Focken rises, Stadnik Takes Top Tokyo Seed after Gold at Poland Open

Thursday, June 10, 2021 - 14:36 By

WARSAW, Poland (June 10) --- Just over a month ago, Aline FOCKEN (GER) was in Warsaw for the European Championships with an aim to become the continental champion. She, however, failed to do so after losing in the quarterfinals.

“I wanted a lot [at European Championships],” Focken said. “I wanted to be the champion and put myself under a lot of pressure and made mistakes.”

Just in the space of seven weeks, Focken transformed herself with a mature approach to her bouts which helped her win the gold medal at the Poland Open in Warsaw on Thursday.

With the gold medal, she also passed Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) for the number two seed in Tokyo.

“The difference today was I was calm and wanted to wrestle and she how the progress was going,” she said.

On Thursday, Rotter Focken shut out Dymond Precious GUILFORD (USA), Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) and Epp MAEE (EST) and only surrendered one point against Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) en route to winning her second Ranking Series title and first since the ’18 Yasar Dogu.

The top-four seeds at the Olympic Games will be Adeline GRAY (USA), Rotter Focken, Minagawa and Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ), respectively.

Focken admitted that she has been struggling to be consistent at the 76kg despite winning the world title, explaining it as the pressure she puts herself under.

“My problem is that I put myself under a lot of pressure to win every tournament,” she said. “But there are so many tough opponents, it's not possible to win every time. But I want to and I make mistakes.”

But her performance in Warsaw was a sneak into what she has been working on, making her a potential threat to the Olympic title.

“I have to work a lot,” she said. “I am working on my mental side a lot. I changed the weight class from 69kg to 76kg so that's difficult. I try to stay calm and focus on myself.”

In the final, Focken devised a strategy to keep her rival Epp MAEE (EST) at bay and win 3-0.

“We have known each other for long because we train in camps a lot,” she said. “I wanted to score my own points. It's difficult to score as she is small and moves really good. But I also did work in the second round to get more movement and score. I had no plan how to score but I wanted to and I did.”

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) was also in Warsaw in April and she captured the gold at European Championships. She repeated that feat as she won the 50kg gold at the Poland Open.

In the process, she also stole the number one seed at the Olympic Games from former number one seed Emilia VUC (ROU) after storming her way to an early morning 12-2 victory. In their rematch of the gold-medal match from the ’19 World Championships, Stadnik gave up the initial takedown but scored 12 consecutive points in 25 seconds.

She also scored technical superiority wins over Erin GOLSTON (USA) and Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) on her way to the finals, where she met her ’21 European semifinals opponent Oksana LIVACH (UKR).

“I am happy with today's result because before this I came to the camp from the mountains and it is hard to breathe a little on the mat when you do that. It feels like you are a heavyweight,” Stadnik said.

“But this competition was needed because I need to check myself before the Olympics. I have only two months left.”

Mariya STADNIK AZE

In the finals, Stadnik quickly jumped out to an early 7-0 lead against the Ukrainian world bronze medalist The Azeri two-time world champion scored on a step out, four-point toss, and ahead inside single leg before surrendering a step out of her own. She capitalized on a late open shot attempt from Livach and spun behind for the 9-1 lead. Despite failing to score in the second period and giving up three unanswered points, Stadnik held on to the 9-3 win and claimed 16 Ranking Series points.

Her performance on Thursday was a big improvement from Euro Championships as she was still regaining shape after a long gap due to COVID.

“For a year and a half I did not participate anywhere and it was difficult psychologically. Here I was in better shape and I was more confident.,” she said.

The three-time Olympic medalist is chasing a career-defining gold medal in Tokyo after winning two silver and a bronze at her previous Games appearances.

“I will do everything physically and mentally that I can in order to win the gold medal,” she said. “Five seconds were enough to deny be a gold at Olympics last time. Everything is in the hands of God and he knows if I will win or not but I will do everything to ensure that I can.”

Stadnik is now the 50kg top seed at the Olympic Games with 76 points, followed by Vuc, Livach and Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ), respectively.

At 62kg, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) overpowered Ana GODINEZ (CAN) in the gold-medal match and will be the top seed at 62kg in Tokyo.

AIsuluu Tynybekova

Coming into the Poland Open, the ’19 world champion already amassed a 34-point lead over second-seeded Taybe YUSEIN (BUL). She added 16 Ranking Series points on Thursday – bringing her overall total to 106 points – and will sit in the top spot of the bracket in Tokyo.

Talking about her wrestling on Thursday, the world champion was not particularly happy with how she started the tournament. Against Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), she was trailing 2-8 after the first period but rallied to score 12 points and the fall in the second.

“Overall, it was a good day but to be honest my coach is unhappy with me because he set a task for me which I couldn't fully complete,” Tynybekova said. “I was very relaxed in the first bout of the day. I have to work harder on my fitness so that such situation does not arrive in the future.”

The second through fourth seeds at 62kg in Tokyo will be Yusein, Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN), respectively.

At 55kg, Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) thunderously threw Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) and picked up the 90-second fall to win gold. Since early ’20, Khoroshavtseva qualified Russian for the Olympic Games at 53kg, and has won the European C’ships twice, Ivan Yariguin, Russian National C’ships, and Poland Open. She also finished with a bronze medal at the ’20 Individual World Cup.

In the 65kg finals, Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) jabbed her back from a six-point deficit to win her fourth consecutive Ranking Series gold medal. Her finals opponent Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) came out firing, double legging Johansson to her rear end for the early four-point advantage. Johansson surrendered another takedown in the first, but just before the period closed, the Tokyo Olympian at 62kg added a freight-train four-point double leg and cut her Ukrainian foes lead to 6-4.

Johansson scored the only two points of the second period and added another Ranking Series title to her resume with the 6-6 win. After finishing with a bronze medal at the ’18 Klippan Lady Open, she’s won Ranking Series golds at the Dan Kolov, City of Sassari Tournament, Yasar Dogu, and now, the Poland Open.

Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)

RESULTS

50kg (12 entries) +8
GOLD - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 9-4
BRONZE - Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) df. Erin Simone GOLSTON (USA), 9-7
BRONZE - Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) df. Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS), via fall

55kg
GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL), via fall
BRONZE - Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR) df. Roksana ZASINA (POL), 1-1

62kg (11 entries) +8
GOLD - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Ana GODINEZ (CAN), 7-1
BRONZE - Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 6-3
BRONZE - Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Jennifer Page ROGERS PAGE (USA), 16-4

65kg
GOLD - Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR), 6-6
BRONZE - Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) df. Linnea SVENSSON (SWE), via fall
BRONZE - Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df Kamila KULWICKA (POL), 3-2

76kg (13 entries) +8
GOLD - Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df Epp MAEE (EST), 3-0
BRONZE - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), via fall
BRONZE - Erica WIEBE (CAN) df Dymond GUILFORD (USA), 7-3

#JapanWrestling

Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships

Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 15:34 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 4) -- After winning both the U20 and senior world titles at freestyle 61kg within a two-month span in the autumn of 2024, Masanosuke ONO all but disappeared from the Japanese wrestling scene.

That culminated with his announcement in March this year that, having left Yamanashi Gakuin University, he had committed to wrestle at U.S. collegiate powerhouse Penn State. He has not been seen on the mats of Japan since.

Ono will compete once again in his home country, dropping down from 61kg to 57kg for the upcoming Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, according to the entry list announced Thursday by the Japan Wrestling Federation.

The tournament, to be held December 18-21, will also serve as the domestic qualifier for next year's Asian Championships, and the first of two qualifiers for the Asian Games and World Championships in 2026.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will compete at 50kg at the Emperor's Cup. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Among other notable recent absentees appearing on the entry list is Yui SUSAKI, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion at 50kg who had to settle for a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete at 50kg, putting to bed speculation that she might move up to the 53kg division.

"This will be a tournament to start me anew on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics," Susaki said in an online press conference with the Japanese media, as reported by Wrestling-Spirits.jp.

"In order to reclaim the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, as a challenger starting from scratch, I want to win in a Yui Susaki-esque way of wrestling."

The 21-year-old Ono had been a question mark with the tournament falling in the middle of the Penn State season. But the decision to redshirt Ono -- the system of allowing him to train with the team while withholding him from competition to maintain an extra year of eligibility -- opened the door for him to make the trip back to Japan.

Assuming he does not have trouble making weight, he should be the class of the 57kg field, with his toughest competition most likely coming from two-time Asian bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI.

One opponent he won't have to contend with is Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI, who decided to continue delaying his return to action. Also missing is defending champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who was injured at the World Championships. With Sakamoto also across the Pacific at Oklahoma State University, it prevents a rare clash of U.S.-based wrestlers.

Susaki only returned to action in September, and both of her forays were at 53kg. That, and the well-publicized move up to 57kg by Akari FUJINAMI, the 53kg champion in Paris, fueled conjecture that Susaki might also move up.

Susaki started at the National Sports Festival, where she competed at 53kg if for no other reason that it was one of only two women's weight classes in the competition. She lost a defensive-oriented 2-1 decision to 2024 world 55kg champion Moe KIYOOKA in the quarterfinals, marking her first loss to a Japanese opponent in six years.

"Losing at the National Sports Festival gave me the chance to look inside myself," Susaki said. "The result was really disappointing, but I'm glad I took part and was grateful for the opportunity."

Now 26, the four-time world champion is firmly determined to regain the Olympic gold that eluded her in Paris with a heart-breaking last-second loss to Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) in the opening round.

"I truly was shown just how difficult and challenging it was to win at the Paris Olympics. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the preparation process leading up to the competition and what was needed mentally for the Olympics. I will work hard to use that experience to make sure I win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics."

Susaki's top challengers at the Emperor's Cup appear to be world U23 bronze medalist Umi ITO and Haruna MORIKAWA, the world U23 champion at 53kg.

Meanwhile the presence of Fujinami, who added the world U23 title in October to her burgeoning resume, has been immediately felt at 57kg. Despite being an Olympic weight class, the division drew just nine others who will look to end the 21-year-old superstar's 147-match winning streak.

Her most potentially dangerous opponent could be Asian champion Sara NATAMI. At the National Sports Festival, she was losing 8-1 at 62kg to world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI when she countered a takedown attempt by slamming her to her back for a fall.

Paris Olympic and 2025 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Golden trio at women's 62kg; returns of Paris champs Fumita, Kagami

As with any Japan competition that has world or Olympic berths at stake, a number of weight classes could see clashes between multiple wrestlers with global successes as they jockey for position in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

And in one case, there are three at once, while two other weight classes could have direct clashes of champions from this year's worlds in Zagreb, Croatia.

At women's 62kg, Paris and 2025 world gold medalist Sakura MOTOKI will renew her rivalry with two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI, while Onishi moves up from 59kg to join the mix and can't be overlooked.

At women’s 68kg, reigning world champion Ami ISHII could lock horns with Miwa MORIKAWA, the gold medalist at 65kg, while at freestyle 74kg, we could see a battle between Zagreb winner Kota TAKAHASHI and 70kg titlist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI.

Like Susaki, all of Japan's large group of Paris medalists took some time off to bask in the spotlight before gradually returning to the mat over the past two years.

Two of the remaining gold medalist holdouts -- Kenichiro FUMITA and Yuka KAGAMI -- will both take the mat for the first time since their Paris victories at the Emperor's Cup.

Fumita, who won an elusive gold medal in Paris at Greco 60kg after taking the silver at Tokyo 2021, is entered at 63kg, where he will aim for a fifth national title and first since 2022. Kagami is entered at her gold medal-winning weight of women's 76kg. Their own rustiness may be more of a factor then the opponents.

While away from competition, Fumita spent the ensuing time experimenting with different methods as he looks to expand his reportoire.

"I have some anxiety, but I'm also looking forward to it," Fumita told Wrestling-Spirits.jp. "I achieved my goal in Paris, and on top of that, I've been taking a good look at wrestling. it. It was a year and four months full of new experiences. This will be a battlefield to reveal my new wrestling. I want to show wrestling that is free and unrestrained."

Fumita said he observed the nerves shown by fellow Paris gold medalists Nao KUSAKA (Greco 77kg) and Kotaro KIYOOKA (freestyle 65kg) when they returned to mat ahead of him at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships last spring.

"Before their matches, both of them looked pale," Fumita said. "I want to focus on fighting without putting too much pressure on myself. For better or worse, I want to fight thinking of myself as a different person than I was in Paris."

Other intriguing weight classes include freestyle 65kg, where Kiyooka may have to contend with Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, Asian 61kg champion Takara SUDA and two-time world U20 champion Yuto NISHIUCHI.

Two gold medalists from Tokyo who took time off for marriage and childbirth are back, with Mayu SHIDOCHI (nee MUKAIDA) challenging Moe Kiyooka at women's 55kg and Yukako INAMURA (nee KAWAI) entered at 59kg.

In Greco, rising star Taizo YOSHIDA, a bronze medalist at both the U20 and senior worlds this year at 82kg, has moved up to 87kg, where he will challenge two-time defending champion So SAKABE.

Focken rises, Stadnik Takes Top Tokyo Seed after Gold at Poland Open

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Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships