#JapanWrestling

Inagaki deals Ozaki shocking loss; Kawai solid at 68kg

Thursday, June 15, 2023 - 13:37 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (June 15) -- Among the slew of highly anticipated showdowns at this year's Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, Nonoka OZAKI was looking for revenge against Sakura MOTOKI. She never got the chance, thanks to Yuzuka INAGAKI.

Inagaki stunned world champion Ozaki by rallying to a 6-6 victory on last-point criteria in the quarterfinals at women's 62kg on the opening day of the four-day tournament on Thursday, then later earned a place in Friday's final against Motoki.

"Deep down, I'm glad I could beat Ozaki today, but tomorrow is for all the marbles, so I see this as a step along the way," said Inagaki, a world U23 and junior champion in 2019.

The Meiji Cup is serving as the second domestic qualifier for this year's World Championships in Belgrade, where winning a medal will also earn a Japanese wrestler a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics. So the competition is fierce.

Winners of the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, the first qualifier held last December, can automatically clinch a place on the team to Belgrade with a victory at the Meiji Cup. In Olympic weight classes, if the champions are different, they will meet in a playoff on July 1.

Motoki, a world bronze medalist at 59kg who moved up to the Olympic weight with an eye on Paris, won the title at the Emperor's Cup by beating Ozaki in the final. She can secure the world team spot with a win over Inagaki; a loss will set up a playoff between the two.

One wrestler who had left the 62kg picture after a loss at the Emperor's Cup was Tokyo Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI, who made the surprise move all the way up to the next Olympic weight of 68kg. She kept her hopes of a second straight Olympic gold alive by making the semifinals on Thursday.

In the tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, the Olympic weight classes are being run over two days, while the non-Olympic divisions are completed in a single day.

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)Yuzuka INAGAKI completes a takedown against Nonoka OZAKI in their 62kg quarterfinal. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

The fact that the 20-year-old Ozaki -- who last year completed a trifecta of world senior, U23 and U20 titles -- will not be around for finals on the second day at 62kg sent shock waves through the arena. But credit has to go to a determined Inagaki, who was looking for some revenge of her own.

The two had been rivals since their junior high school days, and in their most recent meeting, at last year's Meiji Cup, Ozaki came away with a 2-1 win.

"I've faced Ozaki a number of times," said the 21-year-old Inagaki. "I lost to her recently, but I seriously studied her and trained for this match. In the end, I had a strong determination to win."

Ozaki jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a takedown and an activity point in the first period. In the second period, Inagaki got on the scoreboard with a takedown, but as she was trying for a gut wrench, Ozaki stepped over for a 1-point reversal. She then added a takedown to go up 6-2.

As the taller Ozaki tried to keep Inagaki at arm's length, Inagaki fought to create an opening and scored a takedown with :48 left. As the clock was ticking down, Inagaki got in deep on a single and as she tried to finish off the move, Ozaki went out of bounds. Inagaki was awarded a stepout and a point for fleeing, giving her the last point for a 6-6 victory.

"In practice, we work on finishing off a scoring move in the final seconds, and I was glad I could do it today," Inagaki said.

"It all came down to the last 30 seconds," Ozaki said. "When I am winning, I want to stay on the attack and not give the opponent an opening. I had practiced for when it comes down to a battle of wills at the end, but more than losing because of heart, I felt like it was because I kept my hips up. Also, my heart and body weren't in sync."

Of course, there is no assurance that whoever wins out at 62kg will win a medal in Belgrade, so Ozaki still has a chance to get to Paris, however slim. But she would prefer to have her fate in her own hands.

"I came into this tournament in the situation where there was nothing else and I had to win," Ozaki said. "But I lost before the final, and it is very difficult to make the Olympics. Right now I don't know what to think."

Ozaki, a rarity among top Japanese wrestlers in that she attends academically elite Keio University, said that whatever happens in the upcoming months, she remains dedicated to the sport.

"I am still in college, and I will continue wrestling," she said. "My big goal of getting to the Olympics and winning a gold medal has not changed. Each year, I will aim at making the World Championships and becoming No. 1 in the world. I want to be a wrestler who can win, whether it is in Japan or in the world."

Yukako KAWAI (JPN)Yukako KAWAI defeated Miwa MORIKAWA 4-4 at 68kg. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

In women's wrestling, it is perhaps only in Japan that an Olympic champion -- and two-time world medalist to boot -- can be regarded as the underdog. But that was the situation that Kawai, who won the Tokyo gold along with older sister Rikako, placed herself in with her bold move up two weight classes.

