Higuchi earns first trip to Worlds; Sakurai squeezes through

Friday, June 17, 2022 - 16:39 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO, Japan (June 17) -- Rei HIGUCHI will be going to his first World Championships, but make no mistake about it -- his ultimate goal remains winning the Olympic gold that eluded him six years ago in Rio.

Higuchi, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist at 57kg, earned a ticket to this year's World Championships at freestyle 61kg by defeating Kodai OGAWA 4-0 in the final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Friday.

The 26-year-old had a fall and a technical fall in his two other matches as he ended the day unscored upon in winning the second of Japan's domestic qualifying tournaments for places on the team to the World Championships in September in Belgrade, Serbia.

Tsugumi SAKURAI, the reigning women's world champion at 55kg who has moved up to 57kg, secured a trip back to the worlds at that weight class but not without a bit of drama, while 2021 world silver medalist Miwa MORIKAWA will also be Belgrade-bound after triumphing at 65kg.

Winners of the Meiji Cup who previously won titles at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December automatically secured places on the team to Belgrade; if the champions are different, they meet in a playoff after that day's action at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

On Friday, there were no playoffs held. In six of the eight weight classes held on the second day of action, the Emperor's Cup champion prevailed again, while in the two others, that champion skipped the tournament due to injury, conceding the berth to the Meiji Cup winner.

Rei HIGUCHI controls Kodai OGAWA in the freestyle 61kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Higuchi fell into the latter case. Having moved up to 61kg after an ill-fated attempt to make the Tokyo Olympics at 57kg, he lost in the final at the Emperor's Cup to Ryuto SAKAKI, who is out injured.

The last time Higuchi was involved in a playoff, it was for the 57kg berth at the Tokyo Olympics, which he lost to Yuki TAKAHASHI. That came after he blew a chance to win the berth outright at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament by failing to make weight.

Now his focus is on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and his efforts are aimed at getting off to a good start in the qualifying process that starts with this year's Emperor's Cup in December when he will drop back down to 57kg.

"The path to qualifying for the Olympics starts in December, so I thought that more than this tournament, and the World Championships if I qualified, December is the main event that I have to win," Higuchi said.

"If I don't win at 57kg in December, there will be no Olympics for me. The younger generation is emerging. I want to head into December with the feeling that I am the main challenger."

Not that he's not going to go all out at the World Championships.

"I move better against foreign opponents than against my fellow Japanese, so I going to take the offensive," Higuchi said. "I want to give everything I've got and win the world championship convincingly.

"I don't know if he will be able to compete, but if I can't beat [Tokyo Olympic 57kg] Zavur UGUEV (ROC) of Russia, I can't be No. 1 in the world. So I will devise a strategy to beat Uguev. There are many strong competitors in the world, but I will make that my primary goal."

At the Rio Olympics, Higuchi suffered a heart-breaking and controversial 3-3 loss in the gold-medal match to Vladimer Khinchegashvili (GEO). So desperate was he to get to the Tokyo Games, Higuchi at one time moved up to 65kg, where he won his lone other Meiji Cup title in 2019.

Although not an Olympic weight, the 26-year-old Higuchi seems to have found his niche at 61kg, in which he won the gold in his Asian Championships debut in April.

In Friday's final against fellow Nippon Sports Science University alumnus Ogawa, who knows him well, Higuchi tried new ways to crack his opponent's defense. But after gaining an activity point in the first period, he scored his lone technical point with a counter to the back in the second before receiving a second activity point.

"In the final, I reversed how I tie-up," Higuchi said. "I wanted to try shooting to the right after making him cautious of a single-leg tackle to the left. But as he's a junior teammate, he knew well what hand I was playing, so I wasn't able to do the move. Also, I was lacking a bit of confidence in trying it, so I'll work to perfect it before the World Championships."

Sakurai Tsugumi SAKURAI rises up before turning over Sae NANJO for the winning takedown in the last seconds of the women's 57kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

For Sakurai, it was deja vu all over again as she barely beat the clock to beat world bronze medalist Sae NANJO 5-3 in the final -- much as she did six months earlier in the Emperor's Cup final.

