Fujinami preps for Belgrade worlds with 1st Japan collegiate title

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 - 18:14 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (Aug. 22) --- With less than a month to go before she attempts to defend her world 53kg title in Belgrade, Japanese teen star Akari FUJINAMI opted to forego a chance at another world age group title, instead staying home and winning her first national collegiate championship.

In a women's competition that can be regarded as comparable to the World U20 Championships that ran concurrently in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Nippon Sports Science University freshman moved up to 55kg and cruised to the gold medal at the Japan collegiate championships held Aug. 15-18 in Tokyo.

"There were things I found I need to work on, and things that worked well," the 18-year-old Fujinami said. "I want to fix the small things in the leadup to the World Championships."

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Akari FUJINAMI counters a takedown attempt by Umi IMAI in the women's 55kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

With three dominant wins without conceding a point, including a fall in the final over fellow Asian champion Umi IMAI, Fujinami will head to Belgrade riding a 103-match winning streak that dates back to 2017 and her junior high school days.

Fujinami, a 2018 world cadet (U17) champion, had qualified for the World U20 by winning the Junior Queens Cup title in April, which she followed up by adding her first senior Asian title later that month then securing her ticket to Belgrade with a victory at the domestic Meiji Cup in June.

But a trip to Sofia was taken off the table after taking into account a number of factors, which also played into her decision to wrestle at 55kg for the first time in her career (although she did win the 54kg title at the Asian U15 in 2018).

"It takes a toll to get down to 53kg many times," Fujinami said. "And thinking of the time needed to go overseas and come back, it's better to keep working hard here with the target of the World Championships. So I chose this [tournament]."

Wrestling at the heavier weight meant a new challenge and opponents with different physiques, but the two-time national senior champion was more than up to the task at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"By entering 55kg, there is more power and I can find things to work on," she said. "At 55kg, I could give myself a test. After trying it, I feel a difference in power with 53kg, although the difference was not really that big."

After chalking up a pair of technical falls by a combined score of 21-0, Fujinami had her hands full with a determined Imai, a 2018 world junior (U20) champion who won her second senior Asian gold in April as a teammate of Fujinami's in Mongolia.

While Fujinami has earned a reputation for her lightning-quick single-leg takedowns, it was Imai who was the aggressor. Fujinami scored no offensive points, instead building up a 6-0 lead by countering three attacks by Imai, including the final time when she caught Imai and put her onto her back, finishing the match with a fall at 4:47.

Even so, Fujinami regarded the performance as a positive. "My counters were decisive," she said. "I didn't create chances to score from my own attacks. But I had foreseen that and thought I will have future matches like this. I went on the attack, but that also gave the opponent a chance to get in on a tackle."

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Akari FUJINAMI works for a fall against Umi IMAI in the women's 55kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Fujinami, whose father left his job as the coach of the high school she attended in central Japan to become the coach at NSSU in Tokyo, said she is enjoying her first year of college life. Although she won her world title last year prior to starting at NSSU in April, she feels like she's just one of the crowd at a school that produces top athletes in a variety of sports.

"I'm just a regular college student," said Fujinami, who lives with her father in a nearby apartment, where he does the majority of the cooking and housework. "There are many Olympic athletes all around me. I'm nothing special."

Fujinami has a single-minded goal of winning an Olympic gold medal, so it's no wonder that she can get a bit star-struck by someone who has already reached that lofty perch. She said that she recently got up the courage to ask Uta ABE, the women's 52kg gold medalist in judo at the Tokyo Olympics, to share a meal.

"It made me unbelievably happy," said Fujinami, who is three years Abe's junior. "She was so kind to me. It is really nice to have someone so close by who I respect so much."

While Fujinami would not go into details about what the two talked about, she said Abe is open to someday working out together and sharing techniques from the two sports. "I think it would be good for both of us," she said.

Fujinami never has to go far to be reminded of what hard work can achieve. Every day at practice she gets first-hand advice from, and an occasional thrashing by, NSSU coach Kaori ICHO, the only four-time female Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

"I get the chance to always be close to a great person like Icho," Fujinami said. "She won over 100 straight matches and has even greater records."

MATSUI Ken MATSUI battles with NSSU teammate Kuranosuke OKAWARA in the Greco 60kg final.(Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Matsui, Yoshimoto rebound with titles

In other action, world champions Ken MATSUI and Remina YOSHIMOTO bounced back from losses that prevented them from being able to defend their world titles in Belgrade by winning collegiate crowns, although through very different routes.

NSSU's Matsui, who won the Greco 55kg gold last year in Oslo but lost out to Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI for the ticket to Belgrade, moved up to 60kg and needed come-from-behind victories in the final three of his four matches to snatch the gold.

"In June, I lost at the Meiji Cup and so I lost the chance to go to the World Championships," Matsui said. "Recently, when I'm at 55kg, I can't feel good about my match as I feel pressure to go out and win. By trying 60kg here, I was able to relax, and I thought I could simply enjoy wrestling."

His opponents hardly made it fun for Matsui. Moving up a weight class may have taken much of the pressure off him, it also made him more vulnerable while in the bottom of par terre position.

In the quarterfinals, he fell behind 9-4 against Senshu University's Keijiro SONE when he was tossed not once, but twice for 4 points. Matsui managed to come back and win 11-9, going ahead with :45 left.

In the final, Matsui defeated NSSU teammate Kuranosuke OKAWARA 4-2, scoring all four points by wiggling out from the bottom, getting behind and rolling his opponent out at the edge.

"My opponent in the final is a teammate, he knows my game, so it was tough going against him," Matsui said. "But I thought that definitely a chance would come my way, and I had to make sure not to let it get away. Normally, I can defend on the ground, but this time at 60kg, I could be turned, so I practiced standing up. If I could escape, I would avoid getting in dangerous positions."

Matsui, who also has a 2017 world cadet (U17) gold medal and 2019 world junior (U20) bronze to his credit, said that he was able to clear his head after the disappointment of losing to Shiotani both at the Meiji Cup and the subsequent world team playoff that followed.

"After the Meiji Cup, I went back to my home [in Aichi Prefecture] and did my student teaching for three weeks [in P.E. in high school]," Matsui said. "That allowed me to refresh my mind and get my thoughts in order. I had been down in the dumps and that was a good way to start anew. It was a good experience and a plus for my wrestling."

Will he be watching rival Shiotani at the World Championships?

"I don't want to watch, but if I don't, it won't be to my benefit," he said. "So I'll watch in support of all Japanese wrestlers who are entered."

Remina YOSHIMOTO works for a takedown in the women's 50kg final against Shigakkan teammate Minoriho YONEHARA. Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Yoshimoto, a senior at Shigakkan University, earned her third national collegiate title--the 2020 tournament was canceled, preventing her from becoming a four-time champion--by ripping through the women's 50kg field with four straight technical falls without giving up a point.

Yoshimoto, the gold medalist in Oslo at 50kg, had her national team place usurped by Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI, who returned to the mat to handily defeat Yoshimoto both in the Meiji Cup final and world team playoff.

Yoshimoto had to choke back tears when replying to a question about bouncing back from those losses.

"It was really heartbreaking," she said. "It's tough to think that 50kg is Yui's. But I have to accept it. The reality is that I lost, and that I lost completely. I accepted that and went back to practice."

Asked if she will watch the Belgrade worlds, she replied. "I will," but not just scout Susaki. "It's important to have a strategy, but no matter who the opponent is. I just want to pursue my own wrestling."

Yoshimoto's next shot at Susaki will come at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, which will mark the start of the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It will also be her next competition.

"I have my student teaching coming up, so I can't go overseas," she said. "This will be the last tournament before December, and I will put everything into [the Emperor's Cup]."

Another medalist from the Oslo worlds who won't be going to Belgrade, NSSU's Rin MIYAJI, also came away with a collegiate title, taking the women's 68kg crown.

Miyaji won the silver medal at 68kg in Oslo, but suffered a serious knee injury in the final. She was in less-than-top shape at the Meiji Cup and lost in the semifinals to Ami ISHII, knocking her off the team to Belgrade.

Coming off a third-place finish at the Poland Open in July, she looked like a different person on the mat at Komazawa Gym, winning both of her matches by 10-0 technical falls.

"I got hurt at last year's World Championships, and I entered the Meiji Cup as my comeback tournament," Miyaji said. "At that time, because of the coronavirus, there were many times I couldn't practice. There was also still some fear factor. I couldn't be confident when I took the mat.

"This time, it was good because I was able to take the mat with confidence."

Taka Yudai TAKAHASHI won the freestyle 86kg title with his fifth straight technical fall of the competition. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation)

Belgrade-bound Takahashi triumphs

NSSU's Yudai TAKAHASHI, another wrestler who will be on the plane to Belgrade, moved up to freestyle 86kg and stormed to the gold in his final preparation for his second senior World Championships appearance.

The bullish Takahashi, who will wrestle at 79kg in Belgrade, strung together five technical falls in five matches, while allowing just a single point.

Asked if the move up was to provide a tougher challenge ahead of Belgrade, he replied, "It's also for the World Championships, but my ultimate goal is getting to the Olympics. This time I will be wrestling 79kg at the World Championships, so I want to win there and build momentum for the All-Japan Championships in December."

Takahashi first appeared at the worlds while still a high schooler in 2019, and he is now older, wiser and somewhat more self-assured.

"I went to the Asian Championships in April and I finished third, so it was a tournament where I gained a lot," Takahashi said. "That's no guarantee I can be successful [at the World Championships], but it made me aware of my strengths. But I have to build them up further, and the Asian Championships also brought up other things to work on. I want to overcome those issues."

Two of Takahashi's NSSU teammates pulled off the remarkable feat of completing the freestyle-Greco double. Hibiki ITO won titles in both styles at 97kg, while Tatsuya SHIRAI took the Greco gold at 87kg, then returned to the mat to win at freestyle 92kg.

Ito is one worth keeping an eye on just because he is such an anomoly in Japanese. He not only literally stands out because he stands 1.93 meters--an unheard-of height for a wrestler here--but also from an athleticism derived from his intriguing pedigree.

Ito's father Hiromichi competed at Greco 74kg at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, while his mother Keiko was a member of the Japanese women’s volleyball team that won a bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She stands 1.78 meters.

Ito said wrestling caught his eye as a youth, a decision that met no resistance from his mother. "I didn't think about [playing volleyball]," he said. "From the beginning, I went solely with wrestling under my father's influence. [My mother] said, wrestling's OK, you don't have to play volleyball."

Ito said he prefers freestyle, and will concentrate on that now as he aims for the Emperor's Cup in December, where he will look to avenge a loss in last year's final to 2021 Asian bronze medalist Takashi ISHIGURO.

"I haven't closed the gap yet [on Ishiguro]," he said. "The test will come in December and after that, so I'll do what I can to get closer."

#wrestlebishkek

Vinesh makes successful drop to 50kg, earns shot at 3rd Olympics

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - 17:33 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 20) -- Two-time Olympian VINESH (IND) took the best remaining path available to her to the Paris Olympics and did her best impression of the storming of the Bastille.

Vinesh dropped down to 50kg for the first time since 2018 and rolled to three consecutive technical falls, the last over Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), to secure one of India's three tickets to Paris in women's wrestling at the Asian Olympic Qualifier on Saturday in Bishkek.

"It was difficult," said Vinesh, a two-time world bronze medalist at 53kg who will be looking to make up for past disappointments at the 2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo Olympics. "But when you win, everything becomes worth it. I will say that I will be at peace for four to five days, but my main target is the Olympics. I will try to do what I couldn’t do in the last two Olympics. I can do better at this Olympics."

It was also a good night for China and the DPR Korea, which secured three Paris berths each, as well as Uzbekistan, which earned the first-ever Olympic quota in women's wrestling in its history. Host Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia captured one each as the teams did not have to contend with the powerful Japanese, who had already gained spots in all six weight classes.

"Competition is competition," the 29-year-old Vinesh said. "It is not that only if China and Japan are competing alongside you that it becomes a competition. Everyone becomes strong on the mat."

Combined with the quotas won at the World Championships last year in Belgrade, China and India have four each, and Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and DPR Korea have three apiece.

Two medalists from Tokyo, 53kg silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) and 68kg bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), were among the victors, as those who came up short will have a final chance at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul on May 9-12.

Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) VINESH (IND) controls Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ) in their 53kg Paris Olympic qualification bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Vinesh, long one of the top wrestlers in the world at 53kg, put principles ahead of personal gain when she skipped the Indian trials for last year's World Championships to join in protests against the nation's wrestling federation, which had been suspended by the UWW (since lifted) for failing to address harassment allegations against a top official.

In her place, ANTIM (IND) won the bronze medal at 53kg to earn one of the five Paris quotas in the weight class. For Vinesh to ensure a trip to a third Olympics, she needed to either go up to 57kg or drop to 50kg. She briefly considered the former before opting for the latter. In her last appearance at 50kg, she won the 2018 Asian Games gold, then made the jump up to 53kg.

"I did the weight switch because I didn’t have any option, not out of happiness," said Vinesh, who underwent surgery last August on her left knee. "But I won a quota for my country in the 50kg category. I am happy that I can go to the Olympics. Whether I go in the 50kg category or in the 53kg category, that will be decided in the trials but whatever it is, I won a quota for my country."

Her accomplishments are remarkable and put her among the greats in the sport -- in addition to world bronzes from 2019 and 2022, she has seven Asian medals, including a gold from 2021. All that is missing is a medal from the Olympics, where she has experienced much pain, both physical and emotional.

In 2016, she left the mat in Rio on a stretcher after suffering a broken knee in the quarterfinals against Sun YANAN (CHN). At Tokyo, she was ranked No. 1 but was ousted in the quarterfinals by Vanessa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN). "My body is not broken, but truly I am," she told the Indian Express of her mental fatigue.

Vinesh competed sparingly after that, winning the gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the World Championships in 2022.

"It’s taken so much hard work and struggle," Vinesh said. "I have been away from the mat for 1 1/2 years. I have come back after an operation. Many people have suggested that I should not go in the 50kg category because I could get re-injured.

"But I did not have any option. It was a do-or-die situation. I chose the die option."

On Sunday, she looked like she had never been away from the mat. Against Ganikyzy, who was making her senior international debut, Vinesh opened the scoring with a 2-point counter lift while on the activity clock, then added a double-leg takedown for a 4-0 lead at the break.

In the second period, Vinesh spun behind on a takedown attempt, then reeled off a pair of gut wrenches to end the match at 4:18.

Looking ahead to Paris, Vinesh knows what she needs to do to be prepared and avoid the pitfalls of the previous Olympics.

"Firstly, I will have to manage my weight a lot better," she said. "I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It’s not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is very high. Because of that, I gain weight easily. It doesn’t matter how fit I am, I still gain weight because I have a lot of muscle mass. I just want to control my weight. I have four months left, and every day is very important.

"I just want to try my best. It's been 20 years since I've been wrestling. I just want an Olympic medal. Everyone is working for that."

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after making history by becoming the first woman from Uzbekistan to clinch a spot in the Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Historic win for Uzbekistan

In the preceding 50kg bout, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) made history by becoming the first woman from Uzbekistan to clinch a spot in the Olympics when she hung on desperately for a 4-2 victory over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE). Keunimjaeva said she knew she was on the precipice of history going into the match.

"I knew that and I tried hard to achieve it," she said. "We’ve been training hard for three years now, we never had an Olympic spot and we wanted it so much. We worked so hard together with the coaches, together with the whole wrestling federation of Uzbekistan."

Keunimjaeva took a 3-0 lead with a single-leg takedown while Hsieh was on the activity clock. But her late shot for another was countered, and Hsieh slipped behind for 2 with five seconds left in the first period.

Keunimjaeva, who took a timeout for treatment on her knee, kept shooting in the second period, and although she could not finish one off, she ate away at the clock. In the final seconds, Keumjaeva clung onto Hsieh's toes for dear life to keep her from getting behind on a counter.

A challenge was unsuccessful, and Keunimjaeva reversed their meeting at the 2021 Asian Olympic Qualifier at 53kg which was won 16-8 by Hsieh, although neither wrestler ended up qualifying.

Like Vinesh, Keunimjaeva had moved down from 53kg and found success at the lower weight.

"I used to wrestle at 53kg," she said. "However, I wanted to compete at this Olympics so much, so I went down to 50kg. I know that this weight class is very competitive. There are many good wrestlers: the world and Olympic champion from Japan, there is a very strong Mongolian wrestler, also a Chinese one. I think they are the toughest opponents."

Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) and Qianyu PANG (CHN) qualified the DPR Korea and China for the Paris Olympics at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The DPR Korea will be back in the Olympics for the first time since 2016, having opted not to participate in the qualifying for the Tokyo Games. The country returned to the post-pandemic international stage for the first time in four years at last October's Asian Games in China, and its three victors on Saturday had all won medals there.

Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) got the ball rolling at 53kg with a 4-0 victory over ageless Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ), an eight-time Asian medalist dating back to 2007 who was attempting to qualify for her third Olympics and first since 2016.

Choe, an Asian Games bronze medalist, gained an activity point in the first period, then scored a stepout in the second period while she was on the clock. She clinched the victory with a single-leg takedown.

In the other bout at 53kg, China's Pang cruised to a 10-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) to deny Uzbekistan a second berth on its historic night.

Pang, the Zagreb Open champion and Asian Games silver medalist, forced her way behind for an opening takedown, then got a 2-point tilt and a pair of gut wrenches for an 8-0 lead. In the second period, Pang eluded a single-leg attempt and spun behind for the clinching takedown.

"I feel like my performance was much better than in previous tournaments," Pang said. "My goal never changed, I still want to be an Olympic champion. I still need to work hard enough. Every step is difficult, and I hope I can improve step by step."

Asked about the 53kg division, topped by current world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), Pang replied, "They [opponents] are very good, but I think the charm of competitive sports lies in this -- no matter how good they are, you still have a chance to win. I must believe that I can succeed."

Kexin HONG (CHN) pins In Sun JONG (PRK) to win at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Pang's compatriot and fellow Zagreb Open champion Kexin HONG (CHN) followed by securing a Paris ticket at 57kg, but she needed a miracle victory over In Sun JONG (PRK) which also avenged a loss at the Asian Games. Hong managed to not only come back from an eight-point deficit to tie the match, but she secured a fall.

Jong opened the match with a single-leg takedown, then put on a fine display of counter wrestling with back-to-back counter-lifts to make it 6-0, then added another to take an 8-0 lead into the break.

But when Jong shot right off the whistle in the second period, Hong got behind for a takedown and added a lace-lock roll to cut the gap to 8-4. Hong then worked out of a deep single for a takedown, flipped Jong onto her back and secured the fall at 4:36, getting payback for a 4-2 loss to Hong in the Asian Games semifinals.

ANSHU (IND) confirmed a Paris Olympic quota for India at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Tokyo Olympian ANSHU (IND), the 2021 world silver medalist at 57kg, earned a likely trip back to the Olympics with an 11-0 rout of Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB).

The three-time Asian medalist gained an opening takedown and added a pair of gut wrenches for a quick 6-0 lead. After that, she spun behind for a takedown, and just barely gained a 2-point tilt at the edge to end the match. An unsuccessful challenge of the exposure added the final point.

Anshu downplayed the fact that she was in the opposite bracket from Jong and Hong. "It feels great to have qualified for the Olympics," she said. "How the brackets are is not in my hands. My mindset was only that I have to qualify irrespective of who my opponent is. My bouts were good. If the wrestlers from China and the DPR Korea were on my side, I would have gone with the same mindset that I have to qualify."

Anshu prepared for the competition by traveling to Japan, where she trained with Fujinami and the rest of the team at the powerful Nippon Sports Science University.

"I did benefit by training there [with Fujinami at NSSU]," Anshu said. "I worked a lot on the mistakes I was making. There is always a mindset about Japanese wrestlers about how to wrestle them or tackle them. So if you are training with the top wrestlers and legends there and competing well, then you get a lot of confidence for your competitions."

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), right, and Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) after winning the 62kg quotas for Mongolia and the DPR Korea. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, former world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) proved too much for unheralded Hanbit LEE (KOR), scoring a fall to earn a ticket to the Olympics for the first time since 2016.

Purevdorj, who won her lone Asian gold in Bishkek in 2018, used a single for a takedown, then applied an arm bar and plied her opponent over for the fall in 1:56.

Asian Games champion Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) captured the other 62kg ticket by scraping out a 6-0 victory over 2022 world bronze medalist MANSI (IND).

Mun used a 2-on-1 arm drag for a takedown and a 2-0 first-period lead. In the second period, she got creative in countering a single-leg attempt, spinning over the back and getting behind before clinching the win with a spin-behind takedown.

Mun had advanced to the qualifying match with an impressive win over Tokyo Olympian Jia LONG (CHN), the 2023 Asian gold medalist at 65kg, taking a 4-0 lead before sending Long to her back with a headlock and winning by fall.

At the Asian Games, Mun famously defeated 2022 world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) in the final to establish her credentials after placing fifth at the 2019 Asian Championships.

Both the 68kg and 76kg divisions had just seven entries, meaning the wrestlers were split into round-robin groups and some had to get through three matches before the final.

Sol Gum PAK (PRK) stopped this last-ditch attempt from Feng ZHOU (CHN) to win at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 68kg, Sol Gum PAK (PRK) gave the DPR Korea its third win in four matches with a thrilling 7-4 victory over three-time Asian Games champion and two-time Olympian Feng ZHOU (CHN).

Pak, who needed to beat Zhumanazarova in her final round-robin group match to pip NISHA (IND) for second place, opened with a takedown, but the lanky Zhou came back with a counter lift from a front body lock to lead 2-2 on criteria at the break.

In the second period, Pak went ahead with a single-leg takedown from an underhook. As the clock was ticking down, Zhou secured a front headlock and tried to muscle Pak over. Pak stopped the throw long enough to get a 2-point exposure before Zhou completed the roll, putting Pak up 6-4. An unsuccessful challenge upheld Pak's exposure.

Zhumanazarova, the 2021 world champion who is somewhat overshadowed by the exploits of popular compatriots Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), lived up to the expectations of the home crowd, scoring five quick points late in the final seconds of the first period and easing to a 7-2 win over two-time Asian medalist Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB).

REETIKA (IND) gave India its third Paris 2024 quota with an untroubled 7-0 victory over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 76kg, world U23 champion REETIKA (IND) gave India its third win of the night with an untroubled 7-0 victory over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE).

Reetika scored a pair of takedowns by spinning to the side off a front headlock, then added a stepout for a 5-0 lead. She used the same tactic to add another takedown in the second period, then kept Chang at bay to run out the clock in her fourth match of the day.

Asian Games bronze medalist Juan WANG (CHN) became the third Chinese winner with a 6-1 victory over Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), the losing finalist at the Asian Games where both lost to Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Wang went ahead 1-1 on criteria with an activity point in the second period, then put the match away in the final seconds when she got behind Bakbergenova in the standing position, and fell backwards to roll her over her for 4. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

Paris 2024 Qualification Matches

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE), 4-2
VINESH (IND) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 4:18

53kg
Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:03
Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ), 4-0

57kg
Kexin HONG (CHN) df. In Sun JONG (PRK) by Fall, 4:35 (8-6)
ANSHU (IND) df. Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) by TF, 11-0, 2:48

62kg
Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Hanbit LEE (KOR) by Fall, 1:56 (4-0)
Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) df. MANSI (IND), 6-0

68kg
Sol Gum PAK (PRK) df. Feng ZHOU (CHN), 7-4
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB), 7-2

76kg
REETIKA (IND) df. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE), 7-0
Juan WANG (CHN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 6-1

Fujinami preps for Belgrade worlds with 1st Japan collegiate title

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Vinesh makes successful drop to 50kg, earns shot at 3rd Olympics