#JapanWrestling

Narikuni achieves first Greco-Freestyle double in 52 years

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 20) -- Before stepping down from the mat after his historic victory, Taishi NARIKUNI posed for the cameras with the fingers of one hand spread out in a "5", and the other in a vee for "2".

"I wasn't sure anyone would pick up on what that meant," he acknowledged.

For those who knew, it signified that Narikuni had achieved a seemingly impossible feat, becoming the first wrestler in 52 years to win titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the same Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships.

Narikuni captured the freestyle 70kg gold on Saturday with a 7-2 victory over Yuma TOMIYAMA, a day after taking the Greco 72kg title.

Both weight classes had among the largest fields in the tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym and, as non-Olympic weights, were competed in a single day. That meant Narikuni had to get through a gauntlet of four matches a day on consecutive days.

"I didn't have any concerns about making weight, but after the first day was over, I had to start again from the beginning the next day," the 28-year-old Narikuni said. "It was difficult to get back into the mode. It wasn't the physical aspect. Mentally, it was a tougher two days than I had thought it would be.

"I won collegiate titles in both styles, and I tried to approach this tournament from the same mentality, but it was completely different. I was a bit naive."

The four-day tournament is also serving as Japan's qualifier for the Asian Championships in April, and as one of two qualifiers for both the World Championships and Asian Games in the fall. The Olympic weights use the same format as the worlds and are contested over two days.

In other finals on Day 3, world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA stormed to his third straight title at freestyle 97kg, while veteran Sohsuke TAKATANI turned back the clock and triumphed at freestyle 86kg for his first title since 2022, when he won the last of 12 straight over four weight classes.

Taishi NARIKUNITaishi NARIKUNI shows off his two medals, one in freestyle and other in Greco. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Narikuni's quest for double glory has its roots in his mother, a two-time world champion who runs the kids club in Tokyo where he got his start. To exceed mom, he set a target of also winning two world golds -- but adding a twist by making it one each in freestyle and Greco.

He accomplished half of his goal in 2022, when he captured the freestyle 70kg gold in Belgrade. But his chance to complete the crusade this year fell flat when he lost his first-round match at the worlds in Zagreb.

Narikuni said he will focus on Greco at the second world qualifier, the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in the spring, to assure his place on the team to the 2026 worlds. The world gold in Greco now tops his list of holy grails.

"Of course I am aiming for the Olympics," Narikuni said. "But at this time, my main target is to become a world champion in Greco. This is just a point to be passed along the way. I feel I got over one hurdle."

In the final, Narikuni earned an activity point and steoput to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, he countered a tackle attempt for a 2-point exposure.

When Tomiyama then got in deep on a double-leg, Narikuni went over the top to grab the legs from the back. Tomiyama rose up and dumped Narikuni to the mat and got behind for 2, but never had solid control and Narikuni quickly reversed, then transitioned immediately into a gut wrench to go up 7-2.

Taishi NARIKUNITaishi NARIKUNI counters a takedown attempt by Yuma TOMIYAMA for a 2-point exposure in the second period of the freestyle 70kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

The thought that this might be his last opportunity served as strong motivation for Narikuni, overcoming any doubts and pain.

"I thought that this might be my only chance," he said. "If I had put it off, it might not come again. And that influenced my freestyle wrestling today. Instead of the full-out attack that I rely on, I went into a defensive shell. In the end, the result was good, but it wasn't done very well."

Narikuni became the first wrestler to complete the double since Mitsuo YOSHIDA won the 100kg titles in both styles in 1973. Ironically, Kaisei TANABE also had a chance to achieve the feat this week, but after winning the Greco 63kg title on Thursday, he lost in the semifinals at freestyle 65kg on Saturday.

Narikuni has long been a bit of a maverick in the wrestling world, often opting for weight training over live practice sessions. His desire to compete in both styles may have been an act of defiance against the common wisdom of specializing in one.

"People around me said that I had to specialize in one style, but that didn't sit well with me," Narikuni said. "Maybe I had a strong feeling of wanting to show them it could be done, and that's what makes this result so good."

As with Tanabe, there has been an increase in wrestlers doing both styles even up to the college level, a trend that Narikuni finds quite pleasing.

"That really makes me happy," he said. "When it is first tried, they will hear that it will degrade how people see them or that it won't be easy. Of course it isn't easy. Up to now, there was no format for doing both styles. To take up both with its own rules is something to be proud of, and I'm happy that there are wrestlers trying to emulate me."

