Takatani Caps Successful Move up to 86kg; Susaki Pulls out with Elbow Injury

Friday, December 21, 2018 - 13:25 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO---Sosuke TAKATANI showed he could pull his weight in a heavier class, while Yui SUSAKI pulled a surprise by pulling out of the All-Japan Championships due to an injury.

Takatani, a 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg, capped his first foray at the Olympic weight class of 86kg by crushing defending champion Shota SHIRAI with a victory by fall in the final for his eighth straight national title.

“I was wondering how I would do moving up to 86kg, but I put together some good matches, so I’m happy,” said Takatani, who won the 79kg last year as a stepping stone to the jump to 86kg. All of his previous titles came at 74kg.

In the final, Takatani scored a takedown off a single leg, then countered a Shirai takedown attempt with a 2-point crotch lift. He ended up on top and, applying a chicken wing, levered Shirai for 2 more points before forcing him completely over and securing the fall at 2:43.

It was a big difference from his close 2-1 semifinal win the day before over Masao MATSUSAKA.

“In the semifinal, the opponent did well to match my moves, but today I attacked in the way I know I can,” Takatani said. “Shirai is also a wrestler who likes to go for tackles, which makes him an easier opponent for me.”

Takatani, who placed 11that 79kg at the Budapest 2018 world championships, said he is anxious to test himself against the world 86kg field.

“There are a lot of tall wrestlers at 86kg, so I think it will be easier for me to get tackles,” he said.

Reigning U23 world champion, Yukako KAWAI, won the 62kg title with a 3-0 win over Yuzuru KUMANO. Photo: Sachiko Hotaka

In another feature final on the second day of the four-day tournament, which is serving as the first stage of qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Budapest silver medalist and world U23 champion Yukako KAWAI staved off her nerves enough to win the women’s 62kg title.

Kawai defeated Yuzuru KUMANO, a world U23 bronze medalist at 59kg, 3-0 in the final, scoring all of her points late in the first period.

“I felt unstable and I wasn’t sure how I would do, but I wanted to win so badly,” said Kawai, the UWW U23 Wrestler of the Year. “My opponent in the final and I have met many times, so we both knew each other well, but I was still nervous.”

Yui SUSAKI (JPN), two-time world champion, had to withdraw due to a dislocated elbow. (Photo Gabor Martin)

The big news of the day came prior to the late session, when the draw for Saturday’s weight classes were made. It was then that it was announced that Susaki, who won a second straight women’s 50kg gold in Budapest, had withdrawn due to a dislocated elbow suffered at the national team training camp last month.

For Susaki to now defend her world title, she will now have to win the title at the All-Japan Invitational Championships, also known as the Meiji Cup, next spring, then defeat the winner of this tournament (known as the Emperor’s Cup) in a playoff.

The 50kg class had drawn attention as a battle royale between Susaki, Rio 2016 champion Eri TOSAKA and defending champion Yuki IRIE.

“I made the decision today,” Susaki said. “I will do what I can to come back and qualify for the Meiji Cup, and win that.”

Takuya Ota , Susaki’s coach at Waseda University, said, “Even if she won, there was a possibility of making it worse and having to have surgery. If she’s not 100 percent, she can’t beat Tosaka or Irie.”

Four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO will meet three-time world and Olypmic champion Risako KAWAI in tomorrow's opening round. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

There was even more buzz created when it was announced that top-seeded Katsuki SAKAGAMI had withdrawn from the women’s 57kg class---the marquee division that could see a clash between Olympic champions Kaori ICHO and Risako KAWAI---although it had little to do directly with Sakagami.

Sakagami’s withdrawal leaves the division with just seven wrestlers, meaning the two-group, round-robin system comes into play. But, as this was the first time such a format was being used, there was much confusion among the Japanese press. What happens to the seeds? With Icho unseeded, can she be placed in the group with No. 2 seed Kawai?

In the end, that’s just what happened, as Icho and Kawai will meet in the first match of Group B, which also includes Sae NANJO. The top two in each group advance to the semifinals later in the day, so a final on Sunday featuring Icho and Kawai is far from impossible.

In other action Friday, Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA won his third straight gold and seventh over an 11-year span with a 2-1 victory over Katsutoshi KANAZAWA in the freestyle 125kg final.

Arakida trailed 1-0 going into the second period, but scored on a step-out, then added a point with Kanazawa on the activity clock.

Naoya AKAGUMA won his first Emperor's Cup since 2016 with a 2-1 win over defending champion, Takeshi YAMAGUCHI. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Naoya AKAGUMA regained the freestyle 97kg title that he won in 2016, beating defending champion Takeshi YAMAGUCHI, 2-1, in the final. That also avenged a loss last July to Yamaguchi in the playoff for a spot on the team to the Budapest world championships.

In Greco action, world U23 champion Katsuaki Endo claimed his first title when he overcame a flubbed throw attempt early into the 63kg final, and went on to defeat Yoshiki YAMADA by 10-0 technical fall in 2:28.

The 21-year-old Endo finished off his fourth straight technical fall, all without surrendering a point, with a nifty 5-point throw.

At 72kg, Tomohiro INOUE scored with a 4-point arm throw right off the bat in final against Takuya TOMIZUKA, and that’s how it ended as he claimed his second straight title and fourth overall.

Asian silver medalist Masato SUMI won his second straight title at 87kg, edging JSDF Physical Training School teammate Takahiro TSURUDA 2-1 in a final in which all points came for passivity.

The scene was virtually repeated in the next match, when Yuta NARA made it three in a row at 97kg with a 2-1 over rival Masaaki SHIKIYA, with passivity points accounting for all of the scoring. The result was a repeat of the 2017 final.

Arata SONODA maintained his grip on the heaviest division, extending his streak to five straight titles at 130kg with a 9-0 technical fall victory in 2:01 over Ryuta KONO.

With the grand exodus of wrestlers to the Olympic weight divisions, a number of women’s weight classes have just four or five wrestlers and are using a round-robin system.

UWW's Cadet Wrestler of the Year Yuka KAGAMI won the 72kg gold medal with a 3-0 record. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne.)

Three of the divisions crowned new champions, with UWW Cadet Wrestler of the Year Yuka KAGAMI taking the 72kg gold. The other winners were Nao TANIYAMA (55kg), who defeated world U23 champion Saki IGARASHI on Thursday, and Yuzuka INAGAKI (59kg).

In weight classes that went through preliminary rounds and semifinals Friday, Budapest 2018 bronze medalist Yuki TAKAHASHI advanced to the freestyle 57kg final, where he will face Kaiki YAMAGUCHI.

The 57kg final had expected to be a clash between defending national champions, as Kazuya KOYANAGI, the 2017 titlist at 61kg, dropped down to the Olympic division. But the 19-year-old Yamaguchi spoiled Koyanagi’s dreams, beating him 7-4 in the semifinals.

Takahashi, the 2017 world champion, is not taking his young opponent lightly. “Last year I faced him in the semifinals while he was still in high school and I beat him 4-0,” Takahashi said. “Continuing on that, no matter how the match goes, I want to win.”

Takahashi also needs to contend with the new format for this year’s tournament, which follows new UWW standards.

“Tomorrow is an early weigh-in, then the final is at night,” Takahashi said. “So I have to deal with how to spend the time and how to recover [from today].”

Yuhi FUJINAMI, a 2017 world bronze medalist, advanced the final at 74kg with three consecutive technical falls. In the final, he will take on Ken HOSAKA, the opponent he defeated by 14-2 technical fall in the world team playoff last July.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

57kg (19 entries)
Semifinals
Yuki TAKAHASHI df. Kotaro KIYOOKA, 7-0
Kaiki YAMAGUCHI df. Kazuya KOYANAGI, 7-4

61kg (18 entries)
Semifinals
Shingo ARIMOTO df. Joji NAGATA, 8-3
Yudai FUJITA df. Takumi YOSHIMURA, 3-2

74kg (19 entries)
Semifinals
Yuhi FUJINAMI df. Mao OKUI by TF, 15-2, 4:45
Ken HOSAKA df. Yuto MIWA, 6-1

86kg (15 entries)
Final: Sosuke TAKATANI df. Shota SHIRAI by Fall, 2:43 (6-0)
3rdPlace: Hayato ISHIGURO df. Taisei MATSUYUKI, 7-4
3rdPlace: Masao MATSUSAKA df. Tatsuya SHIRAI by TF, 10-0, 4:00

