#JapanWrestling

Otoguro to end long post-Olympic hiatus, enters All-Japan with eyes on Paris

Saturday, December 3, 2022 - 17:13 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (Dec. 3) --- Japan wrestling's missing man, Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto
OTOGURO, will be making his long-awaited return to the mat later this month as he begins the long journey toward defending his Olympic title.

Otoguro, who has not competed since winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Games some 17
months ago, heads the entries at freestyle 65kg for the Emperor's Cup All-Japan
Championships, the Japan Wrestling Federation announced on its website Saturday.

As Japan's Olympians gradually filtered back into action after taking time off following the
Tokyo Games in August 2021, Otoguro was the last holdout. It remains to be seen how much
rust has collected on the 2018 world champion.

For the Japanese wrestlers, the Emperor's Cup, to be held December 22-25 at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, marks the first step in the process for qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The tournament is the first of the two domestic qualifiers for the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, where a medal in an Olympic weight class by a Japanese wrestler will secure an
automatic ticket to Paris.

Meanwhile, Yui SUSAKI, who this year completed the first-ever Grand Slam of Olympics and all four world age-group titles, will see a familiar but not-so-welcome face in the field at women's 50kg, while recently crowned world freestyle 70kg champion Taishi NARIKUNI will attempt to accomplish a feat that hasn't been done in nearly 50 years.

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) is an Olympic champion at 53kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

With the vast majority of the top wrestlers funneling into the Olympic weight classes, a number of highly anticipated clashes of the titans could be on tap -- none more so than between 2021 world champion Akari FUJINAMI and Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI at women's 53kg.

After the Olympics, Shidochi moved up to 55kg, where she won her third career world title Now she will be gunning for an Olympic repeat in Paris at 53kg, but has the formidable teen Fujinami standing in her way. Fujinami, who was plagued by injuries this fall, currently has a 103-match winning streak dating back to 2017.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO, who won the Tokyo gold at 57kg under her maiden name of KAWAI, is entered at 59kg, thus delaying her quest for Paris to the second qualifier, the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in June.

Kinjo gave birth to her first child in May and only returned to competition in October at the second-tier Japan Women's Open, which she won at 59kg.

In the Olympic weight classes, wrestlers who win titles at both the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup automatically earn a spot on the team to the Belgrade worlds. If the two are different, a playoff will be held to fill the berth.

In Kinjo's case, she will have to win the 57kg title at the Meiji Cup, then beat the Emperor's Cup champion in the playoff to make the world team and enhance her chances for a third straight Olympic gold in Paris.

Also in the field at 59kg are Himeka TOKUHARA and Yui SAKANO, who will be representing Japan at the women's World Cup next weekend in Coralville, Iowa. The majority of wrestlers, both in women's and freestyle, opted to skip the World Cup because it falls so close to the Emperor's Cup.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Olympic and world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will face stiff competition at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Old nemesis in Susaki's path

While Susaki was making history this year by winning both the world senior and U23 titles -- the latter of which completed the set of career age-group crowns -- an old nemesis was quietly returning to the mat after an extended hiatus.

Also entered at 50kg is Yuki TANAKA, who was wrestling under her maiden name of IRIE when she became the only wrestler on the planet to beat Susaki dating back to junior high school. And she did it three times, the most recent in 2019.

Neither Susaki nor Tanaka can ignore Remina YOSHIMOTO, the 2021 world champion in Susaki's absence who has yet to beat the Olympic champion but has always given her a tough fight.

Kinjo's younger sister, Tokyo Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI, will look to gain revenge and regain the 62kg throne that she lost to collegian Nonoka OZAKI, who went on to win the senior world title in that weight class in September.

Another stacked women's weight class will be at 68kg, where world silver medalist Ami ISHII awaits world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA and 2021 world 72kg gold medalist Masako FURUICHI.

In the other Olympic weight classes, world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI is the one to beat at 57kg -- with a clash against Kinjo likely to come at the Meiji Cup -- while 76kg could see a battle between world bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI and 17-year-old world U20 champion Ayano MORO, who has gone undefeated dating back to 2017.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)World champion Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) is entered in both GR 67kg and FS 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Narikuni to attempt rare double

Narikuni, an unorthodox wrestler who finally showed his potential by winning the freestyle 70kg world title in Belgrade, will attempt a historic double by also entering at Greco-Roman 67kg.

The 25-year-old, whose mother was a two-time world champion, has a goal of not just equaling his mother, but going beyond her by winning world titles in both freestyle and Greco.

It marks the first time since 1984 that a wrestler will be competing in both styles at the national championships. The last time a wrestler won titles in both was in 1973, at a time when the styles were wrestled at separate tournaments and more wrestlers competed in the two.

Standing in Narikuni's way at Greco 67kg will be defending champion and Asian bronze medalist Katsuaki ENDO.

Another Greco weight class drawing attention is 60kg, where Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and two-time former world champion Kenichiro FUMITA could meet world 55kg bronze medalist Yu SHIOTANI.

Fireworks can also be expected at freestyle 57kg, as world 61kg champion Rei HIGUCHI has dropped back down to the division in which he won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Former world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI, who beat Higuchi in a playoff for the 57kg spot at the Tokyo Olympics, has returned after an extended hiatus. Those two can expect stiff competition from a number of young opponents, including 2021 world 61kg bronze medalist Toshiro HASEGAWA.

While coronavirus restrictions have been vastly eased in the country, the tournament field has been limited to 16 per weight class.

To simulate the Olympics as much as possible, the Olympic weight classes will be run over two days, with competition up to the semifinals on the first day and the repechage and medal match on the second. Non-Olympic classes will be completed in one day.

#wrestlebishkek

Badaghimofrad First Qatar Wrestler to Reach Asian Championships Greco Final

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 05:29 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 7) -- Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) won a historic bronze medal for Qatar at the 2025 Asian Championships. In Bishkek, he created another history.

Badaghimofrad became the first-ever Qatar wrestler to reach the final in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships on Tuesday after he defeated Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 9-8, in a thrilling bout at 82kg.

In an all but lost semifinals, the Qatar wrestler, made a huge comeback against the former Asian champion, who led 7-2 at one point. Badaghimofrad scored a stepout but Qatar challenged for two points. It, however, lost it which made the score 8-3 for Magomadov.

But it was all Badaghimofrad after that as he scored a takedown, two stepouts, a point for par terre and also got a fleeing point for his 9-8 win.

He will now look to become Qatar's first-ever Asian champion in any style when he faces Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) in the final on Tuesday.

Hosseini became the sixth Iran wrestler to reach the final at this Asian Championships after he defeated PRINCE (IND) 10-0. Hosseini scored a four-point throw from par terre to lead 5-0 and then Iran challenged for a leg foul from Prince which was confirmed on review. With a 7-0 lead, Hosseini completed a correct throw for two points. India challenged asking for no points but lost it to give one more point to Hosseini.

In other weight classes, Hadi SARAVI (IRI) is a win away from defending his Asian title at 97kg after he reached the final in Bishkek with a 3-1 win over Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the semifinal. He scored a turn from par terre and was content to defend his lead. He will face returning bronze medalist NITESH (IND) in the final after the Indian scored a 7-2 win over Zegang WANG (CHN).

Nitesh got the par terre in the first period and turned Wang for a 3-0 lead before launching a throw for four points to make it 7-0. No par terre was awarded in the second period but Wang scored a drag to takedown to score two points but with just five seconds left.

72kg semifinals - Javad REZAEI (IRI) had to throw Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) twice to complete a 9-0 victory in the semifinals. Rezaei began the semifinal with a takedown and turn to lead 4-0. He then threw Kuchkorov for four points, giving him an 8-0 win. But Uzbekistan challenged and on review, Kuchkorov's head was outside before the throw, reversing the score to 4-0. Soon, Rezaei was awarded the par terre position and he made no mistake this time, completing a 9-0 win.

He will face Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) for the gold medal after the Kazakhstan wrestler got a 3-1 win over Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) in the other semifinal. Amanbek was leading 1-1 on criteria when he got the par terre position, making his lead 2-1. He then scored a stepout against a tiring Ismailov which was enough to confirm his winning score.