The 68kg division has just seven entries, but most are current or former world champions or medalists. Kawai won all three of her round-robin matches in her Nordic group, including a thrilling 4-4 victory over world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA.

Either of the resulting semifinals could be a world final in their own right. World silver medalist Ami ISHII will face Morikawa in a rematch of the Emperor's Cup final won by Ishii, while Kawai will take on Masako FURUICHI, whose three world medals at 72kg include a 2021 gold.

Kawai, who said she remained at her normal weight of 63kg for the tournament, said she is feeling the burden of the extra poundage of her opponents.

"All of my opponents seemed so heavy, but despite that, I got this far," Kawai said. "I didn't think I would be unbeaten. I think I really gave a good effort. My first match was my first [at 68kg] and I was nervous. While my opponents were heavy and I gave up points, they came off technical mistakes on my part, so it doesn't bother me."

Facing Morikawa in her second match, Kawai trailed after giving up a stepout and an activity point in the first period. In the second, she scored with a double-leg takedown, which she followed with a 2-point exposure to go up 4-2. Morikawa scored a takedown with :38 left, but it was not enough as Kawai won on big-point criteria.

"In that match, more than victory or defeat, I just wanted to give everything I had," Kawai said.

"When I got the tackle and went ahead, I thought, 'If it goes like this, I can definitely win.' I put it all out there and, even though it turned into a close match, it made me believe I can hold my own at 68kg."

Looking ahead, Kawai is ready for the challenge and force a playoff.

"I'm coming up from a lower weight class, so I am absolutely the challenger," she said. "It's no sure thing that I can win. All of the opponents are really strong. Giving everything I have is No. 1 and I will fight my hardest for the remaining matches."

Ishii won both of her group matches but was taken to the limit in a 3-2 victory over Furuichi. After receiving an activity point in the first period, Ishii scored a single-leg takedown for a 3-0 lead. Furuichi battled to the end and notched a takedown with :20 left, but Ishii held on for the win.

In a non-Olympic weight, world U20 champion Mahiro YOSHITAKE followed up her Emperor's Cup triumph at 65kg by beating Rin TERAMOTO 7-1 in the final, putting her on the inside track to Belgrade.

The Japan federation will allow the second-place finishers in Olympic weights at both the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup to enter the playoffs in non-Olympic weights, so it remains to be seen whether or not Yoshitake will have competition for her place.

Katsuaki ENDOKatsuaki ENDO hits a five-point suplex on Taishi NARIKUNI in the 67kg semifinal. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Narikuni meets match in Greco

In the men's competitions, world 70kg freestyle champion Taishi NARIKUNI's bold bid to pick up a world title in Greco-Roman came crashing down with a pair of flashy throws by Katsuaki ENDO in the semifinals at 67kg.

Narikuni, looking to join his mother as a two-time world champion but with a twist, looked out of his league against technician Endo, a 2022 Asian bronze medalist. Endo had a 2-0 lead when put on top in par terre, he put on a master performance, first scoring a 4-point throw, then adding the coup de grace with a spectacular 5-point back suplex.

"There was a difference in technical ability, but it was really how the match progressed," Narikuni said. "Endo really knows how to control the flow of a match. I took that too lightly."

Asked if he had any regrets about attempting the difficult crossover of styles, he replied. "I regret nothing, of course. This is something I decided to do on my own. I had people around me providing their support. I have one more match tomorrow [for the bronze medal], so I want to finish up with a solid win."

In the final, Endo will face Asian silver medalist Kyotaro SOGABE in a rematch of the Emperor's Cup final won by Sogabe.

Meanwhile, Emperor's Cup-winning brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO kept alive their hopes of making the trip to Belgrade together by advancing to their respective finals in freestyle.

Hayato, coming off a bronze medal at this year's Asian Championships, defeated 2022 world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI 3-0 in the semifinals at 86kg, setting up a gold-medal clash with three-time Olympian Sohsuke TAKATANI.

Takatani, who had spent the past two years at 92kg, won the Emperor's Cup at that weight but has dropped down in an attempt to make a fourth Olympics.

Takashi Ishiguro advanced to the 97kg final with a 12-3 victory over Keivan YOSHIDA, and will face Taira SONODA in the final.

