#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: WW 57kg

Thursday, July 22, 2021 - 15:08 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO, Japan (July 22) – In her bid for a second straight Olympic title, Risako KAWAI (JPN) had to beat a fellow champion from the Rio 2016 Olympics just to make the Japanese team. At the Tokyo Games, she might have to contend with yet another Rio gold medalist.

Kawai, the top seed and reigning world champion at women's 57kg, faces a possible showdown with unseeded Helen MAROULIS (USA), whose stunning victory over the legendary Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) in the 53kg final made her the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold and was one of the highlights of the Rio competition.

"In 2016, it was a honor to wrestle Yoshida, and it will be honor to wrestle Risako Kawai, and any woman here," Maroulis said Monday at the U.S. team base in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, in central Japan.

Others expected to be in the thick of the medal hunt are Rio 2016 silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS), 2019 world silver medalist Ningning RONG (CHN) and the two bronze medalists at the 2019 worlds, Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR).

Kawai won her Rio gold at 63kg, having conceded the 57kg class to her venerated senior teammate Kaori ICHO (JPN), who went on to become the first four-time women's Olympic champion. But this time, she decided to challenge Icho head-on for the place at 57kg. One reason is that it opened up 62kg for her younger sister Yukako as the two aim to achieve a dream of sibling Olympics golds.

Kawai came out the winner over Icho in an intense qualifying process that drew global attention for the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, where she won the gold to secure her Olympic ticket. That gave her a third straight world title, after winning in 2017 at 60kg and in 2018 at 59kg.

In her only international competition since the 2019 worlds, she helped Japan win the World Cup later that year, then captured a fourth career Asian title in 2020. With the exception of a semifinal defeat at 62kg at the 2018 Asian Games to Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) that was later annulled when the Mongolian tested positive for doping, Kawai has not lost an international match since 2015.

In Rio, Kawai was the youngster on the team, a collegian among veterans like Yoshida and Icho. "I don't think any of the opponents had me on their radar in Rio," Kawai said recently. "If I had lost, I think people would have thought, 'Well, it's just her first appearance.'"

Now at 27, she is the team leader, and says she is taking a different attitude into the Tokyo Games.

"I came up watching Saori and Kaori from behind. Now I think there are kids watching my behavior. My predecessors were too great, so I don't know if it's possible to do the same thing. However, I believe that if I do my best, it will carry over to the next generation."

While Kawai was establishing herself as one of the world's top female wrestlers, Maroulis spent a portion of her post-Rio period battling injuries that included a debilitating concussion. She won a second world title in 2017 at 58kg, but a year later in Budapest was dealt a opening-round loss by fall at 57kg by Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE).

The 29-year-old, who had contemplated retiring as the injuries took their toll, would not take to the mat again for an international match until the Pan American Olympic qualifying tournament in March 2020, where she earned the U.S. spot at 57kg. She then defeated Jenna BURKERT (USA) at the U.S. trials.

"This time is very different, because there were a lot of injuries over the last couple of years," Maroulis said. "But I still was able to prepare, and I feel I am prepared for this tournament. I have just as much confidence this time as I did last time."

This year, Maroulis won the Grand Prix de France, but was dealt a wakeup call at the Poland Open when she was handed a 12-0 technical fall loss in the quarterfinals by Adekuoroye. She then lost in the repechage to Tetyana KIT (UKR), a two-time European silver medalist who will also be in Tokyo after just being named as a late replacement for injured Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR).

"Losing in Poland had a really good effect because it showed me what I needed to change, and I made those changes," Maroulis said.

Given all that she has been through to get to chance to win a second straight Olympic title, Maroulis goes into Tokyo with a different perspective.

"When I won the gold medal in Rio, it was a dream come true and I'm so thankful for that," she said. "But it made me realize that the journey was everything. And so this time around, I really appreciate the journey, and I'm still going for the gold medal, but I know that this is the part in life that will shape me as a person."

