#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Senior Asian Championships, Day Four

By United World Wrestling Press

Women's wrestling will see 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 72kg in action at the Senior Asian Championships in Almaty

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1810 hrs: Vinesh (IND) wins her first Asian title. She gets the fall over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) to win gold at 53kg

1415 hrs: Four Indians reach the finals today. Impressive performance from them. Chance for Vinesh at 53kg, Sakshi MALIK at 65kg and Anshu at 57kg to claim their first Asian titles at senior level 

1310 hrs: We are rolling into the semifinals shortly after the qualifications

1255 hrs: A two-minute 37 second victory by technical superiority for VINESH (IND) at 53kg. She is looking very good for her first Asian Championships title

1230 hrs: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is out there to dominate! She rolls through with a 12-2 tech dec over Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) at 62kg

1200 hrs: The Indian wrestlers are here with a goal. All of the four in action (SONAM at 62kg is injured), have won their bouts.

1140 hrs: Vinesh, Anshu, Tynybekova and KUZNETSOVA all start on a winning note on Mat B

1131 hrs: Keep your eyes on Mat B! Lot of superstars in action. VINESH (IND), ANSHU (IND), TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

1130 hrs: Welcome to day four of the Asian Championships from Almaty. Lot of sun out there to make up for the early cold days.

#WrestleTirana

WATCH: Shiotani's signature move - Reverse Lift or Tawaragaeshi

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (March 3) -- Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) has done it many times domestically in Japan. On Sunday, he showed it to international fans.

As soon as he get the par terre position, instead for the typical gut-wrench, Shiotani goes for the reverse lift.

The reverse lift, known as Tawaragaeshi in Japanese, majorly seen in Greco-Roman wrestling when the wrestler on top in par terre jumps to face the grounded wrestler and the locks his hands around the opponents waist to throw him over his own head, or sometimes sideways.

That Aleksandr KARELIN photo in which he is clenching his teeth as he lifts his opponent like a sack. Exactly, a reverse lift.

Shiotani, former Asian champion, has mastered that move. And a reverse lift masterclass was on display on the final day of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025 in Tirana.

Out of the 53 points he scored on Sunday, Shiotani got 33 points from his signature reverse lift. Match after match, he would try the move and succeed as if the opponents did not how to defend it.

"There's not much to think about during a game like this. I do the Tawaragaeshi as if my body were moving on its own," Shiotani said.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performs a reverse lift during the 60kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The Japanese federation Instagram page is full of Shiotani's reverse lift videos. Despite his go-to move, Shiotani is shy to explain his obsession with the move which he performs even when he is in a position to pin or roll his opponent.

"I'm trying to switch things up and try to lift the wrestlers rather than trying to hold him down," Shiotani said. "I'm always practicing so I am able to do it in any situation."

Shiotani doesn't hide it that he is going for the reverse lift. He ideally starts from a chest wrap and quickly moves his grip to waist. If the opponent tries to raise his head to defend, Shiotani scores an exposure, opening more scoring options.

This was the first time Shiotani was wrestling at 60kg in a UWW event, up from 55kg but he said that he always remained in shape for wrestling.

"I always keep in shape," he said. "Ever since moved up the weight class, I've always believed that I could win by building my body, so I'm glad I was able to do that."