) by Fall, 5:34 (4-0)
65 kg: Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) df. Braxton STONE (CAN) by Default
68 kg: Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR), 5-2
72 kg: Erica WIEBE (CAN) by Forfeit
76 kg: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Justina DI STASIO (CAN), 6-4 

7th-8th Place
ROMANIA 5 SWEDEN 5
(Romania won 24-22 on classification points)
50 kg: Alina VUC (ROU) df. Malin  LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by Fall, 3:56 (8-0)
53 kg: Estera TAMADUIANU DOBRE (ROU) df. Linn LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 1:37
55 kg: Simona PRICOB (ROU) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:15
57 kg:  Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE) by Fall, 2:23 (10-3)
59 kg: Emma JOHANSSON (SWE) by Forfeit
62 kg: Kriszta INCZE (ROU) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) by Default
65 kg: Moa NYGREN (SWE) df. Adina POPESCU (ROU) by Fall, 1:35 (6-2)
68 kg: Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 9-2
72 kg: Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 1:17
76 kg: Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by Forfeit

#WrestleBudapest

Takahashi marks return from injury with Ranking Series gold

Friday, July 18, 2025 - 20:08 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- The last memories of Kota TAKHASHI (JPN) on the mat were painful. He had a heavily strapped right knee and was wrestling at the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year. He was torn.

A surgery and nine months later, Takahashi returned to international wrestling at the Budapest Ranking Series on Friday and captured the 74kg gold medal.

The world U23 champion was the third gold medalist from Japan in Budapest after Takara SUDA (JPN) and Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) won at 61kg and 70kg, respectively.

In the other two weight classes that were in action on Friday, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) and Trent HIDLAY (USA) captured the gold medal at 86kg and 92kg as Freestyle came to a close at the Ranking Series.

Takahashi, who won the Asian Championships gold in 2024, made himself a gold-medal threat for the World Championships in Zagreb with an impressive performance that saw him score wins over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and David CARR (USA).

"This was my first international competition since my right knee surgery, and I wanted to show my true abilities," Takahashi said. "I'm very happy that I was able to win by thoroughly executing my tackles and aggressive wrestling style."

Takahashi was up against Salkazanov in his first match and began by blasting two double-leg attacks to race to a 4-0 lead. But the second period was not the same as he was put on the activity clock and Salkazanov cut the lead with a takedown during that.

Just when it seemed that Salkazanov can take the lead, Takahashi hit a low leg-attack and converted it into takedown to make the gap 6-3. Salkazanov did not let it go and scored a stepout with nine seconds left.

Takahashi was happy to not engage in those nine seconds, and happily gave a stepout and a caution. He won 6-6 and set up a quarterfinal against Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN). He did not need any of those attacks as he managed a 3-0 win.

The semifinal against Carr was a challenging one as Takahashi struggled to keep his conditioning for six minutes. He opened with a stepout and Carr was called for fleeing. As Carr used a chest wrap to stop Takahashi's double-leg attack, he fell on his back with hand opens. Only Takahashi was awarded two points which made his lead 4-0. Two stepouts later, it was 6-0.

Carr got going in the final two minutes as he scored two takedowns inside 20 seconds to make it 6-4. So far, Takahashi had remained low in his stance and cancelled Carr's long reach. However, his defense began to break up.

As Carr tried to turn Takahashi after the second takedown, Takahashi blocked the turn and got two points. Carr scored a reversal to make it 8-5. He then made it 8-7 with 10 seconds remaining but that was the final scoring action of the bout.

"Car is very aggressive, and I am also good at aggressive wrestling, but in the second half, my opponent's attacks were superior to mine. I ended up conceding points," he said. "I think that was my mistake. In the second period, I tried to attack, but the opponent kept attacking repeatedly. I ended up just defending, and that was the reason I lost points. I need to be more aggressive and attack more."

Takahashi's aggressive wrestling was once again on show in the final against another former world U23 champion Magomed KHANIEV (AZE). He scored two takedowns and defending so well that Khaniev was not able to score a point and Takahashi won gold medal, 4-0.

But the Japanese accepted the chinks in his armor and has decided to work on them before the World Championships where he knows that the competition will be even tougher.

"Similar story against Salkazanov. I want to review my stamina to maintain an aggressive attack throughout the six minutes without breaking my stance, and keep solid stance," he said. "In the second half, my desire to attack weakened, and I ended up being attacked by the opponent, leading to them scoring points. I need to improve on that."

Carr returned for the bronze medal bout and defeated Salkazanov 4-4, avenging his previous to the Slovak from Zagreb.

Trent HIDLAY (USA)Trent HIDLAY (USA) defeated Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 7-2 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Trent HIDLAY (USA), a 86kg silver medalist last year in Budapest, upgraded to gold medal after beating world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4, in the 92kg final.

Hidlay was in red-hot form the whole day as he began with a win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)  and then posted a 10-0 win over Krizstian ANGYAL (HUN) in the quarterfinal. He began the semifinal against Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) with a powerful double-leg takedown.

As Kurugliev fell, he landed on his knee and suffered an injury so bad that he was unable to walk off the mat. Hidlay reached the final after the injury forced Kurugliev to stop.

It was Maisuradze who opened the scoring in the final with a snapdown to takedown for two points but Hidlay answered with two stepouts and the Georgian led 2-2 on criteria at the break.

Hidlay opened the second period with a takedown to take a 4-2 lead and then continued to put pressure on Maisuradze. It paid off as he scored another takedown on the edge to lead 6-2. Georgia challenged that both wrestlers were already out of the zone and it should be one point. But the challenge was lost, making it 7-2 for Hidlay with 1:47 left on the clock.

That was all in the bout as Hidlay captured the gold and put his name in contention for the gold medal at the upcoming World Championships.

At 86kg, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) was the gold medalist after European silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) pulled out of the final injured.

Kadzimahamedau suffered a knee injury in the semifinal against Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) as the Iranian did not let go off his knee despite it turning more than 90 degrees.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 4-0

BRONZE: David CARR (USA) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Yeldos KUANYSHBAY (KAZ), 8-2

86kg
GOLD:  Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 3-2
BRONZE: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ), 3-0 

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Benjamin HONIS (ITA) df. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN), via fall (5-5)
BRONZE: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), via inj. def.