#JapanWrestling

Ex-Olympic medalist Ota continues mission of opening wrestling mat to those with Down syndrome

By Ikuo Higuchi

(Editor's Note: The following is an edited version of a two-part series that appeared on the Japan Wrestling Federation website on Jan. 18 with excerpts from previous stories. It has been translated and published by permission.)

"Through wrestling, society can be changed. Those with Down syndrome can be given courage by wrestling."

On the second floor of a non-descript building near Tokyo Dome in the heart of the city, the club members gathered in a small martial arts gym with a wall-to-wall mat to resume activities that, for some, date back to the start of the club in 2005.

Unavoidably suspended during the pandemic, the Waku-waku Wrestling Club -- specifically for those with Down syndrome -- was restarted in mid-January to central Tokyo, continuing the mission of its founder of enabling people with Down syndrome to become sharper physically and emotionally, and give them hope in life.

The club ("waku-waku" is an onomatopoeic expression of the feeling of excitement) is the lifework of Takuya OTA, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bronze medalist at freestyle 74kg.  "It has become a part of my life," says the 53-year-old  Ota,  who, following a long stint as coach at Waseda University, is currently the head coach at Chuo University. "I get my power to go on from these kids."

The flame of Ota's interest in helping those with Down syndrome was ignited after being deeply moved by the book "Tatta Hitotsu no Takaramono (The One and Only Treasure)," a mother's account of raising a son with the disorder published in 2004. The book by Hiromi Kato was made into a TV drama, titled "The One and Only," which won the Asian Television Award for drama in 2005.

When Ota started the project, he was already working full-time coaching world-class competitors at Waseda, Japan's longest-running team. He had also launched the Waseda Club for kids, fueled by his determination to spread the word about the wonders of wrestling to as many people as possible.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, Down syndrome is a "genetic disorder" caused by abnormal cell division during gestation, with the resulting extra genetic material causing "the developmental changes and physical features of Down syndrome."

It affects 1 in 1,000 newborns and varies in severity. The website notes: "Better understanding of Down syndrome and early interventions can greatly increase the quality of life for children and adults with this disorder and help them live fulfilling lives."

After reading Kato's book, Ota began to think to himself, "How would it be if I had them try wrestling?" For those who are often neglected or ignored by society and suffer from uninformed biases, could not wrestling be a means to help give them more worth to their lives?

In July 2005, he started the first wrestling club specifically for this purpose, taking under his wing an inaugural group of six kids.

That's not to say there were no initial concerns. Children with Down syndrome are not on the same physical level as their healthy peers, and there were some whose spines might not hold up to the rigors of wrestling. Was wrestling something they could do? But there was no way to know until they tried, and Ota wanted to give them the chance.

And given the chance, they showed that they were able to move around just like the others. Not so much at first, but as they got used to it, they gained strength and confidence. They began to understand the rules and learned the techniques as Ota put priority on safety and stopped any potentially dangerous action.

Ota
Just like any wrestling practice anywhere in Japan, Coach Takuya Ota addresses the wrestlers before the start as the Waku-Waku Wrestling Club resumed in January for the first time since the start of the pandemic. (Photo: Japanese Wrestling Federation)

Getting big names involved

Perhaps no observers were more surprised, and overjoyed, by the success of the project than the parents. They could see their children who had mostly been kept out of sports getting exercise, having fun and, most importantly, building their self-esteem.

In 2017, reigning world champion and future Olympic gold medalist Yui SUSAKI was in her freshman year at Waseda when she offered her time to the Waku-waku Wrestling Club.

"I became aware Waku-waku Wrestling from the federation website and other sources," Susaki said. "I thought that after entering college, I wanted to be involved, so I participated joined the practices once a month as a coach. Everyone in Waku-waku has a pure love for wrestling, and each time it stimulated me as well," she added with a glisten in her eyes.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Future Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI and Beijing Olympic silver medalist Kenichi YUMOTO pose with two proud participants at the 2017 Waku-waku Waseda Cup. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Also coming on board to help out was Kenichi YUMOTO, the 60kg freestyle silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with deep connections to Ota -- they are both natives of Wakayama Prefecture and alumni of Nippon Sports Science University. Yumoto made his presence felt at practices, patiently teaching techniques.

The club continued unabated until the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in 2020, leaving no sport unaffected. Ota's contract had just ended at Waseda and he made the move to Chuo University, which is located in the western Tokyo suburb of Hachioji. That left the club without the wrestling room at Waseda, and combined with the pandemic, caused a halt to the operations.

The recent easing of pandemic restrictions in Japan allowed the club to restart, and Ota was fortunate to make arrangements for use of the martial arts gym near Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo Ward.  It was a special moment for everyone involved.