The 27-year-old Adekuoroye, appearing in her second Olympics, is aiming to become the first female gold medalist from Africa, which has had just one medalist -- a bronze at 58kg from Marwa AMRI (TUN) -- in the four Olympics since women's wrestling was added to the program.

Adekuoroye made her breakthrough at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, where she struck it rich by taking a bronze medal at 53kg. But her Olympic debut the next year came to an abrupt end with a loss to Sofia MATTSON (SWE).

She made history by making it the final at the 2017 World Championships, where she lost to Haruna OKUNO (JPN), and won a bronze in 2019 to secure her berth at the Tokyo Olympics after losing to Kawai in the semifinals.

Adekuoroye has had a good runup to the Tokyo Games, winning golds at the Matteo Pellicone Tournament and African Championships in 2020 and following up her victory over Maroulis in Warsaw by taking the gold with a victory in the final over Kurachkina.

China's Rong won the senior world title at 57kg in 2018, but lost in the 59kg final at the world U-23 three weeks later. In 2019, she won her second straight Asian title with a victory in the final over Myong-Suk JONG (PRK), who had knocked off Icho in the semifinals.

At the 2019 worlds in Nur-Sultan, Rong defeated Kurachkina en route to the final, where she showed some spunk in a 9-6 loss to Kawai in which she fought back after falling behind 9-0.

It looked like a rematch was in the cards at the World Cup later that year, but China opted to move Rong up to 59kg. Asked about not facing Kawai at the time, she replied, “I’m really looking forward to facing her and getting revenge.”

Koblova will certainly be one to watch. The 28-year-old Rio 2016 silver medalist was given the nod for her third Olympic appearance by the Russian federation over Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS), who had secured the Olympic berth at the final World Qualifying tournament.

In the 58kg final in Rio, Koblova came within seconds of denying Icho her historic fourth gold medal, but gave up a takedown at the buzzer and was dealt a 3-2 loss that meant settling for the silver medal.

Physical pain came a year later, when she suffered a serious knee injury at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. In addition to giving birth, she sat out for three years before returning for the Russian Championships in September 2020.

This year, Koblova has a pair of fifth-place finishes at the European Championships (at 62kg) and Poland Open, where she lost to Adekuoroye in the semifinals and Kit in the bronze-medal match.

She and Kawai have met once before, in the final at the 2015 World Cup, which Kawai won 5-1. But it was at another World Cup where Koblova imprinted her mark with Japanese fans.

In 2012, Koblova (then known by her maiden name of Zholobova) scored a stunning victory over Yoshida, making her one of just three non-Japanese in history to ever claim a win over the Japanese legend.

Although Japan defeated Russia for the title of the team tournament, the sight of Yoshida sobbing on the victory podium still remains an indelible image.

57kg
No. 1 Risako KAWAI (JPN)
No. 2 Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
No. 3 Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
No. 4 Ningning RONG (CHN)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX)
Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL)
Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)

#WrestleTokyo

Taylor Tops Yazdani in Olympic Clash of Titans; Kawai Completes Sibling Double

Thursday, August 5, 2021 - 15:55 By Ken Marantz

CHIBA, Japan (August 5) --- In a clash of the titans that will go down in the annals of Olympic wrestling history, David TAYLOR (USA) showed just why he is called "The Magic Man."

Taylor pulled out a victory for the ages with a late takedown to defeat superstar Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) 4-3 in a nail-biting freestyle 86kg final on Thursday, preventing the Iranian from becoming the first two-time Olympic champion in his wrestling-mad country's history.

"I like to win 10-0, but getting it done in the last seconds feels pretty good, too," Taylor said following his triumph at Makuhari Messe Hall A.

Meanwhile, Risako KAWAI (JPN) became the third two-time Olympic champion in women's wrestling history, but more importantly for her, achieved the dream of a sibling double with younger sister Yukako.

And Zaur UGUEV (ROC) added an Olympic gold at freestyle 57kg to his two world titles by breaking the hearts of the world's second-most populated country India.

David TAYLOR USA David TAYLOR (USA) became the new 86kg Olympic champion. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

The 30-year-old Taylor has now won all three career meetings with Yazdani, the 2016 Rio Olympic champion at 74kg who had dominated at 86kg in recent years as the American recovered from knee surgery, .