Nanjo gained an activity point and a takedown to take a 3-0 lead into the second period, in which Sakurai closed the gap to 3-2 with a takedown. With 10 seconds left, Sakurai shot in on a single, and Nanjo went over the back and clamped on a leg, looking to ride out the clock.

But with the seconds ticking down, Sakurai raised up and managed to dump Nanjo onto her bottom as time expired. Was it in time? After an extraordinarily long challenge review, it was decided that Sakurai had gained control with milliseconds to spare.

"I went for the tackle with my last bit of energy," said Sakurai, last year's Meiji Cup champion at 55kg. "I didn't see the clock so I didn't know how much time was left, but I came out on top in the situation, so I thought I got the points."

What was going through her mind as the judges deliberated the call? "If I didn't get it, I would lose and we would go to a playoff, so I thought I had to be ready to face that possibility."

In the final of the Emperor's Cup, where Sakurai made her debut at 57kg, she scored a stunning 4-point takedown in the final seconds for a 5-2 win over Nanjo.

Making her latest victory even sweeter is that it came a day after two Ikuei University teammates, Sakura MOTOKI (59kg) and Ami ISHII (68kg), earned their first trips to the World Championships, which also put pressure on her to do so, too.

"At the end, I again won in the final by coming from behind, but I am confident that I practice harder than anyone, so even if it is tough at the end, I'm glad I could get in on a tackle and score points," Sakura said. "At the same time, yesterday two of my teammates at Ikuei University won titles, and while I also wanted to win, I felt like I had to win. I feel like it's a relief."

Sakurai's emergence as Japan's top wrestler at 57kg comes in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Risako KAWAI, who last month gave birth to her first child and plans to return at the Emperor's Cup to start a run at a third straight Olympic title.

"For me to get to the Olympics, she a competitor who I will have to beat," said Sakurai, who was one of Japan's seven women gold medalists at the Asian Championships. "I have youth and a bit of room timewise to still build strength, so I think I will get more powerful from now -- enough, I hope, to beat Kawai."

Miwa MORIKAWA works to get behind Miyu IMAI in the women's 65kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At 65kg, Morikawa had a far less dramatic day in winning her second straight title with an 8-1 victory in the final over 2018 world U20 champion Miyu IMAI, although she was a bit dissatisfied with her showing.

"I missed some chances for points," Morikawa said. "In order to win at the worlds, I have been able to firmly get those."

In Belgrade, Morikawa will be looking to make up for her loss in the 2021 world final in Oslo to Irina RINGACI (MDA). "That ended with a disappointing result, so I'm going to get the gold," Morikawa pledged.

Shimizu Kensuke SHIMIZU battles with Kyotaro SOGABE in the Greco 67kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Shimizu comes up short at 67kg

A third medalist from the 2021 World Championships won't be getting another shot this year, as Greco 63kg bronze medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU came up short after moving up 67kg.

Shimizu, wanting to get an early start at adjusting his body to the Olympic weight, was dominated in the semifinals by Nippon Sport Science University's Kyotaro SOGABE, who built up a 7-1 lead before securing a fall in the waning seconds of the match.

"It's my first time in the higher weight class, and of course, my aim was to win the championship," said Shimizu, who came away with the bronze medal. "Beyond that, I want this to lead into my next competition. I particularly felt in the semifinal with Sogabe that there is still a real difference in power. I am determined to get stronger before December."

Shimizu was coming off a disappointing showing at the Asian Championships, where he lost in the second round for the second year in a row.

"At the Asian Championships, I let the opponent use his favored moves to dictate the match, and I wasn't able to show any of my best sides," Shimizu said. "It was really a terrible match. I never want to have a match like that again, and after I came back to my team, I talked it over with my coach thoroughly about what I should do. Every day, I think more in practice than I've ever done."

Shimizu changed his training environment by joining the Self-Defense Forces team upon graduating from Takushoku University, providing an ideal setting for making a run at the Olympics at 67kg.