"People with Down syndrome are fundamentally averse to combative sports," he said. "But when they continue doing it, I find that their fighting spirit come out. I hear from parents, 'He's no longer timid' or 'He's become able to do things on his own.' I feel that the parents also sense that by wrestling, they have unlimited potential for personal growth."

While there were only five participants on that first day of restarting the club, the room was filled with a positive energy, from the smiles on their faces as they practiced moves to the way they proudly raised their hands when asked for sparring partners.

Among those taking the mat was 24-year-old Aruban Kubota, who was one of the original members of the club in 2005 as an elementary school first-grader. Kubota, whose first name is derived from his father's native country of Albania, is currently employed in a public welfare center.

"At first, he would always sit off to the side at practice," recalls his mother, Rimiko. "But before we knew it, he starting joining the group and would decide things by himself. He started acting on his own."

Rimiko says the wait for the club to restart seemed interminable. "I am so grateful to Coach Ota," she says.

In July 2009 , Ota, looking to give the members a chance to put their new-found skills to the same test as all wrestlers, organized the "1st Waseda Cup." Other clubs for Down syndrome kids had cropped up, mostly at the urging of Ota through his wrestling connections, and the tournament drew 29 entries from three clubs.

The tournament, which would later be renamed the "Waku-waku Waseda Cup" and gain sponsorship from a company employing former Waseda wrestlers, has drawn entries from children to adults in their 20s. The level continues to improve and, unlike in the early years when it was difficult for the participants to control their emotions, matches are no longer halted and can proceed smoothly.

"At first, our main objective was to just get them to be able to go out onto the mat by themselves," Ota said in an interview after the 2016 tournament. "Now, they understand the rules and can have what we would consider a regular match."

All participants receive a medal, but the highlight of the award ceremony is the selection of  the MVP and Fighting Spirit Award which come with a trophy. As Ota holds the microphone before making the announcement, the winners (who are eligible for MVP) watch him as if in prayer while the whole venue takes on a atmosphere of smiles.

Ota2A club member does a double-leg takedown drill as the others watch. (Photo: Japanese Wrestling Federation)

Aiming for the Special Olympics

As could be seen by the enthusiasm at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, sports is not the exclusive dominion of the able-bodied. People with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities are also making strides toward participating in sports.

In October 2020, an athletics competition solely for those with Down syndrome was held in Miyazaki in southern Japan, and earlier this year, a division for Down syndrome entrants was set up for the first time at a swimming meet in Chiba, east of Tokyo.

On an international scale, Virtus, an organization established for the development of elite sport worldwide for athletes with intellectual impairments, had judo on the program at the 1st Oceania/Asian Games held in November last year in Australia. Japan athletes took part, widening the scope of opportunities for those with Down syndrome.

Ota is also looking beyond Japan's shores. Ota's next goal is to get wrestling into the Special Olympics, which has a history of over 50 years and differs from the Paralympics in that it is specifically for those with intellectual disabilities. Currently, there are over 20 sports in the Special Olympics, including judo.

Ota has visited the headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he was told that for wrestling to be included, it was necessary for the sport to expand in Japan and for more countries around the world to start programs. As it is still evolving and not well-known in Japan, it marks a high hurdle to be cleared.

But he is undaunted. "Even if you have a disability, as long as there is a sport providing a stage to shine, one can have a big presence in society," Ota said.

--Translation and editing by Ken Marantz

#JapanWrestling

Otoguro's dream of Olympic repeat shattered with stunning loss to Kiyooka

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 23) -- The day after his younger sister pulled off an upset by beating the world champion, Kotaro KIYOOKA managed to top that with the type of victory that reverberates throughout the wrestling world.

Kiyooka officially ended Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO's hopes to repeat in Paris, getting two calls advantageously corrected on challenge in the last 30 seconds to score a stunning 6-6 victory in their freestyle 65kg semifinal at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday in Tokyo.

"I was the challenger, but I went in with a strong mind that I could knock him off," said Kiyooka, who was vociferously cheered on by the large contingent of his Nippon Sports Science University teammates at Yoyogi No. 2 Gym.

In another weight class in the spotlight, Nonoka OZAKI assured that the open Olympic spot at women's 68kg will be heading to a playoff after upending Ami ISHII in their first-round clash, while Yukako KAWAI was another Tokyo Olympic gold medalist eliminated from the Paris hunt.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA goes out the back door for a takedown against Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO in the freestyle 65kg semifinals. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

For the 22-year-old Kiyooka, his mission is not yet over. The tournament is also serving as the qualifier for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Bishkek in April, and Kiyooka will face fellow collegian Masanosuke ONO in Sunday's final to earn that ducat.