“I don’t want to talk about wins over this guy because he’s helped me become a better wrestler," Taylor said. "For wrestling fans around the world, that we could wrestle in a gold-medal match was pretty special. We are both great representatives of the sport in the way that we carry ourselves and compete."

In the final, the first period was limited to an activity point awarded to Yazdani. In the second period, the Iranian received a penalty point after Taylor dropped to his knees at the edge and shuffled out of bounds, a tactic he used several times to avoid stepouts.

But it also seemed to light a fire in Taylor, who scored a takedown with a well-executed single leg, only to see Yazdani take back the lead with a stepout to make it 3-2.

With the clock ticking down, Taylor suddenly exploded with a double-leg takedown that seemed to take Yazdani off guard, giving the American the lead with 17 seconds left that he defended to the end.

“He didn’t want to get in scrambles, he didn’t want to shoot, he wanted to make it a push-out, shot-clock match," Taylor said. "He did a good job of doing that.

“I think he only tried three times to score. I always say that if you want to be the best in the world, you'll need to take people down twice. You need to get two takedowns. Tonight was a good example of that. I needed two takedowns.”

The 30-year-old Taylor won his first and only senior world title in 2018 in Budapest, where he defeated Yazdani in the first round. With his latest triumph, the American has finally reached the pinnacle of the sport that so many others had expected of him.

"You envision that so many times in so many ways, but nothing is like the real thing," Taylor said. "To be in the moment where the preparation and the hard work that you put in, the determination to want to win is really put to the test.

"You can easily say, 'Maybe next time,' or you find a way to do it. You can envision it over and over again, but when you’re there, there is nothing like that moment to be present in and seize that opportunity.”

Risako KAWAI (JPN) with the 57kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan

Kawai capped a years-long journey to the 57kg gold, in which she had to knock off two other Rio 2016 champions along the way, by posting a solid 5-0 victory over Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) in the final.

Kawai scored with a spin-behind takedown in the first period, then added a stepout and defensive takedown in the second. Kurachkina launched a desperate attack at the end, and got a hold of Kawai's ankle at one point, but the Japanese escaped and held on for the win.

"I kept my eyes on her up to the last second," Kawai said. "Yukako had the match she had, so I felt like losing was not an option."

On Wednesday, Yukako Kawai won the 62kg gold in her Olympic debut, then watched from the stands to see her older sister's latest triumph -- just as Risako had done the night before.

With her second gold, Kawai joins compatriots Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) as the only multiple Olympic champions in women's wrestling. Icho won an unprecedented four golds and Yoshida three following the addition of women's wrestling to the Olympic program in 2004.

Icho, who won her final gold in Rio, had set out to win a fifth, but Kawai, who took the Rio 63kg title, dropped down to 57kg to set up a showdown between the two for the spot. Kawai won out, then clinched her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics by winning a third straight world title in 2019.

On Wednesday, Kawai won a semifinal clash with Helen MAROULIS (USA), who had beaten Yoshida in the 53kg final in Rio.

"To say there was no pressure would be a lie," Kawai said. "Compared to Rio, it was heavier for each and every match. But I had to become an athlete who can handle that pressure."

Zaur UGUEV (ROC) won the 57kg gold in Tokyo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At freestyle 57kg, two-time reigning world champion Zaur UGUEV (ROC) spoiled India's dreams of having its first-ever Olympic champion when he scraped together a 7-4 victory in the final over Ravi KUMAR (IND).

In repeating his semifinal win over Kumar from the 2019 World Championships, Uguev started off with a pair of stepouts. The Indian responded with a duck-under takedown, but Uguev answered with a high-crotch takedown to end the first period leading 4-2.

Uguev added a stepout in the second period, followed by a shrug-go behind takedown that all but put the match out of reach. Kumar got a consolation takedown at the end.

"The medal is heavy, probably the heaviest of those that I have, and the most important," Uguev said. "Of course, medals from the World Championship are also important, but this one is special. I want to dedicate the gold medal to my father."

