#JapanWrestling

Morikawa reigns at 68kg, all but shatters Kawai's Olympic quest

Friday, June 16, 2023 - 15:17 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (June 16) -- When the dust settled on the battle royale that is the women's 68kg division of Japanese wrestling, it was Miwa MORIKAWA who emerged unscathed, while Yukako KAWAI's dream of a second straight Olympic gold was left in tatters.

Morikawa defeated Kawai in the final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Friday, a victory in the second of Japan's domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships that refortifies her own chances of ultimately making it to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Morikawa preceded her 3-0 win over the Tokyo Olympic champion at 62kg by knocking off world silver medalist Ami ISHII 8-5 in the semifinals, which avenged a loss to her last December in the final at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, the first of the world team qualifiers.

"A half-year ago I lost, and I came to get revenge at this tournament," said Morikawa, the reigning world 65kg champion who had moved up to the Olympic weight class. "I kept in mind that if I lost this time, there would be no Paris."

Winners at both the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup earn a place on Japan's team to the World Championships in September in Belgrade, where in the Olympic weight classes, a medal will also mean an automatic ticket to the Paris Olympics. If the winners are different, the two will face off in a playoff slated for July 1.

Morikawa's triumph puts her into a playoff with Ishii, who had beaten her 5-2 at the Emperor's Cup. "I am now back at the start line with Ishii. If I don't win again, it all means nothing," Morikawa said.

Among those booking tickets to Belgrade was world 59kg bronze medalist Sakura MOTOKI, who repeated her triumph at the Emperor's Cup in the equally stacked women's 62kg class by beating Yuzuka INAGAKI in the final.

Brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO will also be on the plane to Belgrade. Hayato won the freestyle 86kg crown by handing veteran Sohsuke TAKATANI his first loss to a Japanese wrestler in a decade, and elder sibling Takashi followed by triumphing at 97kg.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA celebrates after beating Emperor's Cup champion Ami ISHII in the 68kg semifinal. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

The women's 68kg class got a little more crowded for the Meiji Cup when Kawai, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 62kg, made the surprising jump up to the next Olympic weight after falling to Motoki in the 62kg semifinals at the Emperor's Cup.

Kawai seemed to be managing the extra weight when she finished unbeaten in three matches in her round-robin Nordic group on Thursday -- including a 4-4 victory over Morikawa -- then advanced to the final earlier Friday with a 4-3 victory over the three-time world 72kg medalist Masako FURUICHI.

But the final played out differently, as Morikawa scored an activity point and a double-leg takedown in the first period, then held off Kawai's attacks for a 3-0 victory.

"I've faced her a few times and I had never beaten her," Morikawa said. "This time, I wanted revenge on everyone. I came in with a positive attitude."

Kawai occasionally broke down in tears as she reflected on her bold performance. "I lost, but I gave it my all," said Kawai, whose older sister and fellow Olympic champion Risako KINJO will begin her quest at 57kg on Saturday.

"It was my first time in this weight class. When I look back at how I had wanted to run away and quit, I think it's something that I made it this far."

Morikawa was motivated by her loss at the Emperor's Cup and the harsh love meted out by her coaches, who include four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO.

"After the final, [Icho] said, 'You fought well.' She never normally says that," Morikawa said. "At the Emperor's Cup, I didn't move like I usually do and the coaches were especially brutal in their comments. I realized that to win here, if I don't use my strengths, it would be a waste. I thought I have to give everything and be at my best to win, and I was able to do it."

Kawai still has a slim chance to get to Paris, but it is predicated on whoever goes to Belgrade not coming home with a medal. The odds would seem against her, as Japan's women won medals in four of the six Olympic weight classes at the 2019 World Championships that served as the first qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI confirmed her spot at 62kg for the World Championships by winning the Meiji Cup. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Motoki has been dreaming of going to the Olympics since she started wrestling as a toddler, hoping to emulate her father Yasutoshi, who competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics at Greco 63kg.

"From when I started wrestling when I was little, I have been aiming at the Olympics," the 22- year-old Motoki said. "Everything my coach taught me when I was in elementary school, what my high school coach said, and my coach at Ikuei University, it all culminated in today's result."

Motoki also has some unfinished business at the World Championships, as she still feels the sting of settling for a bronze medal last year in Belgrade, where she was dealt a 7-5 loss in the semifinals by Anastasia NICHITA (MDA).

"Last year, I lost at the World Championships, but I learned a lot from it, and I am determined not to make the same mistakes again," she said.

