SZOMBATHELY, Hungary (February 7) – Kohei HASEGAWA (JPN) joked the trip to the Hungarian Grand Prix was supposed to be a “retirement tournament.” But, the two-time Asian Games champion showed there’s still some wrestling left in his “old” bones.

Hasegawa edged newly crowned national champion Shinobu OTA (JPN) on last-point criteria for the 59kg title at Arena Savaria on Sunday, reversing a 2-0 loss to Ota six weeks ago at the Japanese national championships.

“I came to Szombathely as No.2 (in Japan) and it was nice to have two Japanese wrestlers in today’s final,” said Hasegawa. “But, as a member of Team Japan, for me the most important thing is that Japan win a ticket to the (Rio 2016) Olympics.”

“If I have a chance to win it, I will do my best,” the 31-year-old veteran said, expressing, at the same time, his belief in his 22-year-old successor.

Ota, the defending champion in Szombathely, posted a pair of technical falls in his opening two bouts and then pinned Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) in the semifinals.

The fall followed an eye-popping cartwheel-like counter that had the former Olympian from Uzbekistan driving Ota to his back from a lift one moment and then flat on his own back the next. The slap of the mat coming at 1:25.

Asked about his maneuver, Ota joked “That was no technique; it was magic. It’s nothing that I practice formally, but I do a lot of things like that in practice.”

Also on the final day of competition, Asian Games silver medalist XIAO Di (CHN) defeated defending champion Balasz KISS (HUN), 5-3, in the semifinals and Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA), 4-1, for his second triumph of the year at 98kg.

Xiao won the Grand Prix of Paris one week ago with a win over 2014 world champion at 85kg, Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA). 

In the non-Olympic weight categories, Pavel PAMINCHUK (BLR) won his first international title by holding on for an 8-6 win over Raibek BISULTANOV (DEN) in the 80kg final.

European Games silver medalist and defending Szombathely champion Balint KORPASI (HUN) turned away Robert FRITSCH (HUN) with a pair of front headlocks for four-point turns and a technical fall in the 71kg final.

Results from Sunday’s semifinals and medal matches:

59kg (21 entries)
Gold – Kohei HASEGAWA (JPN) df. Shinobu OTA (JPN), 2-2
Bronze – WANG Lumin (CHN) df. Ivan LIZATOV (CRO) by Injury Default, 1:14 (4-0)
Bronze – Ryan MANGO (USA) df. Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) by Forfeit (VF), 0:00
 
Semifinal – Kohei HASEGAWA (JPN) df. WANG Lumin (CHN), 8-2
Semifinal – Shinobu OTA (JPN) df. Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) by Fall, 1:25 (2-2)

71kg (9 entries)
Gold – Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 2:50
Bronze – Miklos TOMPA (HUN) df. Tomi HINOVEANU (ROU), 8-7
Bronze – Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) df. Jan ZIZKA (CZE) by TF, 8-0, 1:25

Semifinal – Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Miklos TOMPA (HUN), 8-7
Semifinal – Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Jan ZIZKA (CZE) by TF, 8-0, 1:30

80kg (8 entries)
Gold – Pavel PAMINCHUK (BLR) df. Raibek BISULTANOV (DEN), 8-6
Bronze – Patrik SAZBO (HUN) df. Michael WAGNER (AUT), 4-0
Bronze – Zoltan KERI (HUN) df. Norbert UBRANKOVICS (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 4:06

Semifinal – Raibek BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Patrik SZABO (HUN), 5-4
Semifinal – Pavel PAMINCHUK (BLR) df. Zoltan KERI (HUN) by Fall, 0:37 (4-0)

98kg (20 entries)
Gold – XIAO Di (CHN) df. Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA), 4-1
Bronze – Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Radoslaw GRZYBICKI (POL), 4-0
Bronze – Armin MAJOROS (HUN) df. Balasz KISS (HUN) by Forfeit, 0:00

Semifinal – Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) df. Radoslaw GRZYBICKI (POL), 2-2
Semifinal – XIAO Di (CHN) df. Balasz KISS (HUN), 5-3