For Uguev, the toughest part of his road to gold was at the beginning, when he narrowly won his first two matches, needing to score late points in both to survive.

"The path was not easy," Uguev said. "Usually the finals are the most difficult, but here the first two meetings were not easy. I was losing and in the end I managed to show character. I didn't want to lose, and everything worked out for me."

Kumar was just the second Olympic finalist in Indian history, and like Sushil KUMAR (IND) at the 2012 London Olympics, he will be heading home with a silver medal. Not the color he wanted, but still well-earned.

Asked if he saw any difference in Kumar from two years ago, Uguev replied, "I can't say that during this time Ravi has changed--perhaps he got a little more endurance. But I went through such training that it was impossible to lose."

Zaur UGUEV Zavur UGUEV (ROC) was crowned as the 57kg Olympic champion. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

In bronze-medal matches, American-born Myles AMINE (SMR) gave the tiny European principality and land of his maternal great-grandfather San Marino its first-ever Olympic wrestling medal with a hard-fought 4-2 win over 2019 world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) at freestyle 86kg.

Amine, the 2020 European silver medalist, trailed 2-1 when he scored a spin-behind takedown with 10 seconds left, with the final point added for an unsuccessful challenge.

Amine, who holds dual citizenship and was the first wrestler to ever qualify San Marino for the Olympics, could have become the nation's first-ever Olympic medalist, but last week, the shooting team beat him to the punch with a bronze in the women's trap and a silver in the mixed team trap.

"It was funny, when they won, I was a little bit like, ‘Ugh, I wanted to be the first,'" Amine said. "But there was also a little sense of relief, no pressure now, I don’t have to be the first. It is actually, looking back now, I’m so excited that I get to share it with two other athletes."

The other 86kg bronze went to 2019 world bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (ROC), a 2-0 winner over Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) after a stepout and activity clock point in the first period.

Rio champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) bounced back from her loss to Risako Kawai in the women's 57kg semifinals by rolling to a 11-0 technical fall over Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) to take home a bronze.

Maroulis said she has come to terms with missing out on a second straight gold, and is content with being a two-time medalist.

"I was thinking about it -- why am I not more sad?" Maroulis said. "I spent four years trying to get back my wrestling, the way that it felt and just being able to not have fear and be healthy. That is the biggest gift."

Rio 2016 silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (ROC) -- along with Maroulis, one of only three wresters on the planet who had ever beaten Japanese legend Yoshida -- lost her bronze-medal match courtesty of a nifty move by Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL).

Koblova had Nikolova's leg in the air, but the Bulgarian reached down to block Koblova's knee and tripped her backward, then scrambled on top to secure a headlock and win by fall at 2:49.

At freestyle 57gk, 2019 world bronze medalist Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) scored a takedown in each period to defeat Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 5-1, while 2017 world silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) had two takedowns in each period in topping Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI) 9-1.

Steveson sets up showdown with Petriashvili

Gable STEVESON (USA) reached the 125kg final in Tokyo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

In semifinals in three other weight classes, American newcomer Gable STEVESON (USA) continued his amazing run at freestyle 125kg by making the final with a 5-0 win over Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL).

Having already beaten one of the weight class' top stars with a victory over Rio champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the quarterfinals, he now gets a shot at the other in the final.

Steveson, a world cadet and junior champion who is making only his second appearance on the international senior level, will go for the gold against three-time world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who is gunning for a gold in Tokyo after taking a bronze at Rio 2016.

"I know the legend I'm stepping on the mat with, Petriashvili, but the first legend I wrestled today, I took care of business, second one tomorrow I'm going to try to handle the same thing," Steveson said. "It's just another day at the job. I live for moments like this."

Petriavshvili advanced by scoring three takedowns in the second period in a 6-3 win over Amir ZARE (IRI), avenging a stunning 15-11 loss to the young Iranian at the Iranian Pro League in 2019.