Arash YoshidaArash YOSHIDA dumps Noah LEIBOWITZ to his back for a 4-point takedown in the freestyle 97kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 97kg, Yoshida continues to establish himself as the preeminent Japanese wrestler in the heavy weights, easily dismantling high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ with an 11-0 technical fall in 1:13. That was a repeat of last spring's Meiji Cup final.

Yoshida showed the power that once gave him a victory over world champion Kyle SNYDER by starting off with four straight stepouts, with a fleeing point tacked onto the last. He then bulled Liebowitz over for a 4-point takedown, then used a lace lock to finish off the victory.

"It's a relief," Yoshida said. "A friend told me to go for crushing victories, and in the end, I won without giving up a point, so I think I cleared the level that my friend wanted. I was able to do what I do best from the start by pushing out, and that was a good way to pile up points."

Snyder avenged his earlier loss to Yoshida in the semifinals in Zagreb en route to the gold medal, but Yoshida views that as a positive. He feels that Snyder was not in prime condition when they met in February in Tirana.

"I lost to this year's world champion, but it was good that I faced him," he said. "I will prepare so that I can win at the Meiji Cup and get back to the World Championships."

Sohsuke TAKATANISohsuke TAKATANI couldn't finish off this takedown against Yudai TAKAHASHI, but it was good enough to run out the clock for victory in the 86kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the freestyle 86kg final, the 36-year-old Takatani added another gold to his bulging collection with a 2-2 victory over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist Yudai TAKAHASHI.

Takahashi scored a relatively easy takedown off a single-leg early in the first period, which was compounded when Takatani suffered a twisted ankle. But the veteran kept his nerves and when the opening came, he grabbed it. In the second period, he responded to a takedown attempt with well-timed counter roll to go up 2-2 on criteria.

In the final seconds, it was Takatani who went on the attack and got in on a single, even getting Takahashi's leg into the air. Although Takahashi squirmed out, it proved just as effective as a scoring move because time ran out.

"When he got the single leg at the beginning, I twisted my ankle and I couldn't put pressure on it," Takatani said. "After that, the opponent stopped pressing, so I thought as long it was only two points [difference], I could come back and I carried on with the match calmly. That's something that gets acquired with age."

Takatani is currently the head coach at his alma mater of Takushoku University, and is also a graduate student at Tsukuba University working on his doctorate.

He said that before his match, he received a message from the university for confirmation regarding the doctoral dissertation he had submitted.

He said he replied, "I have the final now, I'll check it when it's over." A message in response read: "Definitely win the title," so "I have good news for them."

Takatani, a three-time Olympian and a 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg, said his immediate goal is to get to the Asian Games, a competition that he has never experienced and which will be hosted by Japan.

He was unaware that the victory in the Emperor's Cup earned him a ticket to the Asian Championships, to be held in Kyrgyzstan. "But I have my work, and that's a time when there are a lot of tests. It might be hard to work it in. I will ask around."

Koto GOMIKoto GOMI works to turn Yu SHIOTANI in the Greco 60kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In other finals, world U23 and national collegiate champion Koto GOMI pulled off an impressive 8-0 victory over former world bronze medalist Yu SHIOTANI in the Greco 60kg final.

Gomi opened with a nifty 4-point arm throw, maintained control and added a 2-point exposure, then finished off the match with an arm lock roll in 1:46.

"Up to now, I had won on the collegiate level, but at the All-Japan I never even got close to the final," Gomi said. "I'm really happy to win the title."

Gomi and Shiotani had clashed twice previously this year, with Shiotani winning by technical fall at the Meiji Cup and Gomi turning the table with a victory by fall a month ago at the National Games.

At the All-Japan, the weight class was missing two-time defending champion Kaito INABA and Paris Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA, who was entered at 63kg but is expected to eventually return to the Olympic weight in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Both pulled out of the tournament due to injuries.

"Those are rivals I don't think I can beat yet," Gomi said. "It's more than just practicing harder, I have to think hard about how to train so that I can win again at the All-Japan."

For now, Gomi can look forward to making his international debut on the senior level at the Asian Championships.

"Going to that will not change what I have to do," he said. "I will be alright by sticking to my firm attacking style of wrestling."

In the women's 53kg final, Moe KIYOOKA won her fourth straight national championship and second in a row at that weight with a 4-0 victory over Umi IMAI.

Kiyooka, who won back-to-back titles at 55kg in 2022 and 2023 as well as the 2024 world gold, took a 3-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and activity point, then added a stepout in the second.