"My weight training regimen and diet have gotten far better and I can put together a plan for tailoring my body to the heavier weight class," Shimizu said. "In regular practice, I can work out with wrestlers in higher weight classes, and train with more powerful ones."

Shimizu, who won the Emperor's Cup at 63kg to put him halfway back to the World Championships at that weight, said he decided it was better to make the move now to 67kg.

"Looking ahead, I thought instead of losing weight now, it was better to properly make the move up in weight class and get started on reforming my body and getting used to the new weight. I thought it was more important to start competing at this weight class."

Filling Japan's spot at 67kg in Belgrade will be Asian bronze medalist Katsuaki ENDO, who beat Sogabe 6-1 in the final for his first Meiji Cup title since winning at 63kg in 2018. The result, down to the score, was a repeat of Endo's victory over Sogabe at the Emperor's Cup.

Endo, an alumnus of NSSU, countered a forced throw attempt by Sogabe for 4 points in the second period, then followed that with a quick roll to put away his practice partner.

"I'm good from the ground, so maybe Kyotaro thought it was worth giving it a shot there and forced it too much," Endo said.

Sogabe, still looking for his first senior national title, first put himself onto the radar while at Imabari Nishi High School in his native Ehime Prefecture, when in 2019 he became the 10th wrestler in Japan history to win three straight titles in the high school division at the National Games. Among his notable predecessors was future world champion Kenichiro FUMITA.

In other Greco finals, veterans Tomohiro INOUE and Masato SUMI followed up their Emperor's Cup triumphs to secure tickets to Belgrade at 72kg and 87kg, respectively.

The 34-year-old Inoue won his second straight Meiji Cup title and fourth overall with a 3-1 victory over Taishi HORIE, while Sumi, 28, defeated Self-Defense Forces teammate So SAKABE 5-1 for his third title and first since 2019.

In freestyle, Asian bronze medalist Daichi TAKATANI chalked up a 5-2 victory in the final over Kirin KINOSHITA to capture his first Meiji Cup crown since 2013 and earn his first trip to the World Championships since 2014.

Taiki YAMAMOTO maintained his firm grip on the 125kg title, defeating Hiroto NINOMIYA 2-1 on activity points for his fourth straight title and fifth overall.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (9 entries)
Final - Rei HIGUCHI df. Kodai OGAWA, 4-0
3rd Place - Kaito MORIKAWA df. Hayato FUJITA by TF, 10-0, 3:35

74kg (10 entries)
Final - Daichi TAKATANI df. Kirin KINOSHITA, 5-2
3rd Place - Yuto FUKADA df. Iori KOSHIBA, 6-1

125kg (7 entries)
Final - Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hiroto NINOMIYA, 2-1
3rd Place - Yuji FUKUI df. Asahi TSUIHIJI by TF, 10-0, 3:57

Greco-Roman

67kg (11 entries)
Final - Katsuaki ENDO df. Kyotaro SOGABE, 6-1
3rd Place - Kensuke SHIMIZU df. Yoshinobu ITO by Inj. Def.

72kg (10 entries)
Final - Tomohiro INOUE df. Taishi HORIE, 3-1
3rd Place - Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Haruto YABE, 2-1

87kg (9 entries)
Final - Masato SUMI df. So SAKABE, 5-1
3rd Place - Kanta SHIOKAWA df. Satoki MUKAI by Fall, 2:18 (2-3)

Women's Wrestling

57kg (9 entries)
Final - Tsugumi SAKURAI df. Sae NANJO, 5-3
3rd Place - Sena NAGAMOTO df. Ruka NATAMI by TF, 12-2, 4:55

65kg (6 entries)
Final - Miwa MORIKAWA df. Miyu IMAI, 8-1
3rd Place - Ayana GEMPEI df. Rin TERAMOTO, 7-1

#wrestlebishkek

Unheralded Gharehdaghi Stuns Olympic Champ Jamalov

Friday, April 10, 2026 - 05:12 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 10) -- Unheralded Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) weighed 76kg in the morning on Friday. But in the semifinal of the Asian Championships, he punched well above his weight, beating 74kg Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) at 79kg.

Making his international senior debut, Gharehdaghi upset Jamalov 4-3 to advance to the 79kg final. He used an effective shrug to set up two second-period takedowns in a turbo-charged match that featured a number of wild scrambles.

In the final one, Jamalov scored a stepout to pull within one point with :33 left. But the third-year student at Tokyo's Waseda University, whose father is Iranian, held off a final surge from Jamalov, with his legs sailing in the air during a sprawl.

"I didn't really think about a strategy," Gharehdaghi said. "I just wanted the opponent to feel that I was tough. I stayed aggressive and on the attack. In the second period, it was so hard I could hardly stand up."

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) battles it out witb Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) during the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

While he defeated Jamalov, Gharehdaghi said he always admired the Olympic champion and he was glad that he could wrestle the Uzbekistan wrestler.

"I have admired him for a long time," he said. "More than winning or losing, I'm glad I could face him."

For the gold medal, the Japanese will face another unexpected finalist Sandeep MANN (IND) who completed a dominant 10-0 win over Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK) using three takedowns and two turns.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) scores on Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) during the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another Japan wrestler who denied an Olympic champion was Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) as he defeated Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) in the 97kg semifinals.

Defending champion Yoshida, who also has an Iranian father, broke Tazhudinov down with his relentless pressure and scored takedowns at will in the final minute. He built a 4-4 criteria lead at the break but Tazhudinov fired a takedown at the start of the second period to lead 6-4.

However, Yoshida scored two points for exposure in the next exchange. Bahrain challenged the call but lost it, giving one more point to Yoshida and extend his lead to 7-6. He added two quick stepouts to make it 9-6 before making it 11-0 with a go-behind takedown.

The two got in a scramble towards the end of the bout but it was Yoshida who managed to score a takedown and then turned Tazhudinov to make it 15-6, his winning score.

Yoshida will face world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in the final after the Iranian posted a danger-free 2-0 win over VICKY (IND). Azarpira, who is making his senior Asian debut, got an activity point in the first period, then, while on the activity clock himself, added a stepout point in the second period.

SUJEET (IND) reached his first-ever Asian Championships final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In other semifinals, U23 world champion SUJEET (IND) set up final against world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg. The two met in the U23 World Championships final last year in which Sujeet won 10-0.

65kg semifinals - SUJEET (IND) continues his hot start to the season by scoring three takedowns in the second period and defeating Russian-born Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) 7-2. Sujeet, winner of two Ranking Series events earlier this year, strikes first by scoring a stepout, but Kudiev comes back with a takedown while on the activity clock to take a 2-1 lead into the break. Sujeet then puts on an exhibition of how to perfectly set up and execute takedowns, scoring three in a row from the midway point of the second period. First, he gets in deep on a double-leg, then scores with a sweeping single, then goes back with the double-leg.

A rematch of the U23 World Championships final as Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) enters the Asian Championships final after Sujeet does the same from other side. Jalolov beats Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) 5-3 using a late takedown.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) presents his case to referee after the semifinal against ABHIMANYOU (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 70kg, Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) will face ABHIMANYOU (IND) after he defeated Sina KHALILI (IRI), 5-1. Abhimanyou stunned local hero and defending champion Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 6-3.

70kg semifinals - Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) reached the final after a controlled 5-1 victory over U23 world silver medalist Sina KHALILI (IRI). Apart from the one point he got for Khalili's passivity, Tumur Ochir scored four stepouts in the second period to claim the victory and a shot at the gold medal.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) saw his title defense at 70kg end in confusion and tears when he fell 6-3 to ABHIMANYOU (IND). Abhimanyou was leading 3-3 on criteria in the second period when he got deep on a double-leg takedown. Akmataliev attempted a counter lift at the edge, and the referee originally awarded him a 4-point throw with 1:08 left. But upon discussion and without an official challenge, the score was changed to give the Indian a two-point takedown, which Akmataliev apparently did not realize. He never tried to attack in the final seconds, and was taken aback when he saw the scoreboard and dropped to the mat in despair. A challenge from Kyrgyzstan went nowhere and Abhimanyou, a 2024 bronze medalist, gave a sly grin over his unusual win.

Iran got a finalist at 57kg as Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) destroyed Fuga SASAKI (JPN), 11-0 and set up a final against Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) who defeated Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 4-1.

57kg semifinals - Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) became the first finalist of the Asian Championships in Bishkek for Iran. He countered Fuga SASAKI (JPN) multiple times to score two-point moves and completed an 11-0 victory. A lost challenge for Japan also added a point to his score.

Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) assured that he will improve on his bronze medal from last year, scoring three stepouts in a 4-1 victory over Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ). Batkhuyag took a 2-0 lead in the first period by scoring a stepout while Karachov was on the activity clock. In the second period, Karachov got an activity point to cut the gap to 1. But it was Batkhuyag who goes on the attack, and he chalked up two stepouts off driving single-leg takedown attempts. The 2023 world U23 bronze medalist then fended off Karachov's late attacks to finish up the victory.

Qualification Highlights

13:14: In the final match of the session, returning bronze medalist Sina KHALILI (IRI) books his place in the 70kg semifinals with a solid 10-3 victory over 2023 champion Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ). Khalili gains a takedown, then adds a "wishbone" roll, in which he locks his head between opponent's legs, then repeats the combination for an 8-0 lead. Doszhanov secures a stepout in the final seconds of the first period. In the second, the two trade takedowns and, beside temporary timeouts to stop a bloody nose, the Iranian goes through unscathed.

12:50: Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), competing for the first time since winning the 74kg gold at the Paris Olympics and undergoing two surgeries on his shoulder, is at his slippery best in besting defending champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) 5-2 in their 79kg quarterfinal. The Russian-born Jamalov constantly wiggles out of solid takedown attempts by Yousefi, limiting him to a pair of stepouts. Jamalov gets an activity point and stepout in the first period for a 2-1 lead. After cartwheeling out of a certain double-leg takedown by Yousefi, Jamalov connects with a single-leg shot while on the activity clock to go ahead, and an unsuccessful Iranian challenge puts him up 5-1. With time running out, Yousefi grabs a single leg and lifts it high in the air, but again he is forced to settle for a stepout.

12:37: World U23 champion SUJEET (IND), winner of two Ranking Series events this year, uses an ankle pick to great effect in cruising to a 10-0 victory over Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) in 3:22 to advance to the 65kg semifinals.

12:32: In the marquee match-up of the morning, Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) did not disappoint. Narikuni blocked a front headlock from Akmataliev for two points and then turned him using a gut-wrench to lead 4-0. As he was trying to turn him again, Akmataliev blocks him and gets two points. A reversal from Narikuni makes it 5-2. He tries another gut-wrench to extend the lead to 7-2 but Akmataliev once again blocks him for two points and holds Narikuni for a pin. Narikuni flees out of bounds and is docked two points and asked to return in par terre. He escapes and gets a reversal point to lead 8-6. Akmataliev scores a takedown to make it 8-8 and take the criteria lead. Narikui with a desperate flying squirrel but Akmataliev slams him on the mat for four points. A stepout for Narikuni at the end but Akmataliev wins 12-9 at 70kg

12:31: World bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) gets a takedown and two stepouts in the first period of his 97kg quarterfinal against Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ), then needs less than a half-minute to get a snapdown takedown and two gut wrenches in the second for a 10-0 victory. Next up for him is a clash with Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN).

12:26: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) fights out of a six-point hole against returning bronze medalist Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) with a pair of late first-period takedowns, then goes on a 10-point rampage in the second period against his visibly winded opponent to grind out a 14-9 victory and advance to the 79kg semifinals.

12:23: World silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) powers to five stepouts against Sherzod POYONOV (UZB), but ends their 97kg with a takedown with six seconds remaining for a 10-0 win.

12:15: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) with a 25-second 10-0 victory over ANKUSH (IND) at 57kg! What an anti-climatic finish to the match. He reaches the semifinal

12:00: World bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) catches Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by the leg and slams him on the mat. He holds him long enough to secure the fall and advance at 65kg.