"If I lose tomorrow, it's all for nothing," Kiyooka said. "I will focus on the one match and make sure I come out the winner."

Kiyooka said he was inspired by younger sister Moe winning her second straight All-Japan title at 55kg on Friday when she beat reigning world champion Haruna OKUNO in the final to avenge a loss in a world team playoff in July.

"That really gave me a spark," Kotaro said. "I was in the middle of cutting weight but I watched it closely."

The siblings had both missed out on making the World Championships in an Olympic weight with losses at the second domestic qualifier, the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, in June.

"She had also tasted the disappointment of defeat after losing a playoff and at the Meiji Cup," Kiyooka said. "I'm really happy that she won, and that made me fight even harder."

Otoguro came into the tournament having been plagued by a right foot injury that he suffered in January this year, but which flared up at his only two outings -- the Meiji Cup, which he still won, and the World Championships in September, where he strikingly failed to secure a Paris berth at 65kg.

The foot didn't seem to affect him in his first two matches Saturday, although he did take a brief timeout against Kiyooka. When the chips were down late in the match, he moved with the fierce intensity of a banshee, and Kiyooka fought him tooth and nail.

Kiyooka was the aggressor and scored the first points after going out the back door on a takedown in the first period, then made it 4-0 with a high leg roll. Otoguro snatched a takedown just before the buzzer to go into the break down 4-2.

With the crowd sensing a historic upset and Otoguro going into high gear, Kiyooka shot again, but Otoguro reached over and worked for a counter lift with a half-minute to go. This is where things got both interesting and complicated.

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)The two points that Takuto OTOGURO (red) was awarded on this counter lift in the final seconds was rescinded on challenge. (Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Otoguro executed a lift and back roll for 2, then another, then apparently a third that put him up 8-4. But Kiyooka's side challenged, and the points for the third roll were switched to a 2-point exposure for Kiyooka, putting him ahead 6-6 on last-point criteria.

As the time ticked down, Kiyooka was desperately clasping onto a leg, with Otoguro glancing at the clock as he girded his strength for one last counter lift. With the clock nearing zero, he hit the move and turned Kiyooka over, and the referees signaled 2 points.

But that was not the end. Another challenge, and after a long look at the replay, it was determined that Kiyooka's back had not been in the danger position by breaking the 90-degree plane. No points, and the king had fallen.

"He wasn't going to let me win easily, and the second period was a real battle," Kiyooka said. "I thought I had won, and maybe there was a little luck on my side. But it was good that I stayed on the attack in the second period. I think that led to the win."

As the NSSU side went wild, Otoguro displayed a mixture of disbelief, agitation and anger. Never one to handle losing well, he stormed out of the arena and refused to talk with the media.

Shinichi YUMOTO, Otoguro's coach on the Self-Defense Forces Physical Training School team, appeared in Otoguro's place.

"We disagree completely with the call, but the refereeing supervisor made the decision and we have to live by it," Yumoto said. "There is no one who puts their whole self into wrestling like him, and because he is so devastated he is unable to do an interview. I apologize for that."

Yumoto acknowledged that Otoguro needs to accept the outcome. "I think we saw a Takuto who gave everything he has now. He needs to have the pride of an Olympic champion and calmly accept the defeat."

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI scores a takedown with an ankle pick against Ami ISHII in their first-round match at women's 68kg. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Ozaki, Morikawa to clash in 68kg final

The Japan federation had set the criteria that a wrestler who wins a medal in an Olympic weight class at the World Championships in Belgrade would automatically fill the spot in Paris themselves. Of the 10 secured by Japan, Ishii's at 68kg was the only one who did not medal.

That left 68kg as the lone unfilled spot for the Japanese women, and a powerful lineup had gathered to challenge Ishii, who could have clinched the place outright by winning the All-Japan.

Now she will have to earn it in a playoff with the winner of the final on Sunday between Ozaki and Miwa MORIKAWA, after both made it through a gauntlet in their brackets.

Ozaki has been on a roller-coaster of emotions since losing out at her normal weight class of 62kg to Sakura MOTOKI, who secured her ticket to Paris with a silver medal in Belgrade.

Morikawa was in a similar boat, as she lost to Ishii in the world team playoff at 68kg. Both Ozaki and Morikawa also went to Belgrade in non-Olympic weights, with the former winning the gold at 65kg and the latter a bronze at 72kg. Ishii's failure to win a medal reopened the door to Paris for both, and now they are on a collision course to see who gets to challenge Ishii in the decisive showdown on a date to be determined.

