World champs Fujinami, Sakurai capture Asian Games golds

Friday, October 6, 2023 - 02:57 By Vinay Siwach

LIN'AN, Hangzhou, China (October 5) -- It rarely matters who Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) faces on the mat. But Thursday was a little special for Fujinami as she faced a Chinese wrestler, Qianyu PANG (CHN), for the first time in her career.

Fujinami has been expecting to wrestle a Chinese wrestler for a long time now but has somehow avoided meeting one at the international tournaments she has wrestled.

While Pang could have brought a few new challenges for Fujinami, the result of the bout was rather expected. Fujinami rolled to a 10-0 technical superiority win in the 53kg final to win her first gold medal at the Asian Games.

Despite it being a one-sided affair, Fujinami doesn't play down the final against Pang, the silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Fujinami scored the final of the five takedowns in the match with one minute and 24 seconds left on the clock.

"The Chinese opponent [Pang], made it to the final at the Tokyo Olympics, and I had seen live broadcasts of her at global events," Fujinami said. "She was an opponent who I wanted to face. I'm glad I had a chance to wrestle her."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) pins ANTIM during the 53kg quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Sachiko Hotaka)

The win was more special as Fujinami not only extended her unbeaten run in wrestling to 130 bouts but has now beaten all four Tokyo Olympic medalists with Pang being the final wrestler among the four.

Fujinami had defeated bronze medalist Bortulya BAT OCHIR (MGL) in February at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series. Four months later, she won against Tokyo champion Mayu MUKAIDA (now SHIDOCHI) in the Meiji Cup and defeated the second bronze medalist from Tokyo Vanesa KALADINSKAYA (AIN) two weeks ago en route to her second world title in Belgrade. While Mukaida did score points on Fujinami, the three others failed to do so.

"At the World Championships, the defense was my weak point. So I had to fix this at these Games. I competed with a goal of not letting my opponents touch my legs and the score reflected that."

The Asian Games gold medal is another addition to her two world titles and as many Asian Championships gold medals for Fujinami. But the teenager considers these a stepping stone towards reaching her ultimate goal of winning the gold medal in Paris.

"I'm happy right now to win the title at the Asian Games," she said. "But my ultimate goal is to win at the Paris Olympics. To that end, I want to further raise my wrestling skills."

The 19-year-old will wrestle in Paris after she qualified Japan for the Olympics at 53kg by winning the world title. According to Japan Wrestling Federation rules, a wrestler winning the quota with a medal will be the automatic choice for Paris. Fujinami secured that in Belgrade.

Pang, who still is carrying the hope of winning the Olympic gold, failed to earn the Paris quota for China in Belgrade and will have to travel to Bishkek for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers to earn a spot.

"I still want to win the gold medal," Pang said. "This is the first time competing against each other. I did not perform at my best level and my opponent was very strong. I just thought about how to defend. I need to learn from my opponent."

Fujinami too expressed her gratitude towards Pang for wrestling and said that she was exceeding her own expectations.

"Although I have never competed against her before, I spoke to her and felt that she has a good character," she said. "I really wanted to win this match. I was performing better than I thought in this match too."

That despite the turnaround time from the grueling World Championships being less than two weeks.

"It was only a short time, and there was the difficulty of cutting weight," she said. "But this is a multi-sports event held only once every four years. I entered this tournament wanting it to be a good step toward the Olympics."

An emotional Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) after winning the 50kg gold medal at the Asian Games. (Photo: UWW / Sachiko Hotaka)

While there was calmness about Fujinami and her wins, chaos took over the mat on either side of Fujinami's gold-medal bout.

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) was in tears and confusion as her hand was raised after the 50kg final while Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) needed a stepout and caution in the final few seconds to win at 57kg.

With the three gold medals, Japan has ended the wait for an Asian Games gold in Women's Wrestling as it failed to win any at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.

Yoshimoto opened the gold account, but not before a heart-in-mouth moment against returning bronze medalist Son Hyang KIM (PRK) in the final seconds.

Kim, trailing 3-2, used a counter lift to expose Yoshimoto who was holding to Kim's left leg. Both Kim and Yoshimoto were awarded two points each and Kim was given one more point for the reverse at the buzzer. But Japan challenged the call. On review, it was confirmed that the time had expired before the reversal was confirmed, giving Yoshimoto a 5-4 win.

"It was my first time facing a DPR Korea wrestler," Yoshimoto said. "If I don't win in Japan, I can't go to overseas tournaments. The next time I face a DPR Korea wrestler, I will reflect on what happened here and use that to my advantage. This time I got in on several tackles, and if I could have solidly gotten the takedowns, the match would have gone easier for me. I will practice hard to improve in this aspect."