Petriavshvili and Akgul have combined to win every major global title dating back to 2014, but that streak could be ended by a wrestler named Gable with the middle name Dan, a tribute to U.S. wrestling legend Dan Gable.

"With little to no international scene experiences, it's crazy that a young cat like me will come in here and shock the world so quick, and have everybody on notice that a 21-year-old kid in college is maybe take a gold medal tomorrow," Steveson said.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) beat Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) to move to 74kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Not to be outdone, Russian-born Mahamadkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) collected another big-name scalp himself in completing a torrid run into the freestyle 74kg final, knocking off Rio Olympic bronze medalist Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 9-7.

Having overwhelmed world 79kg champion Kyle DAKE (USA) by technical fall in the quarterfinals, Kadzimahamedau went toe-to-toe with the ever-dangerous Chamizo and never flinched.

Kadzimahamedau took a 5-1 lead early in the second period, then traded takedowns before a reversal that put Chamizo on his back gave the Belarussian a four-point lead that provided the necessary buffer when the Italian scored a late takedown.

"My mind is in shock," said the Cuban-born Chamizo, a 2015 world champion. "I really can't believe what is going on at this moment. The only thing I know is I lose. But I have to keep going, continue, not give up. It is what it is."

Chamizo also lost in the semifinals at Rio before coming back to win a bronze. "That's my bad luck in the Olympics, in the semifinals," he said.

Kadzimahamedau has one more mountain to climb, with reigning world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (ROC) awaiting in the final.

Sidakov dispatched 2019 world bronze medalist Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) with an 11-0 technical fall in which he scored five takedowns in the second period.

Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) after reaching the 53kg final in Tokyo. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time former world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), who has been regarded in Japan as the second coming of fellow Aichi Prefecture native Yoshida, kept alive her hopes of regaining for Japan the 53kg gold that Yoshida lost in Rio.

Mukaida chalked up 4 points with a takedown and lace lock to take a six-point lead, then held on for a 6-3 win over Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) in the semifinals.

"It was a tough match but I was determined to have my hand raised at the end," Mukaida said. "I could feel how every athlete feels so strongly about being at the Olympics. I trained for these Games and kept that feeling to the end."

Mukaida, who has a history of losing big matches in the final seconds, said she was concerned about being unable to score late while giving up a late takedown to Bat Ochir, a 2019 world bronze medalist at 55kg.

"I was able to get in during the match, but was stopped later on, so I need to reflect on what went wrong," Mukaida said.

Mukaida won world titles at 55kg in 2016 and 2018, but had to settle for silvers at 53kg in 2017 and 2019. In the final at the 2017 worlds, she gave up a last-second 4-point throw to Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) in an 8-6 loss.

Mukaida was denied a chance to avenge that loss when two-time world bronze medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) stunned Kaladzinskaya in the other semifinal 2-2 by scoring a takedown with 8 seconds left in the match.

Mukaida can go into the final confident while cautious. She has beaten Pang in all four of their previous meetings--in the 2015 Klippan Lady final, the 2017 Asian semifinal, the 2017 World Cup and the 2019 Asian semifinal.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD - Zavur UGUEV (ROC) df. Ravi KUMAR (IND), 7-4

BRONZE - Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 5-1
BRONZE - Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI), 9-1

74kg
SF1 - Mahamadkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 9-7
SF2 - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (ROC) df. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 5:34

86kg
GOLD - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE - Artur NAIFONOV (ROC) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB), 2-0
BRONZE - Myles AMINE (SMR) df. Deepak PUNIA (IND), 4-2

125kg
SF1 - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Amir ZARE (IRI), 6-3
SF2 - Gable STEVESON (USA) df. Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), 5-0

Women's Wrestling

53kg
SF1 - Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR), 2-2
SF2 - Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 6-3

57kg
GOLD - Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), 5-0

BRONZE - Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) by TF, 11-0, 5:54
BRONZE - Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df. Valeria KOBLOVA (ROC) by Fall, 2:49 (5-0)

#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: WW 57kg

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Taylor Tops Yazdani in Olympic Clash of Titans; Kawai Completes Sibling Double