On Saturday, the naturally lighter Ozaki put her superior speed to full use in chalking up a 6-2 victory over Ishii.

Ozaki said she was unfazed by having to face Ishii right off the bat. "My goal is the win the championship," she said. "I can't get to the playoff without it, so I can't let myself get too high or too low. Facing Ishii in the first match is just part of it."

Ozaki scored a takedown with a slick ankle pick in the first period for a 2-0 lead. In the second period, Ishii secured an underhook that set up a deep single shot, but Ozaki worked out of it and spun behind to make it 4-0.

Ishii then put the pressure on from above and Ozaki on her knees, but Ozaki shimmied out of danger and got behind for another takedown. Ishii managed a stepout that also drew a fleeing point, but it was too little too late.

After pouring it on in the second period to beat Mei SHINDO by a 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals, Ozaki advanced to the final with an 8-1 victory over Miyu YOSHIKAWA, who scored one of her biggest career wins by knocking off Kawai.

Kawai, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 62kg, saw her last chance to get back to the Olympics end when Yoshikawa scored the final point in a scramble for a 4-4 win on criteria.

Yoshikawa, formerly IMAI, has been a perennial medalist at 65kg and although she has never won a national title, she was a world junior champion in 2018.

Morikawa's path to the final consisted of a 3-2 win over Rin MIYAJI and a 10-0 technical fall over Masako FURUICHI. Ironically, the three were all medalists together at the 2021 World Championships in Oslo, where Morikawa and Miyaji won silvers at 65kg and 68kg, respectively, and Furuichi won the 72kg gold.

Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)Hayato ISHIGURO fends off a takedown attempt by Sosuke TAKATANI in the freestyle 86kg final. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Ishiguro quashes Takatani's Olympic hopes, title streak

Veteran Sosuke TAKATANI saw his dreams of a fourth Olympic appearance and a streak of 12 straight All-Japan titles come crashing down at the hands of Takashi ISHIGURO. And he drew a tear-filled tongue-lashing from his younger brother to boot.

Ishiguro fended off Takatani's tackles and held on for a 3-2 victory in the freestyle 86kg final to earn a ticket to the Asian Olympic qualifier to go with his second straight title and third overall. The Asian bronze medalist this year will get his second chance to make a first Olympics after coming up short at the World Championships.

"It's not over yet. I still have a high hurdle to get over," Ishiguro said. "But I'm really happy."

With Ishiguro leading 1-1 on criteria after the two traded activity points, he scored a stepout that drew an additional point for fleeing for a 3-1 lead with 1:20 left. Takatani received another activity point, but his desperate attempts for a winning takedown were thwarted.

Takatani was aiming for his 13th straight All-Japan title won over four weight classes, but more importantly, he wanted to go to the Paris Olympics in tandem with younger brother Daichi, who clinched his ticket by winning a bronze medal at 74kg in Belgrade.

In the concourse beneath the stands leading to the mixed zone, Daichi confronted his brother. Like a coach castigating a player who let him down, he went at Sosuke for spoiling their plans in a mixture of ire and affection.

"What were you doing out there for six minutes!" he bellowed before the tirade ended with a hug.

Ishiguro also saw a brother fall by the wayside, as older sibling and two-time defending champion Takashi was dethroned at 97kg with a 7-1 loss in the semifinals to Hibiku ITO.

Ito, whose mother was an Olympic medal-winning volleyball player, stands 1.93 meters and used his height advantage to score a 4-point counter and fend off Ishiguro's low tackles.

In the final, Ito will face one of Japan's fastest-rising stars, 19-year-old Arash YOSHIDA, who won the 92kg gold at the Asian Championships in his international debut and finished fifth at the World Championships.

Yoshida blasted his way to the gold-medal match with a fall and technical fall in his two matches. Asked about his strategy in regard to Ito's height, the son of an Iranian father and Japanese mother replied, "It's difficult. I've never faced such a tall wrestler. It's important how I can attack. I will talk it over with my coach."

In other action, two-time world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO and reigning world U23 champion Umi ITO both cruised into the women's 50kg final in what will be a matchup of arguably the best wrestlers in the world in that weight class not named Yui SUSAKI.

Susaki, like all of the eight others who clinched Paris berths in Belgrade, did not enter the tournament.

Japan has a good chance to gain another ticket to Paris at Greco 67kg from either Asian Games gold medalist Katsuaki ENDO or Asian silver medalist Kyotaro SOGABE, who will clash in the final after both won their respective semifinal by technical fall.