Yoshimoto shot numerous times and got to Kim's right leg many times however she did not manage to finish all. She scored the first takedown during Kim's activity period and led 3-0. Kim answered with a double-leg in the second period to close the gap to just one point.

But like most bouts between Japan and DPR Korean wrestlers, there was a twist in the tale. Yoshimoto shot for the single leg and Kim used all her reverse to get the lift. As the challenge decision was announced, Kim began celebrating her win leaving Yoshimoto stunned. It was later when she saw the scoreboard she realized that she won 5-4.

"Up to now, when DPR Korea wrestlers faced the Japanese, they have been able to come back and win matches at the very end," Yoshimoto said. "If I became defensive, it would be the same pattern. So I went on the attack. I got in on a tackle, but I couldn't finish it off. Anyway, it was the right move to attack."

Yoshimoto, a trainee at the Shigakkan University, lost to Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the Meiji Cup in the final seconds of the 50kg final, leaving her frustrated. Thursday was another example of Yoshimoto failing to finish the last attempt.

"Half of me is relieved, and half is anguish," Yoshimoto said in the post-match interview with tears still rolling down from her eyes. "From the time I lost in June [to Susaki], I worked the whole time on finishing off tackles. This time, the same thing happened and I'm still lagging. That's very frustrating.

"This summer, I was able to train at Shigakkan, but there was no air conditioning. That's pretty rare, but I worked on stamina training. In the final, the DPR Koreans started getting particularly tired, and I thought that put us on the same level and I could outlast her on strength. It was a dangerous match, but I think the result came [from my preparations]."

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), blue, survived this fall position for over a minute against In Sun JONG (PRK). (Photo: UWW / Sachiko Hotaka)

The 57kg final was a bout of two halves, World champion Sakurai managed to beat In Sun JONG (PRK) after mounting a comeback from 6-0 down. Jong, who was impressive in her defense using the split, was clearly the better wrestler for five minutes of the bout.

Sakurai's every attempt to score was easily foiled by Jong before she began to get tired. A stepout opened the scoring for Sakurai and the trend would continue with Jong receiving an activity warning and two stepouts with one caution. Sakurai now trailed 6-5 with 20 seconds on the clock. She could go behind Jong who literally walked out of off the mat, receiving another caution, giving up her lead to Sakurai 7-6.

"It's heavy [the medal].," Sakurai said. "It's the heaviest of the gold medals I've received. There's really a difference between winning and second place."

Talking about the final bout, Sakurai said that she believed that she would be able to win despite trailing 6-0 at the break because of the close wins she has managed domestically.

"Mentally, I wasn't beaten and that allowed me to get the win," she said. "I was behind the whole match and I came back in the final minute. In Japan, there are matches where I didn't give up to the very end and I was able t to win at the last second. Because of that, I could win today when my back was to the wall."

Sakurai has dished out wins from the jaws of defeat including her Meiji Cup final win against Sae NANJO (JPN). She used a buzzer-beating headpinch to make the Japan team for the World Championships.

"No matter who the opponent is, no matter how strong, I am mentally strong when I go out on the mat," she said. "Generally, I'm not the strong-minded type, but when I'm on the mat, I stay determined to the end."

Uzbekistan opens account

In the bronze medal bouts, Uzbekistan captured two, their first-ever medals in women's wrestling at the Asian Games.

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) was the first bronze medalist at 50kg as she defeated Pooja GEHLOT 9-2. Both wrestlers lost to Yoshimoto in the earlier rounds.

Soon, Asian silver medalist Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) pinned MANSI in the 57kg bronze-medal bout to claim the second medal for Uzbekistan.

"This the first medal for Uzbekistan in Asian Games," Sobirova said. "So the bronze medal is worth the gold medal."

China claimed the other bronze medals at 50kg and 57kg. The second bronze medal at 50kg was won by Jiang ZHU (CHN) who pinned Miran CHEON (KOR) while Kexin HONG (CHN) rolled to a 10-0 win over Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL).