11:57: Olympic and two-time Asian champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), aiming to break out of recent slump, begins his campaign at 97kg by taking a 5-0 lead over Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) then plodding to a 6-2 win that included giving up two late stepouts.

11:56: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN), another Japanese wrestler with Iranian roots who is making his first appearance on the senior national team, looks impressive in scoring four takedowns in a 9-1 victory over Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) to gain a place in the 79kg quarterfinals.

11:55: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) ends Takara SUDA (JPN) attempt of winning a second straight Asian gold with a 9-0 victory. Kudiev scored two stepouts and one point for Suda's activity clock to lead 3-0 at the break. Three different takedowns helped him to clinch an important victory at 65kg.

11:51: A marquee matchup on Mat A between past and reigning champions at 70kg — with an intriguing twist. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), the 2022 world and Asian champion, scores two takedowns in the final minute for a come-from-behind 7-4 win over defending champion Viktor RASSADIN (TJK). Narikuni leads 1-0 off an activity point in the first period when Rassidin opens the second by twice coming out the back door for takedowns to lead 4-1. Narikuni strikes back with a single-leg takedown, and barely misses an exposure with an arm bar, leaving him still trailing. But he fights off whizzer to get behind for the go-ahead takedown with :19 left, then adds a gut wrench for good measure. Narikuni, who is also doing the Freestyle-Greco double here, will be back on the mat tonight for his Greco 72kg bronze-medal match.

11:37: U20 world champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) scored a takedown in the last minute to take a 6-5 lead against Feng LU (CHN) and win the bout at 79kg. Lu had a 5-4 lead after a reversal but Yousefi showed no signs of panicking, picking up a single-leg, head-outside takedown for the win. He gets to face 74kg Olympic champion Razambek JAMALOV (UZB)

11:35: A wild one on Mat B! Asian U23 bronze medalist Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) gets the home crowd going by opening his 65kg match with Zagreb Open silver medalist Peyman NEMATI (IRI) with a stepout, then gets behind and throws the Iranian to the mat for a takedown and a 3-0 lead. Nemati responds with a stepout off an attempted back trip, and then another to cut the lead to one at the break. Nemati goes ahead 4-3 with a single-leg takedown to start the second period, but Kakharov fights off a whizzer for a stepout to regain the lead 4-4 on criteria. In a wild scramble in the final seconds, Kakharov picks up a 2-point exposure to come away with a 6-4 win.

11:26: Reigning Asian U23 champion and 2024 world U23 bronze medalist VICKY (IND) manages just a stepout and activity clock in the first period of his 97kg bout with Triloki YADAV (NEP), but breaks down his opponent's defenses in the second to gain his first takedown, then gains two exposures after a second for a 10-0 win.

11:25: Takara SUDA (JPN), who is moving up from 61kg, is saved up the buzzer in his opening bout at 65kg against Adi SERIKULY (KAZ). Suda scored a stepout before a scramble gave two points to each wrestler. With a 3-2 lead, Suda managed an easy takedown to extend it to 5-2. Serikuly managed to get his first takedown in the final 10 seconds to make it 5-4 but the time expired before he could score any more points. Kazakhstan challenged hoping the last turn was in time but that was not the case and Suda won 6-4

11:19: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB), the 92kg Asian silver medalist and world U20 champion in 2024, hands the home team an early defeat with an 8-2 win over Kanybek ABDULKHAIROV (KGZ) to advance to the 97kg quarterfinals.

11:14: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), who is doing the rare Freestyle-Greco double in Bishkek (he lost in the Greco 97kg quarterfinals), begins with a 3-0 win over Juhwan SEO (KOR) in their 97kg qualification-round match. Ganbaatar has a better shot at Freestyle, as he is a two-time past Asian bronze medalist who finished second at this year's Ranking Series tournament in Mongolia.

Higuchi earns first trip to Worlds; Sakurai squeezes through

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Unheralded Gharehdaghi Stuns Olympic Champ Jamalov