In the final match of the day, Yoshida's younger brother Arash won the 92kg title. The Asian champion won all three of his matches by technical fall, including a 10-0 rout of Satoshi MIURA in the final.

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

86kg (12 entries)
Semifinal -- Hayato ISHIGURO df. Tatsuya SHIRAI, 3-0
Semifinal -- Sohsuke TAKATANI df. Yudai TAKAHASHI, 6-4

92kg (6 entries)
GOLD -- Arash YOSHIDA df. Satoshi MIURA by TF, 10-0, 3:12

BRONZE -- Kuya MOCHINAGA df. Akinobu TAKEUCHI, 4-1

Semifinal -- Arash YOSHIDA df. Kuya MOCHINAGA by Fall, 1:46 (8-0)
Semifinal -- Satoshi MIURA df. Akinobu TAKEUCHI by TF, 10-0, 2:29

97kg (9 entries)
Semifinal -- Takashi ISHIGURO df. Keivan YOSHIDA, 12-3
Semifinal -- Taira SONODA df. Hibiki ITO by TF, 10-0, 1:05

Greco-Roman

55kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Taiga ONISHI df. Kohei YAMAGIWA, 7-3

BRONZE -- Mizuki ARAKI df. Sosuke MASUDA, by TF, 9-0, 4:10
BRONZE -- Taketo NINOMIYA df. Shu HIRATA by TF, 8-0, 2:01

Semifinal -- Taiga ONISHI df. Mizuki ARAKI, 2-0
Semifinal -- Kohei YAMAGIWA df. Taketo NINOMIYA by TF, 11-1, 2:03

67kg (13 entries)
Semifinal -- Kyotaro SOGABE df. Kensuke SHIMIZU, 6-3
Semifinal -- Katsuaki ENDO df. Taishi NARIKUNI by TF, 12-0, 1:55

Women

55kg (12 entries)
GOLD -- Rino TAKAOKA df. Ruka NATAMI, 4-2

BRONZE -- Karina HONDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA, 3-2
BRONZE -- Neon GOMI df. Riko TAKAYAMA, 2-1

Semifinal -- Rino TAKAOKA df. Narumi NAKAMURA, 2-1
Semifinal -- Ruka NATAMI df. Neon GOMI by Fall, 5:00 (3-0)

62kg (13 entries)
Semifinal -- Sakura MOTOKI df. Naomi RUIKE by Fall, 4:19 (10-0)
Semifinal -- Yuzuka INAGAKI df. Suzu SASAKI by TF, 10-0, 4:47

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Rin TERAMOTO, 7-1

BRONZE -- Nagisa ITO df. Momoko Kitade by TF, 5:39, 13-3
BRONZE -- Kaede HIRAI df. Kaede MATSUYAMA by Fall, 4:50 (7-0)

Semifinal -- Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Nagisa ITO by TF, 10-0, 3:40
Semifinal -- Rin TERAMOTO df. Kaede MATSUYAMA, 4-1

72kg (6 entries)
GOLD -- Mei SHINDO df. Sumire NIIKURA, 4-3

BRONZE -- Yuka FUJIKURA df. Kokona TAKADA, 2-0

Semifinal -- Sumire NIIKURA df. Kokona TAKADA by TF, 10-0, 5:58
Semifinal -- Mei SHINDO df. Yuka FUJIKURA, 2-2

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Lopez beats Mirzazadeh, Ozaki falls

Monday, August 5, 2024 - 12:41 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 5) -- Welcome to wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Day one here at the Champs de Mars Arena with Greco-Roman in 130kg and 60kg and Women's Wrestling in 68kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 NEWS

What a session of wrestling! Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) marches towards a fifth Olympic gold medal after reaching the semifinals at 130kg. He downed world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) 3-1. At 60kg, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal. 

In women's wrestling, Amit ELOR (USA) has Sol Gum PAK (PRK) while Blessing OBURODUDU (NGR) wrestles Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)

17:20: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) looks like a man on a mission as he puts away Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) on his first chance of par terre, going back and forth for four exposures and a 9-0 win in 1:43 at Greco 60kg. That sets up a mouth-watering encounter with Sharshenbekov for a place in the finals.

17:17: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) pulls off one of the biggest victories of her career, scoring a takedown with seven seconds left to stun Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) 8-6 at women's 68kg after squandering a six-point lead. Zhumanazarova counters a single leg for a takedown and adds a roll, then picks up a second takedown to go up 6-0 at the break. Ozaki comes back in the second period with a takedown and gut wrench, then goes ahead on criteria with a takedown with 1:10 left. But Zhumanazarova still has some fight left in her, and gets behind on a single for the win.

17:15: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) rides a 4-point throw from par terre to a 9-0 victory over Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) to secure his place in the Greco 60kg semifinals.

17:07: Liguo CAO (CHN) gets a 4-point throw from par terre and that makes the difference in a 5-3 victory over a gutsy Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) to advance to the Greco 60kg semifinals.

17:06: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) relied on her wits and experience to defy the home crowd and get past Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) 6-2 and advance to the women's 68kg semifinals. Oborududu trailed 2-1 in the second period when she scored a takedown with 1:10 left. With Larroque pressing for the winning score, it was Oborududu who came up with a takedown to clinch the win.

17:03: A semifinal for Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) as he hangs on for a 2-1 win over Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) at 130kg. He will wrestle Lingzhe MENG (CHN) for a spot in the final

16:53: Teenager Sol Gum PAK (PRK) and a right shoulder injury prove too much for NISHA (IND), who can't hang on and is eliminated with a 10-8 loss at women's 68kg. Nisha was the dominant force, building up an 8-2 lead when she injured her shoulder during a Pak takedown. She could offer little resistance as Pak continued to score points until getting the winning takedown with 8 seconds left to earn a semifinal clash with Elor.

16:52: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) survived a second passivity call against himself to beat Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) 1-1 and enter the semifinal at 130kg in Greco-Roman

16:47: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), who ended the Tokyo Olympics in tears after losing to a Cuban in the Greco 60kg, showed no mercy for Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) as he cruised to an 11-1 victory. Fumita gets three rolls from par terre in the first period, then finishes off the proceedings with a 4-point headlock throw in the second.

16:39: Three-time Asian medalist Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) makes short work of Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), reeling off a series of gut wrenches for a 9-0 victory in 1:48 at Greco 60kg.

16:40: Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) gets both the par terre to lead 2-0 against Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ). The Kazakh is then docked two points for his aggressive open hand. Shariati wins 4-0 to enter the semifinals against Lopez

16:37: Amit ELOR (USA) proves too much for Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) and she's comfortably into the women's 68kg semifinals with an 8-0 victory. Elor gets two takedowns and a stepout in the first period, then adds an activity point and takedown in the second.  

16:35: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) uses a nice arm drag for a first-period takedown, then adds a second 2-point in the second in a 4-2 win over Enes BASAR (TUR) at Greco 60kg. Basar used the over-the-top jump to score a late takedown, but the clock ran out before he completed a turn.

16:30: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) in the 130kg quarterfinal. Lopez defeated the Iranian in the Tokyo Olympics. In Paris, he gets the first par terre advantage and, hold your breath, gets a turn from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break! What a moment in the match. Three minutes to wrestle. Mirzazadeh used a much more aggressive approach in the second period. Lopez is called for passivity and is now in par terre. Mirzazadeh needs a turn to take the criteria lead. Mirzazadeh wants to resume in standing. That strategy from Iran will need three points for a win. Lopez is still standing tall over Mirzazadeh. Mijain LOPEZ beats Mirzazadeh 3-1 and moves into the semifinal

16:27: Like her compatriot minutes before Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) needs a comeback to get by Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) 8-3 at women's 68kg. Zhumanazarova trails 3-0 going into the second period when she hits a 4-point takedown, then tangles up Enkhsaikhan's legs and scores a pair of rolls. She will next face Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) for a place in the semifinals later tonight.

16:21: Two-time reigning world champion and top seed Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), aiming to become his country's first-ever gold medalist, survives a tough first test from neighbor Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ), scoring two takedowns in the second period for a 6-3 win at Greco 68kg.

16:20: World bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) pins age-group world champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) at 130kg. He moves into the quarterfinals. But it's time for the big one. Lopez vs Mirzazadeh

16:16: World 65kg champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) needs just 32 seconds to get past Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN) 10-0 to start her quest for the women's 68kg gold after missing out on Japan's place at her usual weight at 62kg.

16:14: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) spotted former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) an early takedown, but came back with three of her own in the second period for an 8-2 victory at women's 68kg. 

16:10: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) hangs on to a 1-1 win over Kiril MILOV (BUL) at 130kg. Acosta got the passivity advantage in the second period which was enough for him to win 1-1. Milov, a regular at 97kg, moved to 130kg after Bulgaria was awarded a quota.

16:07: World bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN) hits a 4-point throw from par terre in the second period to secure a 6-2 victory over Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) at Greco 60kg. Cao was trailing 2-1 when he received the passivity point with 1:47 left to put him ahead on criteria, but sealed the deal with his big throw at the edge.

16:01: World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), urged on by a loud partisan crowd in the Champs de Mars Arena, scores two takedowns in the first period and one in the second in a 6-0 victory over Tayla FORD (NZL).

15:59: Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) gets the par terre and never allows to Oussama ASSAD (MAR) to defend. He scores four turns and wins 9-0 to enter the quarterfinals at 130kg in Greco-Roman.

15:55: Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) gives South America a rare victory by holding on to defeat two-time world medalist Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) 6-5 at Greco 60kg. Rodriguez, helped by a leg penalty, leads 6-1 before Mammadov scores a takedown with :45 left and adds a gut wrench to cut the gap to 1. Rodriguez then squirms out of a late takedown attempt to clinch the win and a place in the quarterfinals.

15:55: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) has a good warmup win over Jello KRAHMER (GER) at 130kg. He moves into the quarterfinals with a 4-1 win.

15:48: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) showed again how her country's wrestlers can never be underestimated when she outdueled former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in a 10-6 thriller at women's 68kg. The two traded takedowns throughout the bout and Ringaci led 6-4 when Pak went ahead on criteria with a takedown with :58 left. She then put the matter to rest with a late 4-point takedown.

15:42: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) with a takedown in the second period to beat Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) 3-1 at 130kg. Both exchanged passivity points but Syzdykov kept the pressure up and got the takedown with just over a minute left in the bout.

15:39: World bronze medalist Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) gets started at Greco 60kg with a comfortable 9-0 victory over Refugee Team member Jamal VALIZADEH (EOR). Bakhramov was just unstoppable with his gut wrenches from par terre in ending the match at 3:52.

15:37: Asian bronze medalist NISHA (IND) bounces back after giving up an early 4-point takedown to Tatiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR) at women's 68kg, scoring two takedowns in the second period for a 6-4 victory. Sova Rizhko used a nice reverse headlock-back trip combination for her 4 points. 

15:32: Victor Ciobanu (MDA), the 2021 world champion who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, falls at the first stage at Greco 60kg to Se Ung RI (PRK). From par terre, Ciobanu gets a reverse lock and pulls Ri back and over his head for 2, but Ri responds with a front headlock roll for 4 that was originally given 2 but upgraded on a challenge. Ri then catches Ciobanu when he tries the desperation over-the-head jump, throws him to his back and records the fall with 1:02 left.

15:30: Two veterans at 130kg. 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) and Rio bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) on Mat C. Nabi gets the first par terre advantage and leads 1-0. Shariati gets the par terre in the second and leads 1-1 on criteria. Shariati maintains the lead and wins 1-1 on criteria

15:22: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) pulls a surprise at women's 68kg, knocking off Zagreb Open champion Feng ZHOU (CHN) 10-3. Choluj uses a beautiful fireman's carry to take a 4-1 lead into the second period. The match hits a key point when Choluj gets in deep for a takedown and Zhou tries a counter lift. That gives both 2 points, but Choluj rolls through it and lands on top for 2 more to go ahead 8-3. 

15:22: Four-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) sets up a quarterfinal against world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) at 130kg. He looks formidable in his 7-0 win over Seungchan LEE (KOR).

15:13: Beginning the action at Greco 60kg on Mat A, Enes BASAR (TUR) puts together an amazing rally to defeat Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) 8-7 in a battle of the world 63kg bronze medalists. Tibilov storms to a 7-0 lead in the first period, but Basar turns the tide in the second, scoring a takedown and gut wrench, then getting another gut wrench from par terre. An unsuccessful challenge of a late takedown attempt gives Basar his final point.

15:12: The women's 68kg competition gets started on Mat B with a clash of reigning world champions. Amit ELOR (USA), the gold medalist at 72kg, had little problem putting away the top-seed and world 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), scoring four takedowns in a 10-2 victory.

15:09: World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) gets his first win as he beats Adam COON (USA) with no trouble. He scores a turn from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break. Coon gets the par terre in the second period but no turn for him. Mirzazadeh wins 3-1 and enters the quarterfinals.

15:00: Wresting at the 2024 Paris Games could not have had a better story to follow on day one. Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) is going for his fifth Olympic gold medal at the Olympics. No athlete has done that before.