At 53kg, ANTIM saw off Tokyo bronze medalist Bat Ochir to add a bronze medal to her World Championships bronze medal. A takedown was the difference as she defeated the Mongolian 3-1. The second bronze medal was won by Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) as she beat Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Son Hyang KIM (PRK) 5-4

BRONZE: Jiang ZHU (CHN) df. Miran CHEON (KOR), via fall
BRONZE: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Pooja GEHLOT, 9-2

53kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Qianyu PANG (CHN), 10-0

BRONZE: ANTIM df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 3-1
BRONZE: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), 11-0

57kg
GOLD: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df. In Sun JONG (PRK), 7-6

BRONZE: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL), 10-0
BRONZE: Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) df. MANSI, via fall

#WrestleZagreb

Ex-Japan champ Shimoyamada trying to put Australia on wrestling map

Friday, September 5, 2025 - 05:49 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (Sept. 3) -- When Tsuchiku SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) decided to relocate from his native Japan to Australia, he wasn't showered with gifts from a grateful federation looking for an established wrestler to give the country a global boost.

He was more interested in golden beaches than bringing his new homeland gold medals.

"I was in Cairns, and I was feeling like, 'I want to move to Australia,'" Shimoyamada said during a trip back to Japan in July for a tournament. "I like this place. It's good for me. The lifestyle is easy."

Four years after announcing his retirement and three years after making the bold move to Land Down Under, the 31-year-old is back in the game, hoping to put a country more known for its swimmers and rugby players onto the world wrestling map.

While a longshot at best, Shimoyamada, a two-time Japan national champion and two-time Asian medalist, will get a chance to become Australia's first-ever world medalist when he takes the mat at Greco 67kg next week in Zagreb.

It will be the third World Championships of his career and first since 2021, when he nearly knocked off the Olympic champion and symbolically left his shoes on the mat after a repechage-round loss as a sign of his retirement. He finished ninth in his only other appearance in 2018.

Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) had left his shoes on the mat during the 2021 World Championships to mark his retirement. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Success breeds success, and Australian wrestling officials are hoping that Shimoyamada, in addition to helping cultivate a new generation of wrestlers, can produce results that will spark more interest in the sport. Getting through the rounds, even if he falls short of a medal, would have a positive effect, says one official.

"That would be a very good achievement for us," says Aryan Negahdari, president of New South Wales Wrestling Federation, who accompanied him and several wrestlers to Japan. "For many, many years, we haven't a wrestler making it into the semifinals, or even the quarterfinals of the World Championships. Even that itself would be a good achievement."

While Australia has never won a world medal, it may be surprising to learn that the country has actually brought home three Olympic medals -- although it has been nearly eight decades since the most recent one.

Eddie SCARF broke the ice with a bronze medal at freestyle 87kg at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Australia then got two at the 1948 London Games, a silver from Richard GARRARD at freestyle 73kg and a bronze from Joseph ARMSTRONG at freestyle over-87kg. The closest the country has come since then was a fourth place at Freestyle 62kg by Cris BROWN at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

On the world stage, the highest finishes by Australians were fifth places by Jackie BRYDON at women's 50kg in 1993 at Stavern, Norway, and Macedonian-born Lila RISTEVSKA at women's 47kg at Moscow 1995. There have been three men who have placed sixth, all in freestyle, with the most recent being Uzbekistan-born Talgat ILYASOV at 74kg at New York 2003.

Tsuchika SHIMOYAMA (JPN) Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA advances to the semifinals at the All-Japan Non-Student Championships in July with a 52-second win over Kokoro GOTO. (Photo: Koji Fuse / wrestling-spirits.jp)

As a Greco wrestler, Shimoyamada will be trying to beat even longer odds. Up to now, Australia has never placed higher than 18th at a World Championships.

Following his graduation from Nippon Sports Science University, which also produced Paris Olympic champions Kenichiro FUMITA and Nao KUSAKA as well as Tokyo bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU, Shimoyamada joined the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department team. He stayed on the force after ending his wrestling career, but found it wasn't for him.

"When I was back in Japan, I started working for the police," he says. "To be honest, it was stressful. It was not for me."

A trip to Australia opened his eyes to a place where he could start a new life. At first, he planned to only go into coaching, but a practical reason arose that led him to decide to return to the mat -- it helped him get the visa he needed to live in the country.

"I didn't think about wrestling by myself, I thought I could help as a coach," he says. "But for the visa condition, it's better to keep active."

In 2023, he received a residence visa as a "global talent," and in January 2024, United World Wrestling approved his switch of national affiliation to Australia.

Unfortunately, the approval did not come in time for him to try to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He is still working on gaining citizenship. His need to find a way to make a living proved harder than he expected as he settled in Sydney.

"I'm teaching wrestling, and I'm working as a lifeguard at a swimming pool," he said. "Life is not easy. It's expensive, everything, rent, bills, car."

Shimoyamada's need for gainful employment produced a symbiotic relationship with his hosts, who suddenly found themselves blessed with a world-class competitor to help raise the level of the sport.

