High schooler Yoshida completes historic Japan national title double

Thursday, December 19, 2024 - 15:00 By Ken Marantz

Taizo YOSHIDA, left, battles Yuya OKAJIMA in the Greco 82kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

TOKYO (December 19) -- As the wrestling world still buzzes about those four gold medals won by Japanese men at the Paris Olympics, a rising star is emerging who looks capable of showing that there will more of that ahead.

Teenager Taizo YOSHIDA, already a senior Asian champion, became just the fourth high schooler in history to win a men's title at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships when he triumphed at Greco 82kg on Thursday in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Ami ISHII and Miwa MORIKAWA, who both medaled at the Non-Olympic Weight Category World Championships after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics, regained the women's 68kg and 65kg titles, respectively.

The 18-year-old Yoshida recorded three straight technical falls before defeating veteran Yuya OKAJIMA 5-0 in the final on the opening day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Yoyogi No. 2 Gym that is serving as the first of two domestic qualifiers for next year's World Championships.

The other world qualifier is the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, which will be held in June next year. Having won that tournament this year, Yoshida's victory on Thursday made him the only male high schooler to achieve the Emperor's-Meiji double.

"To win both the Meiji Cup and Emperor's Cup as a high schooler is quite a feat, and I achieved it," said Yoshida, who lost a close match in the final at last year's Emperor's Cup. "To be able to say I was the first makes me really happy."

Yoshida made his first mark on the global stage by winning the world U17 gold at 80kg in 2023. That was just a prelude for what was to come in 2024, as he won the gold at the Asian Championships, then took a bronze at the world U20 and finished fifth at the senior worlds.

He said that working on his par terre wrestling has made a difference. "Up to the Meiji Cup, I was at a level where I couldn't get a roll even once. But I worked on improving my ground wrestling, and I think this was the payoff."

Yoshida is from the same rural high school in western Japan that produced Paris Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA, and he will follow in Kusaka's footsteps and enroll at powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University (known informally as Nittaidai) in the spring as he begins his quest for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"Takamatsu Kita High School is really out in the country, and we had few members on the [wrestling] team and not a good practice environment," Yoshida said. "But out of that an Olympic champion emerged, and that makes me believe that it is possible for me.

"I will be in my senior year of college at the time of the Los Angeles Olympics. The training situation will be at a much higher level at Nittaidai, and as a culmination of my four years, I want to win an Olympic title along with Nao."

While victory laps are not standard procedure at the Emperor's Cup, Yoshida made an exception by taking one that was more a tribute to Kusaka -- instead of a Japanese flag, he ran a quick lap with one of the towels that Kusaka's supporters brandished in Paris.

"It wasn't very exciting, but it made him happy. Maybe he'll buy me something," Yoshida joked.

JPN1 Ami ISHII scores a takedown on Mahiro YOSHITAKE in the women's 68kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Ishii captures 7th straight major tournament title

Ishii, coming off winning her first world title with a victory at 72kg in Tirana -- which she preceded the week before by capturing the world U23 gold at 68kg -- easily plowed through a thin field to regain the 68kg Emperor's Cup crown that she won in 2023.

Ishii, who still feels the sting of a crushing, last-second loss to Nonoka OZAKI in a playoff for the Paris Olympic 68kg berth, won both of her round-robin group matches 10-0, then repeated that score in routing Asian 65kg champion Mahiro YOSHITAKE in the final.

"I lost in the qualifying for Paris, and I have set a goal of going to the Los Angeles Olympics and winning the gold," Ishii said. "My main objective is getting to Los Angeles and it started by winning today at the Emperor's Cup by focusing on each and every match."

The pain of missing out on Paris was so sharp that Ishii revealed that she did not even watch the wrestling competition, with the exception of her Ikuei University teammates Tsugumi SAKURAI and Sakura MOTOKI, who both went on to win gold medals.

"Half of me didn't want to, but I had worked so hard with Sakura and Tsugumi to make us all better, so of course I had to support them. But I didn't watch anyone else," she said, adding that she did watch other Olympic sports.

Since the playoff in January, Ishii has been among the busiest of Japan's top wrestlers. While the Olympic medalists have been barely seen outside of television appearances and hometown events -- only Ozaki is entered in this year's Emperor's Cup -- Ishii entered seven high-level tournaments, as well as a few small regional events, and won them all.

"There was no pressure that if I lost, I wouldn't qualify for something else. I was really happy to take part. And it was half-joking, half-serious, but after my first win after the playoff, I would say I was on my way to beating Akari FUJINAMI's winning streak, which was 127 at the time. Right now I am at 27 in a row."

JPN2 Miwa MORIKAWA, right, holds off Momoko KITADE in the women's 65kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Morikawa, the 2022 world champion at 65kg, had also tried to make the Olympic team at 68kg, a quest that ended with a loss in last year's Emperor's Cup final to Ozaki. She then won a playoff to get to the non-Olympic worlds at 65kg, where she took a bronze home from Tirana.

On Thursday, Morikawa was not overly dominating. In the final, she scored four stepouts -- one with a fleeing point tacked on -- in a 5-0 victory over Momoko KITADE.

"I had aimed for winning by technical superiority, but this whole tournament, nothing went right for me," Morikawa said. "But I think I have some clear issues to work on in the future."

Morikawa has twice been foiled in a bid to make it to the Olympics, and is determined to not have to endure a third time. The domestic qualifying for Los Angeles will start with the 2026 Emperor's Cup, so for now, she will stay at 65kg and work on sharpening her game and rebuilding confidence.

"To be honest, there are strong wrestlers in every weight class. I want to dominate this weight class and, with the qualifying for Los Angeles starting [in two years], I am only thinking about improving."

jpg Yoshinosuke AOYAGI works to turn Toki OGAWA in the freestyle 70kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Aoyagi cruises to 3rd straight freestyle 70kg crown

Another medalist from the non-Olympic worlds who made it to the top of the podium was Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, who won a third straight crown at 70kg by defeating Toki OGAWA by 10-0 technical fall in the final.

For Aoyagi, it capped a productive year in which he won a silver medal at the Asian Championships, won the title at the Meiji Cup, finished third at the world U23 (a year after placing second), then took a silver at the non-Olympic worlds in Tirana.

"I feel like I won because the flow of my matches went really well," Aoyagi said.

Acknowledging that his overseas success this year has boosted his confidence, he added that he feels pressure from within the training group at Yamanashi Gakuin University, from which he graduated last spring. That includes Kaito MORITA, who he faced and defeated 5-0 in the semifinals.

"There are guys coming up from within my own team that are steadily turning up the heat," Aoyagi said. "The semifinal was tough; to be honest, it scared me. In the final, you never know what will happen."

At freestyle 65kg, Kaisei TANABE, whose father Chikara was a bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, defeated world U23 silver medalist Kaiji OGINO 2-0 in the final to add that title to the one he won last year at 61kg.

In the semifinals, Tanabe scored a 7-2 victory over two-time world U20 champion Yuto NISHIUCHI, who had beaten him at the collegiate championships in August.

The 61kg title went to Takara SUDA in the absence of world champion and Yamanashi Gakuin teammate Masanosuke ONO, who is still recovering from a broken foot suffered en route to winning the gold in Tirana.

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

61kg (16 entries)
GOLD -- Takara SUDA df. Hiroyuki ISHIHARA, 5-2
BRONZE -- Akito MUKAIDA df. Toshihiro HASEGAWA, 6-3
BRONZE -- Takeru OIKAWA df. Haruto OURA, 4-0

65kg (17 entries)
GOLD -- Kaisei TANABE df. Kaiji OGINO, 2-0
BRONZE -- Yuto NISHIUCHI df. Reiji UCHIDA by TF, 10-0, 3:15
BRONZE -- Ryuto SAKAKI df. Yuta MIYAZAKI, 7-0

70kg (20 entries)
GOLD -- Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Toki OGAWA by TF, 10-0, 1:14
BRONZE -- Kanata YAMAGUCHI df. Kaito MORITA by TF, 11-0, 2:21
BRONZE -- Yuma TOMIYAMA df. Yuto MIWA, 9-6

Greco-Roman

82kg (17 entries)
GOLD -- Taizo YOSHIDA df. Yuya OKAJIMA, 5-0
BRONZE -- Konosuke TANIZAKI df. Yuto SAWADA by TF, 8-0, 1:35
BRONZE -- Reon KAKEGAWA df. Yudai KOBORI by TF, 9-0, 1:46

87kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- So SAKABE df. Daisei ISOE by TF, 8-0, 1:27
BRONZE -- Isshin ONITSUKA df. Kou FUKUSHIMA by TF, 9-1, 4:13
BRONZE -- Akira YOSHIZAWA df. Sora SATO by TF, 8-0, 3:50

97kg (12 entries)
GOLD -- Yuri NAKAZATO df. Takahiro TSURUTA, 2-1
BRONZE -- Kanta SHIOKAWA df. Hikaru ISOTANI by TF, 9-0, 1:11
BRONZE -- Riku NAKAHARA df. Sorato KANAZAWA, 11-5

Women's Wrestling

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Miwa MORIKAWA df. Momoko KITADE, 5-0
BRONZE -- Nana IKEHATA df. Miyu YOSHIKAWA, 4-4
BRONZE -- Rin TERAMOTO df. Horu SATO by TF, 11-0, 4:41

68kg (6 entries)
GOLD -- Ami ISHII df. Mahiro YOSHITAKE by TF, 10-0, 2:24
BRONZE -- Seia MOCHINAGA df. Kaede MATSUYAMA, 3-1

#wrestlebishkek

Iran Caps Asian Championships with Three Golds, Team Title

Sunday, April 12, 2026 - 18:22 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 12) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) capped a trifecta of victories for Iran in the last three finals of the Asian Championships, regaining the Freestyle 125kg gold after a one-year absence.

Zare followed Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) and Mobin AZIMI (IRI) onto the top of the medal podium by defeating Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 4-0 – his fifth win in five meetings in a two-year span over the Russian-born foe – as the competition wrapped up with the last five Freestyle weight classes.

“Representing Iran despite the hard situation in my country made this gold medal even more meaningful,” Zare said.

World bronze medalist Ghasempour started the Iranian gold rush with a victory by fall in the 86kg final for his third Asian title and first since 2021, and Azimi followed suit by cruising to the 92kg gold to become a first-time champion.

The match of the day came at 61kg, in which Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) came out on top of a 23-point free-for-all over Olympic bronze medalist AMAN (IND), while world 70kg champion Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) made a successful move up to 74kg by making his fourth Asian medal golden for the first time.

Iran, which also took home two bronzes on the final day at Zhastyk Arena and had five champions overall, finished with 178 points to capture the team title for the third straight year and seventh time in eight years. India, with three golds and three silvers, finished second with 162, while Japan placed third with 127 behind two golds.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Zare, who missed last year’s tournament in lieu of eventual champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) when Iran dispatched a young team to Amman, defeated Sharipov in a final devoid of high drama, which the Iranian said was due to his still recovering from a recent cold.

After receiving an activity point in the first period, Zare sandwiched a pair of stepouts around a second activity point for a 4-0 victory that never saw him in danger.

“Fighting through a severe cold infection, I lost seven kilograms three weeks before this competition,” Zare said. “I struggled to even finish an hour of training three days before this competition.

“Yet, with the help of my coaches, the prayers of the people, and God's grace, I’ve become a three-time Asian champion,” he added, counting his 2023 Asian Games gold into the total.

While Zare has seen limited action on the continental level, he has certainly made his mark on the global stage. In addition to a 2021 Tokyo Olympic bronze to go with his Paris silver, he has world golds from 2021, 2023 and 2025, as well as a 2022 bronze.

Zare, who was competing for the first time in 2026, has only three losses dating back to 2019 – to Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics, to Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinals at the 2022 World Championships, and to Petriashvili again in the Paris Olympic final.

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Ghasempour, competing for the first time this year, was leading Mukul DAHIYA (IND) 3-0 in the 86kg final when he stuck the Indian for a 4-pointer that he turned into a fall at 2:43.

Ghasempour had just received an activity point when he scored with a single-leg takedown. In the next action, Dahiya shot for a takedown, but Ghasempour got the underhooks in and suddenly pancaked the Indian over to his back.

“This is my first international stage of 2026, and I’m so thankful I could start it all with a gold medal,” Ghasempour said. “I hope to keep this streak going through the next competition.”

Ghasempour won his first Asian gold at 86kg in 2019, then moved up to 92kg and won the Asian title in 2021 and back-to-back world golds in 2021 and 2022. He was absent from the global scene until reappearing at last year’s World Championships, where he took a bronze.

“My aim is to keep this path strong through the 2026 World Championships and finish the year on top, setting the stage for the 2028 Olympics,” he said.

Mobin AZIMI (IRI) blanked Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN), 11-0, in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

World U23 champion Azimi, who moved down to 92kg after taking a bronze at 97kg last year, finished up an 11-0 victory over Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) with just under a minute to go – and 10 seconds after scoring his first takedown of the match.

Azimi built up a 7-0 lead with a flurry of stepouts – five in all – before combining a takedown and gut wrench to conclude the match at 5:01.

Sharipov, a world U23 bronze medalist, added the Asian silver to his bronzes from 2023 and 2024.

For those who like their championship matches freewheeling, the 61kg final could hardly have been more entertaining.

Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) celebrates after defeating AMAN (IND), 13-10, in an electric 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India’s Aman, a Paris bronze medalist and 2023 Asian champion at 57kg, was the main instigator of the action, shooting for takedowns at will that Kim, a 2025 Asian U23 bronze medalist, did his best to counter – successfully, enough times.

Kim jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a counter arm throw and a roll with his head between Aman’s thighs, before Aman connected on a single for a takedown. Kim gained a stepout fighting off another attempt, then got 2 more with a whizzer counter, only for Aman to get a late double-leg takedown that left Kim up 7-4 at the break.

Aman charged back and went ahead 9-7 in the second period with a stepout and two takedowns. Kim used his lethal whizzer again for the stepout, then got behind countering a shot to move ahead 10-9 with 1:10 left.

With Aman wildly pressing for the winning takedown, Kim appeared to clinch the win with a stepout with :05 left. But the scoring wasn’t finished, as Kim was hit with a 1-point fleeing penalty in the final seconds to make it 11-10.

A last-second shot by Aman fell short and Kim spun behind just before the buzzer to account for the final margin of victory.

“I'm very happy that I won today, but I'm not going to think about this gold medal, instead I will move forward preparing for the World Championships,” said Kim, who won the lone gold for the DPR Korea in Bishkek.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 74kg gold with fellow Yamanashi Gakuin University alumnus, former Olympic champion, and now Freestyle coach of Japan Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), left. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan’s Aoyagi, whose matches often have their fair share of fireworks, captured his first Asian gold with a staid 2-0 victory over two-time bronze medalist Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) in the 74kg final.

The gold ended a run of bronze, silver, bronze over the past three years at 70kg. “I was continually unable to win the title at 70kg, which was really disappointing, so to move up to 74kg and win the gold medal for the first time, and also my first gold medal [at this weight] overseas, I’m really happy,” Aoyagi said.

Aoyagi scored a takedown with a low single in the first period, then left no openings for an opponent who seemed reticent to go on the offensive.

“With victory within reach, I think my movement became a little stiff,” Aoyagi said of the lack of spark in the match. “I consider myself to be a wrestler who is particularly good at defense.”

Just getting to Bishkek was an accomplishment in itself for Aoyagi. As a sign of the depth in Japan, Aoyagi had to defeat reigning world 74kg champion Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) at last December’s All-Japan Championships, winning a close 4-4 decision in the final.

To make the team to this year’s World Championships and Asian Games, Aoyagi will likely have to go through Takahashi again at next month’s Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships.

“Of course, [the win in December] gave me confidence,” Aoyagi said. “But I think he is still stronger than me. I still have a month to prepare. I want to beat him again.”

Since making the move up to the Olympic weight, Aoyagi placed third at the 2025 World U23 Championships and second at Zagreb Ranking Series event earlier this year. He said he is still making the physical adjustment.

“I still feel the difference [of opponents] being taller, having longer legs and longer reach,” Aoyagi said. “But there is nothing I can do to increase those in me. I can just add bulk to my body size and little by little be able to respond.”

Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) became Turkmenistan's first-ever Asian medalist in Freestyle. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Begenjov claims first-ever Freestyle medal for Turkmenistan

Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) became Turkmenistan’s first-ever Asian medalist in Freestyle, taking home an 86kg bronze with a stunning victory by fall over Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Begenjov, the 2024 world U20 champion and 2025 Asian U23 silver medalist at 79kg, had scored his second 4-point move when Takahashi reversed to cut Begenjov’s lead to 8-5. But Begenjov stuffed an attempted roll and secured the fall at 5:09.

Begenjov had started the match with a back trip for 4, before the brawny Takahashi, a 2022 bronze medalist at 79kg and the older brother of Kota, came back with takedowns to end the first period and start the second.

Trailing 4-4 on criteria, Takahashi got in on a tackle, only to be pancaked to his back. The Japanese then reversed, only to be stopped midway through and then held down for the fall.

It was also Turkmenistan’s first medal overall since 2018, and just the ninth in the nation’s history.

Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), a world 79kg bronze medalist, claimed the other 86kg bronze and his third straight with a 2-1 win over returning silver medalist Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), with all of the points scored on the activity clock.

At 92kg, veteran Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) added to his vast collection of Asian medals, scoring all of his points in the first period to defeat Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 and make the podium for the fifth straight year.

Dauletbekov, who also has a pair of world bronzes to his credit, now has seven Asian medals, including three straight golds from 2022 to 2024 at 86kg. Ishiguro was denied a second straight bronze and what would have been his third overall.

Asian U20 bronze medalist Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ) claimed the lone medal of the final night for the host country, outlasting Hade AYIDUSI (CHN) 6-4 for the other 92kg bronze.

While Ayidusi was piling up single points, Chaplin went ahead in the second period with a takedown and roll for a 4-3 lead with 1:20 left. Ayidusi picked up his third stepout to tie the score, but still trailed on criteria, and a desperation shot allowed Chaplin to get behind in the last second.

At 57kg, world medalists Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) and Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) both assured they would not be leaving Bishkek empty-handed by grabbing the bronzes with one-sided victories.

Javan, the world silver medalist, secured his second straight Asian bronze by overwhelming Changsu KIM (KOR) 12-0, scoring a takedown and three back-and-forth rolls, then finishing the match with a 4-point takedown at 1:30.

Abdullaev, who won bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and last year’s World Championships at 57kg, was taken into the second period, but came up with a similar 11-0 victory over Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM).

He followed an initial takedown by using a grapevine for an exposure, then grabbed another exposure off a counter. In the second period, he ended it at 3:40 with a takedown-gut wrench combination.

At 74kg, former Asian champion and two-time world medalist Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) added another bronze to the Iranian tally, notching three takedowns in a 9-3 victory over last year’s silver medalist, Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ).

Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK), a four-time Asian U23 medalist, earned his first senior medal by taking the other 74kg bronze with an entertaining 7-6 win over Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB).

The match saw six lead changes, with Akhmedov scoring a takedown with :27 left for the decisive points.

The 125kg bronze-medal matches also saw an engaging encounter, in which world and Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) reversed BUHEEERDUN (CHN) twice in the first period before holding on for an 8-7 win.

Buheeerdun, a two-time bronze medalist, started the proceedings with a takedown, but Kassimbek reversed, then scored a takedown and gut wrench to lead 5-2. Buheeerdun replied with a takedown-roll combination of his own, but again Kassimbek reversed, then added a roll to make it 8-6. Kassimbek limited the Chinese to a stepout in the second period to secure the win.

DINESH (IND) won his second straight bronze at 125kg, storming to a 12-1 win over Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) that he completed as time ran out.

Day 7 Results

Freestyle

61kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kwang Myong KIM (PRK) df. AMAN (IND) 13-10

BRONZE: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) df. Changsu KIM (KOR) by TS, 12-0, 1:30
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM) by TF, 11-0, 3:40

74kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN), 2-0

BRONZE: Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK) df. Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB), 7-6
BRONZE: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 9-3

86kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by Fall, 2:43 (7-0)

BRONZE: Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM) df. Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN) by Fall, 5:09 (10-5)
BRONZE: Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-1

92kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) def. Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) by TS, 11-0, 5:01

BRONZE: Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ) df. Hade AYIDUSI (CHN), 6-4
BRONZE: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) df. Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN), 6-0

125kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 4-0

BRONZE: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. BUHEEERDUN (CHN), 8-7
BRONZE: DINESH (IND) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ) by TS, 12-1, 6:00

High schooler Yoshida completes historic Japan national title double

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Iran Caps Asian Championships with Three Golds, Team Title