Motoki scored a takedown followed by a two-point roll in each period to cruise to an 8-2 victory in the final against Yuzuka INAGAKI, who had pulled off a stunning upset of world champion Nonoka OZAKI in the semifinals.

Ozaki, who returned to the mat to take home a bronze medal, said that she will likely try to earn a ticket to the World Championships in a non-Olympic weight class.

According to Japan Wrestling Federation rules, any wrestler who finishes in the top two of an Olympic weight class but does not qualify in that division for Belgrade can opt to challenge for a place in a non-Olympic weight. Those playoffs will be held on July 17.

Hayato ISHIGUROHayato ISHIGURO handed Sohsuke TAKATANI his first domestic loss in a decade to win at 86kg. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

The Ishiguro brothers can be content with not having to concern themselves with the playoffs after both put on masterful performances to clinch their world places outright.

Hayato Ishiguro, coming off a bronze-medal finish at the Asian Championships in April, scored a takedown and a stepout in the first period, and that was enough to top Takatani 3-0 in the 86kg final.

The 34-year-old Takatani had won his 12th straight Emperor's Cup over four weight classes in December at 92kg but dropped to 86kg in an attempt to make a fourth career Olympics. The 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg, Takatani had not lost to a Japanese opponent since the National Games in October 2013.

"I had faced him several times but I had never beaten him," Ishiguro said. "I had beaten foreign wrestlers who had beaten him and that boosted my confidence, but I still never beat him. Finally, I have topped him, and that makes me feel a mix of relief and joy."

Ishiguro then watched as older sibling Takashi, an Asian bronze medalist in 2021, follow up with a 4-1 victory in the 97kg final over Taira SONODA. Like Hayato, Takashi scored all of his points in the first period, combining a takedown and gut wrench after giving up an activity point.

"I was focused on myself [during the tournament] and didn't see much of his matches, but my final was first so I was able to see his match," Hayato said. "When he won the title, I was happy because it means we can both compete at the World Championships."

In another final, 2022 Asian bronze medalist Katsuaki ENDO avenged a loss in the Emperor's Cup final to Kyotaro SOGABE, this year's Asian silver medalist, by scoring a two-point exposure in his second attempt at par terre for a 3-3 victory on last-point criteria in the Greco-Roman 67kg gold medal bout. The two will go at it again in the July 1 playoff.

Fujinami, Higuchi win away from worlds

The Olympic weight classes are being run over two days, and two of Japan's top medal hopes for Belgrade, but with eyes firmly on Paris, advanced to their respective finals.

Former world champion Akari FUJINAMI followed up her historic victory over Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (formerly MUKAIDA) in the quarterfinals by advancing to the women's 53kg final on Saturday with a victory by fall over Karen SASAKI.

Her two victories stretched Fujinami's current winning streak to 121 matches in a row dating back to her junior high school days in 2017. While she says she has little interest in it, the Japanese media is quick to note she has surpassed the 119-match winning streak put together by three-time Olympic champion and fellow Mie Prefecture native Saori YOSHIDA from December 2001 to January 2008.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)Moe KIYOOKA overcame two-time world champion Haruna OKUNO in the 53kg semifinal. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Fujinami's opponent in the final will be fellow 19-year-old Moe KIYOOKA, who gained one of the biggest scalps of her career by knocking off two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO 4-2 in the other semifinal.

Kiyooka, who is one month and two days Fujinami's senior, has recently established herself as Japan's top wrestler at 55kg, winning both the world U20 and U23 golds and the Emperor's Cup in 2022. Her dropping down to 53kg for the Meiji Cup only added to an already stacked weight class.

Fujinami had moved halfway to Belgrade by beating Okuno in the final of the Emperor's Cup, where Okuno defeated Shidochi. Fujinami all but closed the door to Paris for Shidochi with her victory by fall on Friday in the first-ever meeting between the titans.

Looking ahead to the final, Fujinami commented, "If I don't win tomorrow, it means nothing," Fujinami said. "Winning in Paris is my ultimate goal."

Also moving closer to completing the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double was Rei HIGUCHI, who is in his second Olympic cycle of trying to make up for his disappointing silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Higuchi, the 2022 world champion at freestyle 61kg, has returned to the Olympic weight class of 57kg and -- despite an everlasting struggle to make weight -- advanced to Saturday's final, where he will face Yudai FUJITA.

Higuchi chalked up a 10-5 semifinal victory over Toshihiro HASEGAWA, a 2021 world bronze medalist at 61kg who was the defending Meiji Cup champion.

"I really struggled with losing weight, and that's why I gave up five points in the semifinals," Higuchi said. "I'll focus on the task at hand in the final. I am thinking only of winning."

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU kept his hopes alive of making it to Belgrade by advancing to the Greco 77kg final with a 5-1 victory over Minto MAEDA. He will face world U23 bronze medalist Nao KUSAKA.

Yabiku came up short at the Emperor's Cup after suffering a right knee injury 10 days before the competition. He has since had surgery, but his range of motion remains limited and he said he has to adjust his techniques.

A victory on Saturday would put Yabiku into a playoff with Emperor's Cup champion and two-time Asian bronze medalist Kodai SAKURABA, who was dealt a 5-1 loss in the quarterfinals by Maeda.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

57kg (13 entries)
Semifinal -- Rei HIGUCHI df. Toshihiro HASEGAWA, 10-5
Semifinal -- Yudai FUJITA df. Yuto NISHIUCHI, 2-1

74kg (14 entries)
Semifinal -- Daichi TAKATANI df. Masaki SATO, 10-5
Semifinal -- Jintaro KINOSHITA df. Yuto MIWA, 2-1

86kg (12 entries)
GOLD -- Hayato ISHIGURO df. Sohsuke TAKATANI, 3-0

BRONZE -- Tatsuya SHIRAI df. Mao OKUI, 7-1
BRONZE -- Fumiya IGARASHI df. Yudai TAKAHASHI, 9-7

97kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Takashi ISHIGURO df. Taira SONODA, 4-1

BRONZE -- Keivan YOSHIDA df. Hiroto NINOMIYA, 7-5
BRONZE -- Nariya MARUYAMA df. Hibiki ITO by Def.

125kg (4 entries)
GOLD -- Taiki YAMAMOTO (3-0)
SILVER-- Yuji FUKUI (2-1)
BRONZE -- Takuto YASUDA (1-2)

Key match: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Yuji FUKUI, 2-1 in 3rd round

Greco-Roman

63kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Ryuto IKEDA df. Chiezo MARUYAMA, 1-1

BRONZE -- Yamato HAGIWARA df. Komei SAWADA, 1-1
BRONZE -- Ryuta KOSHIBA df. Godai MITANI, 8-1

Semifinal -- Chiezo MARUYAMA df. Yamato HAGIWARA by TF, 10-2, 3:42
Semifinal -- Ryuto IKEDA df. Godai MITANI, 5-1

67kg (13 entries)
GOLD -- Katsuaki ENDO df. Kyotaro SOGABE, 3-3

BRONZE -- Ryoma HOJO df. Kensuke SHIMIZU by Def.
BRONZE -- Taishi NARIKUNI df. Yuji UEGAKI, 8-2

77kg (11 entries)
Semifinal -- Shohei YABIKU df. Minto MAEDA, 5-1
Semifinal -- Nao KUSAKA df. Tatsuya FUJII, 7-1

87kg (6 entries)
GOLD -- So SAKABE df. Masato SUMI, 1-1

BRONZE -- Kanta SHIOKAWA df. Daisei ISOE by Fall, 1:26 (4-0)

Semifinal -- Masato SUMI df. Daisei ISOE by TF, 8-0, 1:47
Semifinal -- So SAKABE df . Kanta SHIOKAWA, 5-1

97kg (8 entries)
Semifinal -- Yuta NARA df. Kyo KITAWAKI, TF, 8-0, 1;55
Semifinal -- Yuri NAKAZATO df. Masayuki AMANO, 5-0

130kg (6 entries)
GOLD -- Sota OKUMURA df. Shion OBATA, 1-1

BRONZE -- Koei YAMADA df. Naoto YAMAGUCHI, 2-0

Semifinal -- Sota OKUMURA df. Koei YAMADA by TF, 9-0, 1:59
Semifinal -- Shion OBATA df. Naoto YAMAGUCHI, 4-0

Women

53kg (12 entries)
Semifinal -- Akari FUJINAMI df. Karen SASAKI by Fall, 1:55 (6-1)
Semifinal -- Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna OKUNO, 4-2

59kg (10 entries)
GOLD -- Sena NAGAMOTO df. Himeka TOKUHARA, 6-3

BRONZE -- Yui SAKANO df. Kanami YAMAUCHI by TF, 9-0, 4:32
BRONZE -- Miyu NAKANISHI df. Sakura YAMAJI, 8-0

Semifinal -- Sena NAGAMOTO df. Yui SAKANO, 6-2
Semifinal -- Himeka TOKUHARA df. Miyu NAKANISHI, 3-0

62kg (13 entries)
GOLD -- Sakura MOTOKI df. Yuzuka INAGAKI, 8-2

BRONZE -- Naomi RUIKE df. Ayana GEMPEI, 5-0
BRONZE -- Nonoka OZAKI df. Suzu SASAKI, TF, 10-0, 4:13

68kg (7 entries)
GOLD -- Miwa MORIKAWA df. Yukako KAWAI, 3-0

BRONZE -- Ami ISHII df. Masako FURUICHI, 5-3

Semifinal -- Miwa MORIKAWA df. Ami ISHII, 8-5
Semifinal -- Yukako KAWAI df. Masako FURUICHI, 4-3

#JapanWrestling

Two-time Olympic champ formerly known as Kawai returns in triumph

Sunday, October 16, 2022 - 21:25 By Ken Marantz

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YAIZU, JAPAN (October 16) -- As Risako KINJO stood on the top of the medal podium, a warm smile came across her face. It was not for the victory in her return to the mat after 14 months, but for that other part of her life that had kept her to stay away so willingly.

She had caught sight of her mother in the stands across the gym, holding Kinjo's 5-month-old daughter in her arms and waving the infant's hand in her direction.

"There have been so many people supporting me, and that's what allowed me to take the mat today," she said.

To the rest of the wrestling world, she is still known by her maiden name KAWAI, under which she won a second straight Olympic title by capturing the women's 57kg gold at the Tokyo Games in August 2021.

Much had changed in her life since that triumph at Makuhari Messe arena, her name notwithstanding through the marriage to former wrestler Kiryu KINJO. But as the three-time world champion showed on Sunday, her desire and talent for the sport have not altered in the slightest.

Kinjo returned to competition by cruising to the 59kg senior title at the Japan Women's Open, winning three matches without surrendering a point in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, about 200 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.

"There's a feeling of relief, but also I wish I had a few more matches," said the 27-year-old Kinjo, who capped her golden run with a 9-0 victory in the final over national collegiate silver medalist Miyu NAKANISHI. "It felt like the three matches were over before I knew it."

Kinjo said she had butterflies in her stomach at the start, but actually welcomed that feeling as in reminded her of old times.

"I was really nervous before my first match," she said. "After that there wasn't much time between matches. But it's like there was something nostalgic about the nervousness. After it was over, looking back I thought, 'That was fun.'"

JPN
Risako KINJO gets 2 with a counter-lift in the 59kg final against Miyu NAKANISHI (photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

Kinjo, who had a bye into the quarterfinals, opened with a victory by fall in 51 seconds over Mizuki NAKAHORI. Kinjo did not have to attack, as she spun behind off a Nakahori shot, executed a pair of gut wrenches, then used a leg lock and reverse half-nelson for the fall.

In her semifinal match against Himeka HASEGAWA, Kinjo maintained her defensive wall and scored two go-behind takedowns, then scored another with a snap down. From there, a pair of gut wrenches ended the match 10-0 at 1:23.

In the final against a defensive-minded Nakanishi, Kinjo took a 3-0 lead into the second period from an activity point and a back-door takedown off a single--off her first shot of the day. But in the second period, Kinjo effectively moved Nakanishi around to set up a low sweeping single, then a shrug-and-go-behind. She added a counter-lift for 2 to make it 9-0.

Kinjo's coach Ryo KANEHAMA was impressed with the performance, given the uncertainty going into the tournament.

"That she first of all could get so mentally prepared was really big," he said. "She also showed speed. What we were most fearful of was going the full six minutes, but she was able to keep moving like that. Looking at how she started in the morning, she looked in really good shape."

For Kinjo, the most unfamiliar moment came when her married name was used in the pre-match announcement for the first time.

"When I saw 'Kinjo' on the scoreboard, I was like, 'Oh, right,'" she said. "This is the first tournament that I entered as Kinjo, and I feel honored to have it on the certificate that I received."

The couple announced they had tied the knot on Aug. 27, 2021, and Kinjo gave birth to a baby girl in May this year. She said she started working out again at the end of June, and practiced on the mat the following month. As can be imagined, it was not easy.

"At first, I couldn't even do calistenics on the mat, or a high bridge," she said. "Parts of my body were really stiff. My legs couldn't react to where my eyes were looking. I thought, this is how much it changes after being away 10 months. It was like watching someone else."

Kinjo eventually got back to speed, realizing that the additional burden of raising a child meant changing her approach to training from quantity to quality.

"I have a child and she is the No. 1 priority," Kinjo said. "The amount of practice has been reduced. Before, my time was all mine; now more time is spent on the child. I don't know how much less I'm doing, but to me, it's of a better quality."

Living with her husband in Fukui Prefecture in western Japan, where he is coach at Tsuruga Kehi High School, presents a challenge for Kawai. She takes advantage of every opportunity for a practice spot--sometimes it's with the high schoolers, other times she might head to Tokyo or Aichi Prefecture to train with younger sister Yukako, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist at 62kg.

Everywhere she goes, she is fortunate to have someone to help out with the baby. In Fukui, Tsuruga has a kids club and sometimes the mother of one of the team members will look after the child. In Tokyo, she knows she can always leave her with her mother, Hatsue, a national team member during her career who almost unfailingly attends all of her daughters' matches.

That support system has allowed Kinjo to join the ever-growing number of Japanese female athletes who are continuing careers after childbirth, which only a few decades ago would have been unheard of. Most noticeable was Ryoko TANI, who won a fourth Olympic medal in judo after giving birth.

JPN
Risako KINJO, center, smiles on the medal podium. (photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

Kinjo became the latest high-profile wrestler to use the Japan Women's Open as the first stepping stone in a return to the sport. It is actually a second-tier tournament with age groups that for senior wrestlers, is a last-chance event to qualify for the All-Japan Championships in December. Kinjo's only previous appearance was in the junior high school division in 2008.

Previously, 2016 Olympic champion Eri TOSAKA appeared at the 2017 tournament as her first competition after undergoing foot surgery, and the legendary Kaori ICHO competed in 2018, having taken two years off after Rio 2016 in a bid for a fifth Olympic gold that would eventually be thwarted by Kinjo.

The question now is, what will Kinjo do from here? The All-Japan in December marks the start of the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is squarely on Kinjo's radar. It is possible for her to enter at 59kg and later drop down to the Olympic weight of 57kg, or she can go down to the latter now. "It's a secret," she said mischievously.

Of course, whether she does it in December or later, Kinjo will almost surely eventually clash heads with rising star Tsugumi SAKURAI, who won the 57kg world title in Kinjo's absence.

Kinjo takes an esoteric stance when it comes to the emergence of the 21-year-old Sakurai, who also won the 55kg world title in 2021.

"I think it is a good thing for Japan that young wrestlers are being cultivated," Kinjo said. "I don't mean that it would be good for me to lose to them. But for the ones coming up after me, the future is bright. While I keep battling on, the young ones get stronger. They are all rivals, but I think that their getting stronger is a good situation."

JPN1
Yukako KAWAI talks to the media after withdrawing just before her opening match. (photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

Younger sister defaults after injury during warm-up

Meanwhile, younger sister Yukako KAWAI was also entered in the tournament, but defaulted her opening match at 62kg after hurting her back while warming up.

"It's not such a serious injury, but we thought it was better to be cautious and not risk making it worse," Kawai said.

Unlike Risako, Kawai has already faced a domestic usurper to her throne, and lost it. In her first tournament after winning the Tokyo Olympic gold, she returned at the All-Japan Invitational Championships last June, but lost in the final to another rising star, Nonoka OZAKI.

Ozaki went on to win the senior world title in Belgrade last month, establishing herself as the one to beat in the race to Paris 2024.

"I've been working to fix the mistakes I make in the June match, and this Women's Open was supposed to be a test of how far I have come," Kawai said. "I think I'm rounding into shape."

Kawai said she finds motivation in Ozaki's world title run.

"I thought she would win the championship," she said. "By winning the title, I think it shows that our domestic matches are the highest level matches in the world. That's motivating me."

Another top wrestler who made the trip to Yaizu was world silver medalist Ami ISHII, who won the 68kg title by beating Kokona TAKADA by fall at the first-period buzzer.

"The reason I entered this tournament, to put it plainly, was to check my technique," she said. "Also, my pre-match preparation has not been good and I wanted to work on that."

In December, Ishii can expect to see a great deal of shifting into the Olympic weight class, with her most notable competition likely to be current 65kg world champion Miwa MORIKAWA.

"If I do what I need to do, the confidence will come," Ishii said. "We'll see how much I can progress in the next two months. If I do everything I need to, it will be like insurance, and winning won't be out of the question."