"I really think we're super lucky to have him because not only is he a high-level athlete, but he has been helping us a lot as a coach, especially Greco-Roman coach," Negahdari says. "So because of him, we have a lot more athletes doing Greco-Roman, training under Tsuchika."

Shimoyamada's arrival also gave Australia a bonus of sorts -- a connection with an established power in the sport. Through Shimoyamada's ties with his alma mater NSSU, there have been numerous exchanges of wrestlers between the two countries.

Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) Tsuchika SHIMOYAMA faces Keitaro ONO in his opening match at the All-Japan Non-Student Championships in July. (Photo: Koji Fuse / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the early summer, Paris Olympic silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI and former women's U23 world champion Yu SAKAMOTO went to Australia to put on clinic. In July, Shimoyamada led a contingent of Australian wrestlers who participated in the All-Japan Non-Student Championships (a second-tier national tournament) before training at NSSU.

"He's also been very good for us to build connections with Japan," Nagahdari says. "We've been coming [to Japan] for four years now, like twice a year, training with the Japanese teams. We've had a lot of Japanese athletes coming over to Australia to do seminars for us, to do training with us...It has been very, very beneficial for us in many different ways."

Shimoyamada entered the Non-Student meet at 72kg to give him the high-level competition he needed as preparation for the World Championships, and which is sorely lacking back in Australia. Aside from the low-level Oceania Championships and tournaments in Australia, it was his first outing since the 2021 World Championships.

He held his own, although he lost in the semifinals to Yamato HAGIWARA before winning his bronze-medal match over Rintaro SOGABE, the younger brother of Paris Olympian Kyotaro SOGABE, a fellow NSSU alum who will be Japan's entry at 67kg and a potential opponent of Shimoyamada in Zagreb.

Shimoyamada made his international debut at the 2016 Asian Championships in Bangkok, placing eighth. He won his first All-Japan title in December 2017, earning a return to the continental meet in 2018 in Bishkek, where he took home the silver medal after losing in the final to Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ).

Just when it looked like he had lost his edge after losing back-to-back All-Japan finals to Shogo TAKAHASHI in 2018 and 2019, Shimoyamada rebounded to claim his second title in 2020 with a victory over rising NSSU star Katsuaki ENDO. After Shimoyamada left the scene, Endo and Kyotaro Sogabe would battle ruthlessly for supremacy at 67kg.

His final year wrestling for Japan may have been his most productive. At the 2021 Asian Championships in Almaty, he avenged his loss to Kebispayev from three years before to capture the elusive gold. He followed that with a victory at the All-Japan Invitational Championships, known as the Meiji Cup, to clinch his ticket to the World Championships in Oslo.

Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) was dominating Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) in their match at the 2021 World Championships before being pinned. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

In the second round, Shimoyamada encountered Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), one of the few gold medalists from the Tokyo Olympics two months earlier who were entered at the worlds. It would probably be the most impressive loss of his career.

Shimoyamada was dominating the Iranian, scoring with a 4-point arm throw to build up a 6-1 lead. But disaster struck with just over a minute to go. Geraei caught Shimoyamada in a lapse and bear-hugged him backward directly to his back for a shocking victory by fall.

Shimoyamada then lost his repechage match to teenager Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), and the last we saw of him was him walking off the mat, leaving his shoes behind.

Fast forward four years, and Shimoyamada is now competing for himself and his adopted homeland. While he would like to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, age and opportunity might be too big hurdles to get over.

"I think that's a last challenge, for the Olympics, because I'm not young," Shimoyamada said. "If I can make it for Australia, that's good. Everyone will get interested in wrestling. That's what I should do."

Looking long range, Australian officials are hoping to develop talent to make a good showing when the country hosts the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032. They are hoping that Shimoyamada can spark enough interest and help raise the level in time.

"I think we're in the very early stages, compared to international standards," Nagahdari says. "But I think we can definitely see a very huge improvement, like in the last few years. We have a lot more members now, the number of our wrestlers. For example, compared to only three or four years ago, it has doubled. It's growing slowly, but at a good pace.

"It's a very slow progress, because you know that wrestling is super hard. It takes like a decade to build an athlete to that level. And we're really focusing our efforts toward the Brisbane Olympics in 2032."

Shimoyamada is determined to do whatever he can to make it happen.

"It's hard to get a gold medal at the World Championships and the Olympics, to be honest," he says. "If I make the Olympics, the next generation can become interested in getting to the Olympics or World Championships and they will practice hard."

World champs Fujinami, Sakurai capture Asian Games golds

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Ex-Japan champ Shimoyamada trying to put Australia on wrestling map