Tomoaki FUTAMATA (JPN)Tomoaki FUTAMATA (red) sends Taishi NARIKUNI flying for a 4-point throw during their Greco 67kg match. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

While they were tearing through their respective brackets, former world freestyle champion Taishi NARIKUNI's latest foray into Greco was dealt a surprisingly early setback.

Narikuni, who won the 2022 world gold at freestyle 70kg, had planned to compete in both styles at last year's Emperor's Cup, but withdrew from both after suffering an injury just before the tournament. He then went strictly with Greco at the Meiji Cup, but was ousted in the quarterfinals.

On Saturday, he was completely outclassed by Tomoaki FUTAMATA, who reeled off a pair of 4-point throws for a 9-0 win in 2:05 in their preliminary round match.

"It's really shameful," a tearful Narikuni said. "I came with the real aim of winning the title. It's not like I let down my guard, I was ready to go from the first match. Wrestling can be really difficult."

Narikuni realizes that he may have set a trend, as more than a few wrestlers are competing this year in both styles, including freestyle 61kg champion Kaisei TANABE, who made it to the quarterfinals at Greco 63kg.

"Recently, I have become a pathfinder and the number doing both styles has increased," Narikuni said. "But because I have not won at all, all I feel is pitiful."

Ironically, Futamata is among the group that doubled up here. His priority on Greco, however, became apparent when he was forced to make a tough decision.

Five minutes before his match against Narikuni, his first-round match at freestyle 70kg was called. He forfeited it.

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

57kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Kento YUMIYA df. Rikuto ARAI by TF, 10-0, 2:01

BRONZE: Yudai FUJITA df. Yuto TAKESHITA, 5-2
BRONZE: Daito KATSUME df. Akito MUKAIDA, 11-7

65kg (27 entries)
Semifinal: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Takuto OTOGURO, 6-6
Semifinal: Masanosuke ONO df. Ryoma ANRAKU, 8-4

70kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Keiji WATANABE, 4-0

BRONZE: Kanata YAMAGUCHI df. Raita MORITA by TF, 10-0, 3:43
BRONZE: Ryota UCHIYAMA df. Toki OGAWA by Fall, 6:00 (10-4)

Semifinal: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Raita MORITA by TF, 10-0, 1:23
Semifinal: Keiji WATANABE df. Toki OGAWA, 2-0

79kg (20 entries)
GOLD: Ryunosuke KAMIYA df. Kirin KINOSHITA, 9-6

BRONZE: Subaru TAKAHARA df. Yuta ABE, 6-4
BRONZE: Taro UMEBAYASHI df. Kensuke OTANI by TF, 13-0, 3:46

Semifinal: Ryunosuke KAMIYA df. Yuta ABE by TF, 10-0, 5:14
Semifinal: Kirin KINOSHITA df. Taro UMEBAYASHI by TF, 11-0, 4:48

86kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO df. Sosuke TAKATANI, 3-2

BRONZE: Yudai TAKAHASHI df. Mao OKUI by Fall, 5:59 (7-0)
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI df. Shota SHIRAI by TF, 10-0, 5:20

97kg (14 entries)
Semifinal: Hibiki ITO df. Takashi ISHIGURO, 7-1
Semifinal: Arash YOSHIDA df. Taira SONODA by TF, 11-0, 2:32

Greco-Roman

60kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Kaito INABA df. Maito KAWANA, 5-2

BRONZE: Yasuhito MORI df. Keijiro SONE, 4-2
BRONZE: Koto GOMI def. Kosei TAKESHITA by Def.

67kg (20 entries)
Semifinal: Katsuaki ENDO df. Haruto YABE by TF, 11-0, 2:27
Semifinal: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Tomoaki FUTAMATA by TF, 9-0, 1:58

77kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Isami HORIKITA df. Taishi TOMOYOSE, 5-3

BRONZE: Keisei SHIMABUKURO df. Yudai KOBORI by TF, 10-2, 1:30
BRONZE: Shu YAMADA df. Kenryu KUZUYA, 8-5

Women's Wrestling

50kg (18 entries)
Semifinal: Remina YOSHIMOTO df. Miwa MAGARA by TF, 10-0, 3:39
Semifinal: Umi ITO df. Minoriho MAEHARA by TF, 13-2, 3:20

57kg (13 entries)
Semifinal: Sae NANJO df. Sara NATAMI by Fall, 5:04 (2-5)
Semifinal: Yumaka TANABE df. Ichika ARAI, 4-4

68kg (11 entries)
Semifinal: Miwa MORIKAWA df. Masako FURUICHI by TF, 10-0, 5:56
Semifinal: Nonoka OZAKI df. Miyu YOSHIKAWA, 8-1