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

65kg (15 entries)
SF 1: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaiji OGINO, 3-2
SF 2: Takara SUDA df. Kaisei TANABE, 5-4

70kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Yuma TOMIYAMA, 7-2

BRONZE: Taishin HONNA df. Takeru KOZUKA, 7-6
BRONZE: Ariya YOSHIDA df. Kaito MORITA by Inj. Def.

SF 1: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Taishin HONNA, 10-2
SF 2: Yuma TOMIYAMA df. Kaito MORITA by TF, 10-0, :37

74kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Kota TAKAHASHI df. Toki OGAWA by TF, 11-0, 3:49
SF 2: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Hikaru TAKATA, 7-1

86kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Sohsuke TAKATANI df. Kodai TAKAHASHI, 2-2

BRONZE: Natsura OKAZAWA df. Daichi AKIHO by TF, 11-1, 4:00
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI df. Ryonosuke KAMIYA, 5-1

97kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by TF, 11-0, 1:13

BRONZE: Toyoki HAMADA, no opponent
BRONZE: Ryusei TAKAHASHI df. Keita KOBAYASHI, 4-0

Greco-Roman

60kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Koto GOMI df. Yu SHIOTANI by TF, 8-0, 1:46

BRONZE: Keijiro SONE df. Takuma NAKASHIMA, 6-4
BRONZE: Ayata SUZUKI df. Maito KAWANA, 9-5

67kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Kensuke SHIMIZU, 8-1
SF 2: Katsuaki ENDO df. Kojiro HASEGAWA, 4-0

77kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Nao KUSAKA df. Naoki KADODE by TF, 11-0, 1:41
SF 2: Isami HORIKITA df. Kodai SAKURABA, 6-1

82kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Tatsuya FUJII df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 6-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Hisashi KONISHI, 8-6
BRONZE: Daizo TANIZAKI df. Yudai KOBORI by TF, 11-1, 4:51

SF 1: Reon KAKEGAWA df. Tesshin HIGUCHI by TF, 8-0, :28
SF 2: Tatsuya FUJII df. Daizo TANIZAKI by TF, 11-3, 4:43

130kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 6-1

BRONZE: Kosei YAMADA df. Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 2:16
BRONZE: Sota OKUMURA df. Kosei MIYAKE by TF, 8-0, 1:47

Women's Wrestling

50kg (17 entries)
SF 1: Yui SUSAKI df. Mako ONO by TF, 10-0, 2:48
SF 2: Haruna MORIKAWA df. Rinka OGAWA by Fall, 4:47 (3-1)

53kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA df. Umi IMAI, 4-0

BRONZE: Mayu SHIDOCHI df. Miwa MAGARA by TF, 10-0, 2:53
BRONZE: Saki YUMIYA df. Futaba UCHINO, 9-0

55kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Nagisa HARADA, 2-0

BRONZE: Nana KOZUKA df. Natsumi MASUDA, 10-6
BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Yuna SAWATANI, 6-5

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Nana KOZUKA, 11-10
SF 2: Nagisa HARADA df. Yuna SAWATANI, 4-2

57kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Rin KINOSHITA by TF, 10-0, 1:48
SF 2: Akari FUJINAMI df. Sara NATAMI, 7-4

62kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI df. Yuzuka INAGAKI, 8-2
SF 2: Nonoka OZAKI df. Sakura ONISHI, 4-1

#WrestleZagreb

Reasco becomes Ecuador's first world champ as Maroulis adds to gold tally

By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- While Helen MAROULIS (USA) was adding to her mountainous pile of world medals with a fourth career gold, Genesis REASCO (ECU) made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), denying the two-time world medalist her first gold in the last of four women's finals on Wednesday at the World Championships in Zagreb.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Maroulis, who will turn 34 on Friday, showed why she has accumulated eight medals overall in 12 trips to the World Championships when she scored a dramatic takedown with :05 left to edge Il Sim SON (PRK) 3-2 in the 57kg final.

In other finals, Myonggyong WON (PRK) gave the DPR Korea its second women's title in two nights -- and just the third in its history -- with an emotional victory at 50kg , while Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) earned her second world gold and fifth medal overall with a dominant run to the 65kg title.

Reasco's historic victory came two years after Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) became the South American country's first-ever world medalist, and a day before Yepez gets a chance to join her as a gold medalist after making the 53kg final earlier in the day.

Reasco had long been seen as having the potential for a breakthrough, but never seemed to be able to make that final step up to the big time. She finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships and 2024 Paris Olympics, and was third at this year's Pan American Championships.

But after knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in Tuesday's semifinals, the impossible suddenly became possible.

"At the Olympics, I was close to winning bronze, but it didn’t happen," she said. "But now the world medal came, and I’m very happy after all the sacrifices."

In the final, Reasco scored with a double-leg takedown in the first period, then scored another at the edge in the second. Medet Kyzy, a three-time Asian champion, tried desperately to launch a comeback, but she had to settle for 2 with a late throw attempt and came up short.

The 27-year-old Reasco got a relatively late start to the sport, saying she was not even aware of wrestling's existence until she was introduced to it at age 15.

"At that time, I practically didn’t know what wrestling was," she said. "I was going for another sport, but the coach of that sport took me to wrestling -- it was thanks to his influence. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have even known what wrestling was.

"The first day I saw it, I was shocked. Since I was little, I always liked sports -- I liked basketball, football. So I always had that love for sports. Any sport, any other sport, I liked."

But her dedication to training eventually led to the greatest of achievements, which she surmises will be widely celebrated back in her hometown of Esmeraldas and the province of Manabi where she trains.

"When I focus on competition, I even put my phone aside," she said.

In the 57kg final, Maroulis had her work cut out for her with the quick and powerful Son, this year's Asian silver medalist.

"She's an amazing opponent," Maroulis said. "I knew she was going to be tough. I watched all of her film. I'm like, my gosh, she's so good."

Maroulis had to fight out of a double-leg attempt in the first period, in which she received an activity point for the only score. In the second, Son received an activity point, then went ahead 2-1 by scoring a stepout at 1:32.

It looked like it might end that way until Maroulis, using a trip to great effect as she had done all tournament, sent Son reeling backward, then spun behind as Son tried to whip her over with :05 on the clock.

"I had to really, really dig deep for that and, I don't know, before the last exchange started, I just had to dig deep and find it," Maroulis said. "It was just some scramble flurry and just that it came out my way. I'm grateful."

The U.S. wrestler added the title to the ones she won in 2015, 2017 and 2021. She also has an Olympic gold from 2016, when she dealt the legendary Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) her lone international loss, and three Olympic medals overall.

Maroulis said that she had to deal with a blood vessel problem that curtailed her training starting in the spring, and did not return to full-fledged practice until about two weeks ago.

With her conditioning limited, she said she aimed to end her matches early, which resulted in her ending all three of her matches leading up to the final by fall.

"I was like, I'm just going to start working on training because I'm not conditioned enough to go six minutes," Maroulis said. "I'm literally not conditioned enough. But if I pin, no one has to know that."

Maroulis said she is currently undecided about continuing her career. But should she go on, it could put her on a collision course with one of the sport's rising stars, Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who announced that she was moving up to 57kg in the runup to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I would love to wrestle her," she said. "I've been wrestling for so many years, I want to wrestle the best of the best, and she's phenomenal. I've heard and seen great things about her.

Maroulis said the two have never had a chance to work out together. "We message back and forth, actually we were trying to go to a camp together, it just didn't work out in time for the Olympics. I found she was going to 57[kg], I said, 'Oh my gosh.' It's a great opportunity for both of us."

At 50kg, Won dominated her gold-medal showdown with Asian silver medalist Yu ZHANG (CHN) from the start, storming to an eight-point lead in the first period and holding on for an 8-2 victory.

"This medal and the championship belt I’ve won are just the first step in repaying my parents for all their sacrifices," Won said. "From now on, I’ll work even harder to become an Olympic champion."

Her victory came a day after Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) won the 55kg gold to become the second women's world champion in their country's history. They joined Yong-Mi PAK (PRK), who won the 53kg gold in Nur-Sultan in 2019.

Won became so overcome with emotion, she tearfully hugged the referee after the match, then went over and did the same with the side judges. Then she hugged her coaches, and during the medal ceremony, shed tears as the national anthem was played.

"The moment I took first place, all the tough days of training flashed before my eyes and I couldn’t hold back my tears," she said. "And when I thought about sharing the news with my mom and dad, the tears came again."

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) celebrates after winning the 65kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, Morikawa cruised to an 8-0 victory over Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) to regain the title she won in 2022, capping a year in which she also won the Ranking Series Tirana event and a second career gold at the Asian Championships.

Morikawa scored all of her points by shooting for a single, then fighting off a whizzer by Kasabieva to gain control for a pair of takedowns in each period.

"It's my first time to face her, but comparatively she was easier to wrestle than my semifinal opponent," Morikawa said, referring to her semifinal victory over former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA), albeit a 10-0 decision.

