#JapanWrestling

Japan star Kawai announces birth of first child

Saturday, May 14, 2022 - 15:04 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (May 12)---Japanese star Risako KAWAI (JPN), who has not competed since winning a second straight Olympic title last summer in Tokyo, made a surprising announcement on Instagram that she had recently given birth to her first child.

The 27-year-old Kawai, a three-time world champion who won the Tokyo Olympic gold at 57kg, wrote that she had given birth to a girl on May 10. The baby's name and other details were not included.

Kawai expressed her gratitude to the doctors and medical staff who took her from pregnancy to childbirth and the many people who provided support, adding, "From now, everything I face will be an unknown to me, but I want to grow as a person along with my family."

Kawai's victory in Tokyo came a day after younger sister Yukako won the 62kg title, and the golden sister combination exponentially enhanced their national notoriety. The two became regular guests on talk shows and variety shows, milking the opportunity for all it was worth.

But neither has returned to competition since, and for Risako, the reason has become clear.

Just under a month after her Olympic triumph, Kawai announced on Aug. 27 that she had married Kiryu KINJO (JPN), a former wrestler with the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The two had been going together for five years, and she credited him with motivating her and helping her capture a second Olympic title.

The two are living in Fukui Prefecture, where Kinjo is now a teacher and wrestling coach at his alma mater of Tsuruga Kehi High School. They made no announcement of the pregnancy, and Kawai reportedly returned to her home in neighboring Ishikawa Prefecture to give birth, which is common in Japan.

Kawai, who won the 63kg gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, had a tough road to winning again in Tokyo. By moving down to 57kg, it put her on a collision course with four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN).

The two went head-to-head four times during the qualifying process that drew world attention, with Kawai winning three times and eventually earning a place on Japan's team to the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, where she won her third straight world gold and clinched a berth at the Tokyo Olympics.

At a ceremony at the All-Japan Championships last December to honor Japan's Olympic medalists, Kawai expressed her intention to attempt to win a third Olympic title at the 2024 Paris Games.

"I will be 30 years old the year of the Paris [Olympics]," Kawai said at the time. "I'll probably have to put up with more injuries, so I will keep that in mind. I'm going to practice so I can be ready to come back any time. I want to set my goals while keeping tabs on my physical condition."

As expected, the recent birth has kept Kawai out of the upcoming All-Japan Invitational Championships in June, which in turn rules her out of this year's World Championships in Belgrade. Kawai's name was not on the list of entries released Friday by the Japan Wrestling Federation for the tournament, which is the second domestic qualifier for the worlds. 

Sankei Sports, citing an unnamed source, reported that Kawai will aim for the All-Japan Championships in December, which will be the first step in the qualifying process for the Paris Olympics. That tournament will serve as the first qualifier for 2023 World Championships, where the first berths for Paris 2024 will be awarded.

The sports daily said that Kawai's mother Hatsue--a two-time national champion during her wrestling days--will help in taking care of the baby, freeing up time for Risako to train.

Unlike in the past, motherhood is no longer a barrier keeping a woman from continuing their career in sports. Among top wrestlers, four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has a boy and girl, and Tokyo bronze medalist Vanessa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) has a son. Adeline GRAY (USA), who won a sixth world title last year in Oslo, is expecting twins.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open FS, GR Preview: Stars try to find space in Olympic weights

Thursday, January 4, 2024 - 08:08 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (January 4) -- More than 550 wrestlers will reach Zagreb for the season-opening Ranking Series event and it's no surprise that the Olympic weight classes have higher entries than the non-Olympic ones.

As the qualification for the Paris Olympics this year begins two months later, wrestlers are trying to fit in the respective Olympic weight classes for the Games in August.

That has led to two-time 92kg world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) jump to 97kg on his return to the mat after an absence of more than a year. He last competed at the World Cup in December 2022. His debut there at 97kg ended in a loss to world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). The two may face again as Snyder is also coming to Zagreb.

Ghasempour will have to make sure he is in peak fitness as he may have to battle with compatriot Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) for the spot on the team.

Another former world and Olympic champion was expected to return to an Olympic weight class but Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who last competed at 74kg internationally four years ago, pulled out Wednesday.

But the USA will still see a good representation as Jason NOLF (USA) is headed to Zagreb to challenge international stars. The challengers include Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Yones EMAMI (IRI) among others.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is returning at 74kg as his ban for a doping violation is over.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI)Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) will challenge world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Iran has sent both Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) and world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) as it looks to finalize the team for the Olympics using international competitions. Other world medalists entered in the weight class are Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA).

As usual, the 65kg weight class will see some big names trying to upset each other. World silver medalist Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) and bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) are both entered along with former world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who will look to beat Abbas EBRAHIMZADEHSAVADKOUHI (IRI) to cement his place in the Iran national team.

Other mini battles include John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) and Joseph MCKENNA (USA). The latter defeated Diakomihalis in Taraz in November. Azerbaijan may be trying to push Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 65kg after Haji ALIYEV (AZE) failed to win the Olympic quota at the World Championships.

92kg world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) is going down to 86kg where he will also have U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 79kg world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), Osman GOCEN (TUR), Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Chandler MARSTELLER (USA).

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are likely to meet in Zagreb again. The bout will be a rematch of the World Championships final at 67kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

A World Championships final rematch is on the cards at 67kg as world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are entered. But the weight class also has HUSIYUETU (CHN) who defeated Orta twice last year, Tokyo bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Danial SOHRABI (IRI), former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR).

The 87kg will also see some big names as Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and 82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) challenge for that one spot on the Azerbaijan team. Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) is also entered.

Hungary has decided to go with Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and joint-world champion David LOSONCZI (HUN) while Iran is sending Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI). Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) can challenge the big names.

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), a regular at 82kg, is going down to the Olympic weight class of 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye is trying to find a representative for the qualifiers at 77kg with Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), Yunus BASAR (TUR) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) entered for the competition. Basar lost in the Turkish national competition while Yilmaz won gold.

World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is entered along with 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Idris IBAEV (GER), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Amir Ali ABDI (IRI), world bronze medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN), former 72kg world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Kamal BEY (USA).

At 97kg, Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) are battling for one spot for Azerbaijan while U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) and U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) are also entered. Hungary is sending Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Alex SZOKE (HUN).

World bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Tokyo fifth-placer Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), former Asian champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) are also in.

Like last year, Oscar PINO (CUB) will be the favorite to win the 130kg world medal as he competes alongside Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), Lingzhe MENG (CHN), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) and Adam COON (USA) among others.

At 60kg, Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be looking to get back to form after a disappointing World Championships. He will be joined by Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), 55kg world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), former world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN).