#WrestleXian

Mukaida Also Falls to DPR Korean in One of Three Asian Finals Decided in Final Seconds

Friday, April 26, 2019 - 17:06 By Ken Marantz

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XI’AN, China (April 26)—Having seen her teammate knock off one Japanese giant in the afternoon, PAK Yongmi (PRK) took down one of her own in the evening.

Pak scored a dramatic takedown in the final seconds to stun world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), 4-3, in the 53kg final on the second and final day of women’s wrestling at the Asian Championships in Xi’an.

“Up to the final, everything was going well,” said a tearful Mukaida, who also suffered a last-second loss in the 53kg final at the Paris 2017 world championships. “In the final, I didn’t wrestle the type of match I had imagined.”

That was only a precursor of a night of high drama to come, as two of the four other titles at stake were decided in the dying seconds, one giving host China a gold and the other denying one of Japan’s four finalists.

Reigning world champion RONG Ningning (CHN) stole the 57kg gold medal with a last-second takedown against JONG Myong Suk (PRK). (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

World champion RONG Ningning (CHN) sent the crowd at Xidian University’s Invengo Gymnasium into a frenzy when she scored a 4-point takedown with two seconds left to defeat JONG Myong Suk (PRK), 4-2, for the 57kg gold.

Jong had pulled off the surprise of the tournament in the morning session, when she stunned four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) 7-4 in the semifinals.

Not to be outdone, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) saved the best for last in the 62kg final, capping a comeback from a 6-1 first-period deficit with a 2-point lift with three seconds left to vanquish world silver medalist Yukako KAWAI (JPN), 8-6.

The last two finals were more straight-forward affairs, with China and Japan each adding one final gold medal to their tallies to finish with four each. 

Japan, which placed nine of its 10 wrestlers in the finals over the two days, won the team title with 215 points. Host China, which medaled in eight weight classes, was second with 183, with India took third with 113, thanks mainly to four bronze medals.

PAK Yongmi (PRK) upset Japan's reigning 55kg world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), 4-3 to win the 53kg gold medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the opening final, Mukaida, the 55kg world champion who has moved down to the Olympic weight of 53kg, took a 3-0 lead with a snap-down takedown early in the second period. 

But Pak, the defending champion who also won the Asian Games gold last summer in Jakarta, cut the gap with a low single-leg takedown. Mukaida, looking to pad her lead, used the same move to get a lock on Pak’s leg and was working to get behind. 

That’s when Pak adeptly made a grab for Mukaida’s heel, which knocked the Japanese off balance and onto her hip. Pak then worked her foot out from under Mukaida and gained control with :07 on the clock.

“In the end, she slipped her foot out and managed to get behind,” Mukaida said. “I need to put together the moves to finish that off.”

Mukaida had beaten Pak in their previous meeting, a 6-2 decision in the first round at Paris 2018, where the Japanese had to settle for silver after giving up a last-second 4-point move in an 8-6 loss to Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR). 

Jong, a world bronze medalist at 55kg and last summer’s Asian Games champion, can certainly sympathize with Mukaida, after suffering a similar fate at the hands of Rong. 

Using her lightning-quick speed, Jong scored a takedown in the first period, and it looked like that would hold up as the second period began winding down. With the seconds ticking away, Rong got in on a single leg, and as Jong fiercely resisted, the Chinese tripped her to her back for 4 points and the victory.  

“I knew she beat Icho and she trained specially for this tournament, so today when I took the mat I thought I should be more aggressive,” Rong said. 

“But this morning when I was aggressive, I lost two points. During the break between the periods, my coach told me to be patient and then I told myself to stay calm.”

Rong, energized by the cheering crowd, said she willed herself to keep fighting to the end, and it paid off as she added to the gold she won a year ago at 59kg in Bishkek.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Rong acknowledged. “When my opponent left the mat, she sighed [in disbelief].”

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) scored an 8-6 come-from-behind win over 2018 world runner-up Yukako KAWAI (JPN) to win the 62kg gold medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In the 62kg final, Tynybekova gave up a takedown and a pair of rolls to Kawai to fall behind 6-1 going into the second period. But after chipping the lead down to two points, Kawai was assessed a penalty point for fleeing. 

As that was her second caution, Kawai went on the attack, taking a shot at a single leg and then holding on for dear life. With the clock ticking down, Tynybekova reached over, locked on a leg and fought desperately to lift Kawai up. 

“The lucky thing was that she passed through my legs, so I could get a grip on her leg,” Tynybekova said.

With :03 on the clock, she finally got Kawai up and over. An additional point for an unsuccessful challenge accounted for the final score.

“I was 100 percent sure I could turn her over,” said Tynybekova, who won her third Asian gold after skipping last year’s tournament in her home country due to a shoulder injury. “I practice that move over and over. I was sure I was going to win.”

While four of the five finals on Thursday featured clashes between Chinese and Japanese wrestlers, only one did on Friday, and that one went the host country’s way.

LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) scored a second-period takedown and, in contrast to the previous finals, that was the extent of the action as she defeated Naomi RUIKE (JPN), 3-0, at 65kg.

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) grabbed the 72kg title with a 12-1 win over Korea's JEONG Seoyeon in the gold-medal bout. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

High schooler and two-time world cadet champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) salvaged some Japanese pride on a disappointing day when she put on a second-period blitz to take the 72kg gold with a 12-1 technical fall over JEONG Seoyeon (KOR).

The first period was limited to an activity clock point awarded to Jeong. But Kagami scored an early takedown, then reeled off five consecutive rolls to end the match at 3:36. 

After the fourth roll, Kagami smiled and stopped, thinking she had already clinched the win. Realizing her mistake, she quickly resumed the match and got the decisive points. 

Four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) bounced back to win a bronze medal at 57kg after falling in the semifinals to JONG Myong Suk (PRK). (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Meanwhile, Icho bounced back from her stunning loss to take a bronze medal at 57kg with a victory by fall over Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE).

After taking a 4-0 lead, Icho locked Nguyen in a cradle, levered her over and ended the match in 2:23.

“Not just the third-place match, but the three matches here made clear what direction I need to take my training,” said Icho, adding that even with the loss, she will take home more than the bronze.

“I understand what I need to change. Everything about this was a good experience.”

Uzbekistan captured three bronze medals, while India, Mongolia and Kazakhstan had two each.

Next up on the fifth day of the tournament is the men’s Greco-Roman competition in five weight classes.

Day 4 results

Women’s wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
Gold – PAK Yongmi (PRK) df. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), 4-3
Bronze – Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. KIM Hyungjoo (KOR), 9-3
Bronze – Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. PANG Qianyu (CHN), 8-1

57kg (10 entries)
Gold – RONG Ningning (CHN) df. JONG Myong Suk (PRK), 4-2
Bronze – Kaori ICHO (JPN) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) by Fall, 2:23 (4-0) 
Bronze – Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 5-3

62kg (12 entries)
Gold – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Yukako KAWAI (JPN), 8-6
Bronze – Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) df. Salinee SRISOMBAT (THA), by TF, 10-0, 1:19
Bronze – Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. MUN Hyon Gyong (PRK), 9-6 

65kg (8 entries)
Gold – LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Naomi RUIKE (JPN), 3-0
Bronze – Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) df. Kaur NAVJOT (IND), 7-0 
Bronze – Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df Sakhipjamal ALEUATDINOVA (UZB) by Fall, 4:43 (7-0) 

72kg (8 entries)
Gold – Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. JEONG Seoyeon (KOR) by TF, 12-1, 3:25
Bronze – Nilufar GADAEVA (UZB) df. Li Chia-Hsin (TPE) by TF, 11-0, 3:53 
Bronze – Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. WANG Juan (CHN), 13-6

Team Standings
1. Japan, 215 points (4 gold-5 silver-1 bronze)
2. China, 183 (4-2-1)
3. India, 113 (0-0-4)

#JapanWrestling

Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships

Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 15:34 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (December 4) -- After winning both the U20 and senior world titles at freestyle 61kg within a two-month span in the autumn of 2024, Masanosuke ONO all but disappeared from the Japanese wrestling scene.

That culminated with his announcement in March this year that, having left Yamanashi Gakuin University, he had committed to wrestle at U.S. collegiate powerhouse Penn State. He has not been seen on the mats of Japan since.

Ono will compete once again in his home country, dropping down from 61kg to 57kg for the upcoming Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, according to the entry list announced Thursday by the Japan Wrestling Federation.

The tournament, to be held December 18-21, will also serve as the domestic qualifier for next year's Asian Championships, and the first of two qualifiers for the Asian Games and World Championships in 2026.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will compete at 50kg at the Emperor's Cup. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Among other notable recent absentees appearing on the entry list is Yui SUSAKI, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion at 50kg who had to settle for a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete at 50kg, putting to bed speculation that she might move up to the 53kg division.

"This will be a tournament to start me anew on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics," Susaki said in an online press conference with the Japanese media, as reported by Wrestling-Spirits.jp.

"In order to reclaim the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, as a challenger starting from scratch, I want to win in a Yui Susaki-esque way of wrestling."

The 21-year-old Ono had been a question mark with the tournament falling in the middle of the Penn State season. But the decision to redshirt Ono -- the system of allowing him to train with the team while withholding him from competition to maintain an extra year of eligibility -- opened the door for him to make the trip back to Japan.

Assuming he does not have trouble making weight, he should be the class of the 57kg field, with his toughest competition most likely coming from two-time Asian bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI.