"I couldn't get in on my tackles, and that part is something that I have to change. I'll be going to a heavier weight class and I want to be able to knock off the top wrestlers."

For Morikawa, competing at 65kg now is part of a process aimed at being competitive in the race to make the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, almost surely at 68kg, after missing out on Paris.

"It was great that I won the championship, but the next step will be starting soon. I can be happy today, but from tomorrow I'll have to start working hard in practice."

In between her two world titles, Morikawa took a world bronze at 72kg in 2023, then returned to 65kg in 2024, only to have to settle for a bronze again.

"It was a long time [between titles], and there was the time that I missed out on the Olympics, but I will use this victory as inspiration for what is coming next. It will be the start of a much more difficult fight than up to now, so I have to renew my determination."

While two world golds is no small accomplishment, Morikawa joked that it still leaves her well behind her coach, who was in her corner on Wednesday and accompanied her on the victory lap on the mat.

"I still only have two titles, so I'm about 10 behind the coach who was in my corner," Morikawa said of Kaori ICHO (JPN), the four-time Olympic and 10-time world champion.

Smirnova stuns Yoshimoto for 50kg bronze

Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) pulled off the surprise of the bronze-medal matches, stunning former world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) at 50kg with a stepout in the final seconds for a 3-3 win on criteria.

Yoshimoto, a two-time Asian champion, received an activity point, then gave up a takedown when Smirnova countered and got behind to a 2-1 lead. In the second period, Yoshimoto finally got through, scoring a takedown with :54 left. But she failed to hold off Smirnova's final push, leaving her devastated and in tears.

Prior to coming to Zagreb, Yoshimoto's only losses in any competition since 2019 were to compatriot and Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), whom she lost to four times. That limited her to a single previous appearance at the World Championships in 2021, when she won the gold.

The other 50kg bronze went to Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), who also needed a late score in posting a 3-2 victory over Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and adding to the world bronze she won back in 2017.

Byambasuren scored a takedown while on the activity clock to take a 2-0 lead into the second period, and it looked like that might hold up when Demirhan gained a 2-point exposure off an inner thigh block with :15 left. Byambasuren came close to getting behind in the final seconds, but fell short and an unsuccessful challenge handed Demirhan her final point.

The victory took some of the sting out a serious knee injury that Demirhan suffered in the final exchange. She limped off the mat and was taken from the main floor in a wheelchair, then was carried by two fellow medalists to the podium during the medal ceremony wearing a walking cast.

Japan was dealt another set back a short time later in the 57kg bronze-medal bouts, when three-time European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) scored a takedown and exposure in the second period to upend Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) 4-1.

As with Demirhan, Khoroshavtseva's victory ended a long medal drought -- her previous bronze had come in 2019.

Paris Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) picked up her first world medal, surging to a 10-0 victory over Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) in the other 57kg match.

Moldova's national hero Ringaci earned a fourth career world medal by beating Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) 6-3 for a 65kg bronze, scoring a takedown in the first period and two in the second.

Two-time Asian silver medalist Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) had the lead on criteria when she scored an exposure at the edge while holding off an attack by Macey KILTY (USA) to clinch a 4-2 win for the other 65kg bronze.

At 76kg, another Olympic bronze medalist added a world bronze when Marin stormed to a 10-0 victory over PRIYA (IND), setting the mood when she scored the first of her five takedowns by lifting the Indian in the air and dumping her to the mat.

Kylie WELKER (USA) added to the bronze she won last year at 72kg by holding on for a 6-2 victory over Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) for the other 76kg bronze. Welker scored a takedown and gut wrench in the first period, then after Alpyeyeva came back with two stepouts,

clinched the win with a takedown with :14 left. 

Day 5 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Yu ZHANG (CHN), 8-2

BRONZE: Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-3
BRONZE: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), 3-2

53kg (23 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. ANTIM (IND), 5-3
SEMIFINAL: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) df. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK), 2-1

57kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Il Sim SON (PRK), 3-2

BRONZE: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) df. Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN), 4-1
BRONZE: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 2:22

62kg (22 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by TF, 14-1, 4:15
SEMIFINAL: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) by TF, 14-3, 6:00

65kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 8-0

BRONZE: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), 6-3
BRONZE: Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 4-2

68kg (24 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR) by TF, 11-0, 2:34
SEMIFINAL: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Jia LONG (CHN), 6-1

72kg (17 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) by Fall, 5:00 (11-6)
SEMIFINAL: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 9-6

76kg (19 entries)
GOLD: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 4-2

BRONZE: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 6-2
BRONZE: Milaimy MARIN (CUB) df. PRIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 4:07