97kg (12 entries)
Final: Naoya AKAGUMA df. Takeshi YAMAGUCHI, 2-1
3rdPlace: Yuji FUKUI df. Yusuke YOSHIKAWA by TF, 11-1
3rdPlace: Koki YAMAMOTO df. Takashi ISHIGURO, 3-0

125kg (14 entries)
Final: Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA df. Katsutoshi KANAZAWA, 2-1
3rdPlace: Tetsuya TANAKA df. Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO, 6-0
3rdPlace: Reona AKAGI df. Takuya HIGUCHI, 6-3

Greco-Roman

63kg (18 entries)
Final: Katsuaki ENDO df. Yoshiki YAMADA by TF, 10-0, 2:28
3rdPlace: Ryota KOSHIBA df. Kizuku YOSHIZUMI by TF, 9-0, 1:51
3rdPlace: Shintaro YOSHINAGA df. Ichito TOKUHIGA, 2-2

67kg (21 entries)
Semifinals
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA df. Takahiro YAMAMOTO by TF, 10-2, 3:32
Shogo TAKAHASHI df. Yuji UEGAKI by TF, 8-0, 2:57

72kg (16 entries)
Final: Tomohiro INOUE df. Takuya TOMIZUKA, 4-0
3rdPlace: Nao KUSAKA df. Haruka OGA by Fall, 2:09 (4-0)
3rdPlace: Masaki KONDO df. Ryoma HOJO by Fall, 3:40 (9-4)

77kg (16 entries)
Semifinals
Kodai SAKURABA df. Shohei YABIKU, 5-3
Naotsugu SHOJI df. Yuya MAETA, 8-5

87kg (13 entries)
Final: Masato SUMI df. Takahiro TSURUDA, 2-1
3rdPlace: Kanta SHIOKAWA df. Shuhei SAKANO by TF, 9-0, 1:47
3rdPlace: Taichi OKA df. Ryota NASUKAWA, 4-0

97kg (15 entries)
Final: Yuta NARA df. Masaaki SHIKIYA, 2-1
3rdPlace: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Masayuki AMANO, 2-1
3rdPlace: Takuya YAMASHITA df. Ryosuke ISHII by TF, 9-0, 1:56

130kg (13 entries)
Final: Arata SONODA df. Ryuta KONO by TF, 9-0, 2:01
3rdPlace: Shoma SUZUKI df. Masashi SUGANO, 2-1
3rdPlace: Keita BANCHI df. Satoshi KAIZUKA, 2-2

Women’s Wrestling

55kg (4 entries)
Round-Robin (Final Standings)
1. Nao TANIYAMA (3-0, 9 pts)
2. Saki IGARASHI (2-1, 11)
3. Sena NAGAMOTO (1-2, 3)
Key Match: Taniyama df. Igarashi, 7-2 in 1stround

59kg (4 entries)
Round-Robin (Final Standings)1. Yuzuka INAGAKI (3-0, 11 pts)
2. Kumi IRIE (2-1, 9)
3. Kiwa IWASAWA (1-2, 3)
Key Match: Inagaki df. Irie, 8-5 in 2ndround

62kg (11 entries)
Final: Yukako KAWAI df. Yuzuru KUMANO, 3-0
3rdPlace: Miyu IMAI df. Miwa MORIKAWA, 2-2
3rdPlace: Yurika ITO df. Miru KUZUYA by TF, 10-0, :40

65kg (4 entries)
Round-Robin (through 2 matches)
1. Naomi RUIKE (2-0, 8 pts); 2. Miki KAWAUCHI (1-1, 3); 3. Misuzu ENOMOTO (1-1, 3); 4. Saki KAWAUCHI (0-2, 1)

72kg (4 entries)
Round-Robin (Final Standings)
1. Yuka KAGAMI (3-0, 9 pts)
2. Naruha MATSUYUKI (2-1, 7)
3. Mei SHINDO (1-2, 5)
Key Match: Kagami df. Matsuyuki, 2-1 in 2ndround

76kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin (through 3 matches)
1. Hiroe MINAGAWA (2-0, 10 pts); 2. Masako FURUICHI (2-1, 8 pts); 3. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0, 7); 4. Rino ABE (0-3, 1); 5. Miku SAITO (0-2, 0)

#wrestlebishkek

Badaghimofrad Claims Historic Asian Gold for Qatar

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - 18:37 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 8) -- Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) continued to make history for his adopted homeland, and this time it came at the expense of his real one.

Iranian-born Badaghimofrad gave Qatar its first-ever gold medal at the Asian Championships, coming from behind for a 4-3 victory over Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) in the Greco 82kg final on Wednesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

“I won a bronze medal at last year's Asian Championships, and this year I'm very happy that I managed to take a bigger step and win a gold medal,” Badaghimofrad said.

On a night when five different countries struck gold to finish up the Greco competition, Alisher GANIEV (UZB) ended a recent run of runner-up finishes with a victory at 60kg, and world and Olympic champion Hadi SARAVI (IRI) won his third straight title and fourth overall at 97kg.

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), who had settled for the silver medal the past two years, made it to the top step of the podium at 67kg to give the host nation its fourth gold, and Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) handed Iran another defeat in a final to take the 72kg crown.

Despite going two for seven in gold-medal matches, Iran cruised to the team title by medaling in every weight class for the first time since 1983. The wrestling powerhouse finished with 195 points to outdistance host Kyrgyzstan, which had four champions and compiled 153 points. Uzbekistan, with two gold medalists, was third with 136.

Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) turns Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) during the 82kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Badaghimofrad, who had been a world cadet (U17) silver medalist and world junior (U20) bronze medalist, was competing for Iran when he first appeared at the Asian Championships three years and 15 kilograms ago, placing fifth in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

A native of Khuzestan Province in southeast Iran, he changed his allegiance after 2023 and debuted for Qatar in February 2025 at the Tirana Ranking Series, where he could only manage a seventh-place finish. But a month later, he placed third at the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan, marking Qatar’s first ever medal in Greco and just its second overall.

Badaghimofrad’s more recent results were not exactly awe-inspiring – an 11th place at the World Championships in Zagreb, then back-to-back seventh places at Ranking Series tournaments in February this year.

And the outlook did not appear much better in Wednesday’s final when Hosseini, the winner of this year’s Tirana Ranking Series tournament, opened the scoring with a gut wrench for a 3-0 lead in the first period.

In the second period, Badaghimofrad got his chance in par terre and, breaking down stiff resistance from Hosseini, managed to roll him over. An Iranian challenge for a potential leg foul was unsuccessful, putting the Qatari up 4-3, which is how it ended.

“I had wrestled my opponent before, so we were both familiar with each other’s styles,” Badaghimofrad said. “Knowing I could apply my move on the ground, I approached the match without any stress. When the referee gave the passivity warning, I was able to execute my move and emerge as the winner.”

Badaghimofrad knows he still has a way to go if he wants to achieve similar success on the bigger global stages.

“My wrestling isn’t perfect yet, and I’m gradually trying to improve it … so I can get thebest result at the World Championships and the Olympics,” he said.

Alisher GANIEV (UZB) defeated Se Ung RI (PRK) in the 60kg final to claim his first-ever Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ganiev finally got the result he was looking for, escaping from second-place purgatory by avenging a loss in last year’s 60kg final with a victory by fall over world and Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK).

Ganiev went up 2-1 when he stepped over and gained an exposure on Ri’s gut-wrench attempt from par terre. In the second period, he increased the lead with a passivity point and a challenge point, but made the score moot when he pancaked Ri to the mat and held on for a fall at 5:06.

“The plan was not to rush, to wrestle patiently, wait for the right moment in par terre,” Ganiev said. “However, during the match, things changed. I managed to score points [from bottom] in par terre. In the second period, I continued with my approach. We prepared specifically for this opponent.”

Ganiev finished second at the Zagreb Ranking Series in February 2025, and again at this year’s. In between, he lost in last year’s Asian final to Ri and in the final of the World Championships to Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ).

“I had been waiting for a long time,” Ganiev said. “This is my second Asian Championship. In the first one, I finished in second place. Now in 2026 I finally took first place. Today, all the hard work paid off. In the 2025 final, I made mistakes, but this time I corrected them.”

Hadi SARAVI (IRI) defended his Asian title with a 7-1 win over NITESH (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While a number of Saravi’s teammates faltered at the final hurdle, the two-time Olympic medalist proved to be a rock of stability in claiming the 97kg gold with a solid albeit not overwhelming 7-1 win over NITESH (IND).