One opponent he won't have to contend with is Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI, who decided to continue delaying his return to action. Also missing is defending champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who was injured at the World Championships. With Sakamoto also across the Pacific at Oklahoma State University, it prevents a rare clash of U.S.-based wrestlers.

Susaki only returned to action in September, and both of her forays were at 53kg. That, and the well-publicized move up to 57kg by Akari FUJINAMI, the 53kg champion in Paris, fueled conjecture that Susaki might also move up.

Susaki started at the National Sports Festival, where she competed at 53kg if for no other reason that it was one of only two women's weight classes in the competition. She lost a defensive-oriented 2-1 decision to 2024 world 55kg champion Moe KIYOOKA in the quarterfinals, marking her first loss to a Japanese opponent in six years.

"Losing at the National Sports Festival gave me the chance to look inside myself," Susaki said. "The result was really disappointing, but I'm glad I took part and was grateful for the opportunity."

Now 26, the four-time world champion is firmly determined to regain the Olympic gold that eluded her in Paris with a heart-breaking last-second loss to Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) in the opening round.

"I truly was shown just how difficult and challenging it was to win at the Paris Olympics. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the preparation process leading up to the competition and what was needed mentally for the Olympics. I will work hard to use that experience to make sure I win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics."

Susaki's top challengers at the Emperor's Cup appear to be world U23 bronze medalist Umi ITO and Haruna MORIKAWA, the world U23 champion at 53kg.

Meanwhile the presence of Fujinami, who added the world U23 title in October to her burgeoning resume, has been immediately felt at 57kg. Despite being an Olympic weight class, the division drew just nine others who will look to end the 21-year-old superstar's 147-match winning streak.

Her most potentially dangerous opponent could be Asian champion Sara NATAMI. At the National Sports Festival, she was losing 8-1 at 62kg to world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI when she countered a takedown attempt by slamming her to her back for a fall.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Paris Olympic and 2025 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

Golden trio at women's 62kg; returns of Paris champs Fumita, Kagami

As with any Japan competition that has world or Olympic berths at stake, a number of weight classes could see clashes between multiple wrestlers with global successes as they jockey for position in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

And in one case, there are three at once, while two other weight classes could have direct clashes of champions from this year's worlds in Zagreb, Croatia.

At women's 62kg, Paris and 2025 world gold medalist Sakura MOTOKI will renew her rivalry with two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI, while Onishi moves up from 59kg to join the mix and can't be overlooked.

At women’s 68kg, reigning world champion Ami ISHII could lock horns with Miwa MORIKAWA, the gold medalist at 65kg, while at freestyle 74kg, we could see a battle between Zagreb winner Kota TAKAHASHI and 70kg titlist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI.

Like Susaki, all of Japan's large group of Paris medalists took some time off to bask in the spotlight before gradually returning to the mat over the past two years.

Two of the remaining gold medalist holdouts -- Kenichiro FUMITA and Yuka KAGAMI -- will both take the mat for the first time since their Paris victories at the Emperor's Cup.

Fumita, who won an elusive gold medal in Paris at Greco 60kg after taking the silver at Tokyo 2021, is entered at 63kg, where he will aim for a fifth national title and first since 2022. Kagami is entered at her gold medal-winning weight of women's 76kg. Their own rustiness may be more of a factor then the opponents.

While away from competition, Fumita spent the ensuing time experimenting with different methods as he looks to expand his reportoire.

"I have some anxiety, but I'm also looking forward to it," Fumita told Wrestling-Spirits.jp. "I achieved my goal in Paris, and on top of that, I've been taking a good look at wrestling. it. It was a year and four months full of new experiences. This will be a battlefield to reveal my new wrestling. I want to show wrestling that is free and unrestrained."

Fumita said he observed the nerves shown by fellow Paris gold medalists Nao KUSAKA (Greco 77kg) and Kotaro KIYOOKA (freestyle 65kg) when they returned to mat ahead of him at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships last spring.

"Before their matches, both of them looked pale," Fumita said. "I want to focus on fighting without putting too much pressure on myself. For better or worse, I want to fight thinking of myself as a different person than I was in Paris."

Other intriguing weight classes include freestyle 65kg, where Kiyooka may have to contend with Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, Asian 61kg champion Takara SUDA and two-time world U20 champion Yuto NISHIUCHI.

Two gold medalists from Tokyo who took time off for marriage and childbirth are back, with Mayu SHIDOCHI (nee MUKAIDA) challenging Moe Kiyooka at women's 55kg and Yukako INAMURA (nee KAWAI) entered at 59kg.

In Greco, rising star Taizo YOSHIDA, a bronze medalist at both the U20 and senior worlds this year at 82kg, has moved up to 87kg, where he will challenge two-time defending champion So SAKABE.