67kg semifinals - Kyrgyzstan got it's fourth finalist when returning silver medalist Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) defeated Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) in the 67kg semifinals. Awarded the first par terre, Beishekeev used two reverse body throws for four points each to win. Iran challenged and the first throw was scored two points after review. However Mohsen Nezhad had committed a defensive foul while defending the second period. He was docked two points for the foul, which eventually still gave the win to the Kyrgyz wrestler.

Beishekeev will look to change the color of his medal on Wednesday when he faces Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) who got the better of Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 5-2, in the semifinal. Aminov was awarded a par terre and a stepout in the first period to lead 2-0.

Shimizu got similar scoring the second period to lead 2-2 on criteria. Aminov challenged for a point when Shimizu did not complete a throw and Aminov landed on top. But Uzbekistan lost the challenge which gave the additional point to the Japanese wrestler. Aminov tried an arm throw but Shimizu blocked it for a takedown which gave him two more points.  

60kg semifinals - The 60kg gold medal bout will be a repeat of last year's Asian Championships final as both Se ung RI (PRK) and Alisher GANIEV (UZB) marched into final with commanding victories.

Defending champion and world and Olympic bronze medalist Ri took just 27 seconds to reach a second straight Asian Championships. He used a four-pointer and then two front chestwrap rolls to finish the bout 8-0 against Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

In the other semifinal, Ganiev got first par terre against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) and lifted before slamming him on the mat for four points. He continued the sequence and completed another four-point throw to win the bout. Japan challenged for a foul but lost the challenge to give one more point to Ganiev, making him a 10-0 winner.

RESULTS

60kg
SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), 10-0
SF 2: Se ung RI (PRK) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ), 8-0

63kg
SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI), 9-0
SF 2: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 5-2

72kg
SF 1: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 3-1
SF 2: Javad REZAEI (IRI) df. Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB), 9-0

82kg
SF 1: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 9-8
SF 2: Mohammadamin HOSSEINI (IRI) df. PRINCE (IND), 10-0

97kg
SF 1: Hadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 3-1
SF 2: NITESH (IND) df. Zegang WANG (CHN), 7-2

Qualification Highlights

13:13: Former Asian champion Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) picks up a 3-1 victory over Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) who is moving up to 82kg from 77kg in which he won Asian gold last year. Magomadov with a turn after being awarded the par terre to build a 3-0 lead. Vardanyan was the par terre position in the second period which gave him the one point but that was as the Kazakhstan wrestler advanced to the semifinals.

13:03: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT), who won Qatar's historic first medal in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships last year and with hopes to change the color this year, begins with a 5-3 victory over Rui LIU (CHN). He scores two turns from par terre while allowing Liu only one to keep the lead. He advances to the semifinals at 82kg

12:57: Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) sees his bid to add an Asian Greco gold to the one he won in Freestyle in 2022 end with a thud, as the Japanese went down to a quick 9-0 loss to Javad REZAEI (IRI) at 72kg. Rezaei, a former world U23 silver medalist who won the gold at this year's Tirana Ranking Series tournament, got the passivity call and went ahead 3-0 with a gut wrench. But the Iranian was hardly finished, as he then launched Narikuni for a 4-point throw, then ended the proceedings at 2:01 with another gut wrench to advance to the semifinals. Narikuni, who is also entered at Freestyle 70kg, is the first Japanese to compete in both styles at an Asian Championships since 1983.

12:52: Former world and Asian bronze medalist Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) scores a takedown and 2-point roll, then finishes off ANIL (IND) with a 4-point arm throw to end their 72kg quarterfinal with an 8-0 win in 1:05.

12:50: A takedown and two massive four-point throws from returning silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) for a 10-0 win in just a minute and four seconds at 60kg. Highlights stuff from Ganiev!

12:45: Former Asian champion Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) slips out from the bottom of par terre and gains a 2-point exposure and reversal in the second period, clinching a 6-2 victory over SAHIL (IND) and berth in the 60kg semifinals.