“I managed to finish the competition with the gold medal,” Saravi said. “After the World Championships, I set aside some time for recovery to get my body back in shape. The coaches decided to send me to the Asian Championships. I arrived at this competition with only a relative level of readiness, but thankfully I managed to achieve the best result and claim gold.”

Saravi, whose long list of laurels also includes four world medals, reeled off two rolls from par terre in the first period to lead 5-0. After being put on the bottom in the second but never budging, Saravi added a pair of stepouts to beat Nitesh for the third time in as many career meetings and clinch his fourth Asian gold over a seven-year span.

“The final was tougher [than the previous matches] because I’d suffered a knee injury before arriving, which was bothering me a bit and meant I couldn't keep up with my training properly or come to the competition fully prepared,” Saravi said. “Because of that I was a bit unsettled.”

Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) tries to pin Javad REZAEI (IRI) during the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, Amanbek capped his senior Asian debut with a stunning victory by fall over Javad REZAEI (IRI), which more than avenged a 3-2 loss to the Iranian in the quarterfinals of the Tirana Ranking Series that Rezaei won.

“It’s the first time I’ve taken first place in the 72-kilogram category,” said Amanbek, who moved up from 67kg this year. “It’s been an incredibly emotional day.

“I’d give myself a ten out of ten. I did really well. Everything went exactly as I’d planned. I can give myself a pat on the back.”

The quick succession of moments that led to Amanbek’s victory started with him on the bottom of par terre. When Rezaei tried to force a gut wrench, Amanbek stepped over, scooped Rezaei’s head and held him down for a fall in 1:50.

“I know that Iranian wrestler, we faced each other at a ranking tournament in Albania,” Amanbek said. “I lost there. Today I got my revenge. I was in good spirits. We went out there and stuck to our tactics and our game plan. That’s why we won.”

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) scores a four-point throw on Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 67kg, Beishekeev wrapped up a strong Greco outing for the home team by soundly defeating former world bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) 8-2.

“I can say that this victory means a lot to me,” Beishekeev said of triumphing in front of the home crowd at Zhastyk Arena. “I truly felt the strong support of my people, it gave me strength and motivation. Thanks to that, everything came together today and I became a champion.”

Beishekeev all but put the match away in the first period, when he not only completed a gut wrench from par terre, but added a 4-pointer by lifting Shimizu and dumping him onto this back.

In the second period, Beishekeev gave up a passivity point but nothing from the bottom of par terre, and received a point himself when the Japanese side unsuccessfully challenged for a leg foul. A late stepout by Shimizu only changed the margin of victory.

In the three previous Asian Championships, Beishekeev’s results had been: bronze, silver, silver.

“Behind this success is a lot of hard work,” he said. “I worked patiently, step by step, never forgetting my goal and constantly pushing forward. If we continue working with the same determination, I believe a gold medal at the World Championships is also possible. “

Iran Iran won the team title in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Entire Iranian team comes away with medals

In the bronze-medal matches, Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) and Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) both picked up their first major senior medals and assured that nobody on the Iranian Greco team would be leaving Bishkek empty-handed.

Ahmadi Vafa, who won world titles at each of the three age-group levels from 2022 to 2024, secured a bronze medal at 60kg with a 10-0 rout of Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

After a 4-point throw from par terre, Ahmadi Vafa tossed Kamaliyev again, although he didn’t get the necessary exposure and it was ruled a 2-pointer. But the Iranian continued the move and forced Kamaliyev to his back for 2 more to end it at 1:49.

The other bronze at 60kg went to Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), who was back on the Asian scene for the first time since winning the 55kg gold in 2022, the same year he won a world bronze.

Shiotani hit a 4-point throw from par terre, good enough for a 5-1 win over two-time former Asian U23 champion Haodong TAN (CHN).

At 67kg, Mohsen Nezhad, a 2025 world U23 bronze medalist, gained his bronze without a fight, as he received a victory by default from world silver medalist Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), who had suffered an elbow injury in his quarterfinal loss to Beishekeev on Tuesday.

Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) captured his second career 67kg bronze when he fought back from behind three times to eventually come away with a 6-5 win over Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB).

A drag-by takedown in the final 30 seconds finally put Sahrawat over the top, after he had trailed 1-0, 3-2 and 5-3 during the match.

At 72kg, Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) saw his bid for a place in wrestling history harshly ended by Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB), who needed less than a minute to uncork a pair of 4-point throws in a 9-0 romp.

Narikuni, the 2022 champion at Freestyle 70kg, was looking to join the select group of wrestlers with Asian medals in both styles – a group that compatriot Kaisei TANABE (JPN) joined the previous day by taking a bronze at 63kg.

Ironically, last December, Narikuni had pipped Tanabe in each’s bid to become the first wrestler in 52 years to complete the Freestyle-Greco double at the All-Japan Championships. Narikuni did it by also winning the Freestyle 70kg title, while Tanabe fell short by finishing third at 65kg.

Narikuni will be returning to the Bishkek mat on Friday for the Freestyle 70kg qualification rounds as he attempts to bounce back from his Greco disappointment. Narikuni also won the world gold in Freestyle in 2022, but his attempt to repeat that feat in Greco last year in Zagreb ended in the first round.

Dongyu LI (CHN) took the other bronze at 72kg on Wednesday with a somewhat odd victory by fall over Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ).

After breaking out to a 5-0 lead with two rolls from par terre, Li secured double underhooks and pancaked Ismailov to his back for 4 points.

Having achieved a win by technical superiority, Li stood up and thrust his fists in the air in triumph, only to notice that Ismailov was still lying on his back. Li then hopped on top of his prone opponent for an easy fall in 2:40.

At 82kg, Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM) became the third wrestler from Turkmenistan to make it to a bronze-medal match in Greco and have a chance to become the country’s first medalist since 2018, and the third to come up short.

Kakabayev never really had a chance against PRINCE (IND), who reeled off four rolls in a row from par terre en route to a 10-1 victory. That gave Prince a senior Asian bronze a year after winning one on the U20 level.

The other 82kg match saw veteran and former Asian champion Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) earn his fourth straight Asian medal and second straight bronze with a 5-3 victory over Rui LIU (CHN).

Magomadov, the 2023 champion at 72kg and a bronze medalist last year at 77kg, hit a 4-point throw from par terre in the first period, then held on after giving up a 2-point penalty in the second.

At 97kg, Zagreb Ranking Series silver medalist Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), the 2024 world U20 champion at 82kg, never gave Minho LEE (KOR) a chance, spinning behind for a takedown then chalking up a combination of exposures and rolls for a 9-0 victory in 1:27.

Zegang WANG (CHN) was equally dominant in taking the other 97kg bronze with an 11-1 victory over Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) in his Asian debut.

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Se Ung RI (PRK) by Fall, 5:06 (6-1)

BRONZE: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Haodong TAN (CHN), 5-1
BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) by TS, 10-0, 1:49

67kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN), 8-2

BRONZE: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) df. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) by Inj. Def.
BRONZE: Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) df. Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 6-5

72kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Javad REZAEI (IRI) by Fall, 1:50 (2-1)

BRONZE: Dongyu LI (CHN) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) by Fall, 2:40 (9-0)
BRONZE: Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) df. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) by TS, 9-0, :48

82kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Amin HOSSEINI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Rui LIU (CHN), 5-3
BRONZE: PRINCE (IND) df. Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM) by TS, 10-1, 2:06

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Hadi SARAVI (IRI) df. NITESH (IND), 7-1

BRONZE: Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) df. Minho LEE (KOR) by TS, 9-0, 1:27
BRONZE: Zegang WANG (CHN) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by TS, 11-1, 4:11

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Son Hyang KIM (PRK) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), 12-8
SF 2: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TS, 8-0, 2:00

55kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) by TS, 10-0, 1:33
SF 2: Yuxuan LI (CHN) df. Hansika LAMBA (IND) by TS, 11-1, 5:54

59kg (8 entries)
SF 1: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. NEHA (IND), 12-5
SF 2: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) df. Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) by TS, 10-0, 4:00

68kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 1-1
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL), 7-0

76kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) by TS, 11-0, 1:03
SF 2: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 7-2

Takatani Caps Successful Move up to 86kg; Susaki Pulls out with Elbow Injury

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Badaghimofrad Claims Historic Asian Gold for Qatar