World Champion Spotlight

Meet Yui Susaki, Japan's 20-Year-Old Six-Time World Champion

Friday, January 4, 2019 - 15:52 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 4) - At just 20 years of age, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) has reached the top of the world stage six times across all age-levels. Her international resume remains unblemished and includes a trio of cadet world titles, a junior world championship and a pair of senior-level world gold medals. 

Susaki’s international debut came at the 2014 Cadet World Championships in Snina, Slovakia, where she went undefeated and claimed the 43kg world title. She ultimately went on to win back-to-back-to-back cadet world titles, claiming the 46kg and 49kg world titles in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Surprisingly, in 2017, the Waseda University freshman (who's studying Sports Science) bypassed the junior-circuit and made her senior-level debut at the “Toughest Wrestling Tournament in the World,” the Ivan Yarygin, where she outscored her five opponents 48-0 and grabbed her first-ever senior-level gold medal. 

Susaki continued her dominance through 2017, winning the Klippan Lady Open and the Asian Championships before heading to Paris, France to make her World Championship debut. In her rookie debut, Susaki went 5-0, finished four of those five matches early with technical superiority victories and outscored her opponents 53-8. 

In 2018, Susaki failed to make Japan’s Asian Games and Asian Championship teams and decided to circle back and compete at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. The Japanese superstar won her first junior world title and fifth overall world championship with a quartet of 10-0 wins before booking her trip to Budapest, Hungary, to defend her senior-level world title. 

Susaki proved that she belongs in the discussion as one of the most dominant wrestlers across all styles, in all divisions after successfully defending her world title in Budapest. To win back-to-back senior-level world titles, Susaki shutout reigning world finalist Emilia VUC (ROU), world bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR), and the eight-time world and Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE). 

After winning her second straight world title, Susaki was forced to withdraw from Japan's Emperor's Cup due to a dislocated elbow suffered at the national team training camp last month. This means that Susaki will have to win the All-Japan Invitational Championships, also known as the Meiji Cup, next spring, then defeat the winner of this tournament (known as the Emperor’s Cup) in a playoff. 

Click here to follow Yui on Instagram! 

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UWW and European University Sports Association Sign MoU

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - 09:50 By United World Wrestling Press

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POREC, Croatia (June 2) -- United World Wrestling (UWW) and The European University Sports Association (EUSA) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations in Porec, Croatia on May 30.

The MoU was officially signed by the two presidents: UWW President Nenad LALOVIC and EUSA President Haris PAVLETIC at an official signing ceremony. The MoU marks a commitment by EUSA and UWW to cooperate to further university sport, specifically in wrestling across Europe, and to explore the possibilities of working closer together, including on the potential of EUSA Wrestling events in the future.

Both presidents expressed their pleasure to formalise the cooperation, and excitement for the future of wrestling in European university sport.

The MoU was signed on the occasion of the “Unisport HR Finals”, the finals of the Croatian University Sport competitions, and a range of UWW Wrestling events, including the Beach Wrestling World Series, which all took place in the Croatian city.

“The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with United World Wrestling marks an important milestone in strengthening cooperation between international sport federations and the university sport movement," EUSA President Pavletic said. "We are particularly pleased to welcome wrestling into the EUSA Combat Sport Championships starting from 2027 in La Nucia, Spain, creating new opportunities for student-athletes to compete, develop, and promote the values of excellence, respect, and fair play."

The EUSA delegation was additionally represented by Vice President Aitor Canibe SANCHEZ, Secretary General / CEO  Matjaz PECOVNIK, and Director of Sports Events Liam SMITH.

About United World Wrestling:
United World Wrestling is the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Headquartered in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, UWW oversees Olympic wrestling disciplines, including Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Women’s Wrestling, as well as associated styles such as Grappling, Pankration, Belt Wrestling, and Beach Wrestling. UWW works with national federations worldwide to promote, regulate, and develop the sport at all levels.

About EUSA:
EUSA organises European Universities Games and European Universities Championships across 25 sports, attracting more than 6,000 participants from over 500 universities each year. (eusa.eu)