12:41: Reigning champion and World and Olympic bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK) starts his title defense at 60kg with a hard-fought 6-2 victory over 2024 world U23 and U20 champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI). After giving up an early takedown, Ri spins out of an arm throw to go behind for a takedown, then goes ahead 4-2 with a gut wrench. In the second period, Ri adds another takedown and holds on for a place in the semifinals. 

12:33: The Asian gold-medal hopes of world silver medalist Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) came to a painful end, as he had to default his match with Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) due to an elbow injury, shortly after giving up a 4-point throw that saw him fall behind 5-1. Whether Chung will be able to continue to add to his two Asian bronzes and one silver remains to be seen. 

12:30: Olympic and defending champion Hadi SARAVI (IRI) takes his sweet time to score a technical superiority 8-0 win over Minho LEE (KOR) at 97kg. While the match went on for more than four minutes, Saravi never looked in trouble.

12:27: Zegang WANG (CHN) ends the long-shot hopes of Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) for an improbable Greco-Freestyle double gold, storming to an 8-0 win to advance to the 97kg semifinals.  

12:24: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) uses a cross-body lift from par terre to slam down Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) in their 67kg quarterfinal match, but keeps the hold and secures the fall at 1:39. 

12:23: In a battle of past 77kg bronze medalists, Rui LIU (CHN) takes a 4-1 lead into the second period of his 82kg bout with Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) when he gives up a 2-point fingers-grabbing foul to suddenly make things interesting. But Liu fends off everything the home wrestler throws at him for a 4-3 win and a place in the quarterfinals.

12:19: Another quick finish on Mat C. Returning silver medalist Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) falls to Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 8-0, in just 58 seconds at 97kg

12:16: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) with quick 10-0 win over Sunat ABDULLOEV (TJK). The former U20 world champion took just 2:45 minutes to advance at 67kg.

12:15: Two-time Asian U23 champion Haodong TAN (CHN) hits a 4-point throw late in the first period to complete a stunning fightback against Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) for a 7-5 victory at 60kg. Tan had fallen behind 5-0 in the first period, with part of those points coming on a leg foul after he had apparently stopped a throw by Zhaparov. That foul came into play later after Tan cut the lead to 5-3, as the front headlock throw that he hit was initially scored as 2 points, which would have left him behind criteria. But after a referees' discussion, it was revised to 4, putting him over the top.

12:10: Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), another wrestler trying to achieve a Greco-Freestyle double, gets his first international Greco win with a 11-2 win over Loiqi AMIRKHONZODA (TJK) at 72kg. Narikuni scored a takedown and then got the par terre position from which he scored an exposure to lead 5-0. Amirkhonzoda managed to get a reverse exposure to make it 5-2. Narikuni manages to come back on top and rolls Amirkhonzoda twice to win the 72kg bout

12:05: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) built a 7-0 lead from par terre with three turns against Minwoo KIM (KOR) but used the full seconds period to score the final two points when Kim tried a desperate throw. Ahmadi Vafa was awarded the fall and he advances at 67kg.

12:00: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), another of the gutsy wrestlers attempting the Greco-Freestyle double in Bishkek, doesn't get the venture off to a good start, as he falls behind 7-0 in the first period of his 97kg bout with Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA). But the Mongolian hangs tough and scores a takedown before the period ends to make it 7-2. Ganbaatar gets shot at par terre, and while Fallatah resists at first, Ganbaatar's gut wrench takes him over four times. Ganbaatar adds a late takedown and walks off a 13-7 winner. 

11:49: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN), a world bronze medalist at 63kg in 2021, rallies with a stepout and spin-behind takedown midway through the second period for a 4-3 win at 67kg over two-time Asian bronze medalist Ji LENG (CHN).

11:48: In a thriller right off the bat on Mat B, world silver medalist Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) gets a second chance at par terre in the second period, and boy did he make the most of it, launching Asian U23 champion Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) for a 4-point throw to win 7-4 in their opening match at 67kg

11:30: Welcome to Bishkek on a hazy spring day for the second day of competition in Greco-Roman. The qualifying rounds will be held in the remaining five weight classes of 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg, with world and Olympic champion Hadi SARAVI (IRI) headlining the action as he goes for a fourth Asian title.