Ozaki powers to 4th career national title in return to 62kg

Friday, December 20, 2024 - 15:49 By Ken Marantz

Nonoka OZAKI works the lace lock during the women's 62kg final against high schooler Shirin TAKEMOTO. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

TOKYO (December 20) -- Having made an unintended move up to 68kg that still resulted in an Olympic medal, Nonoka OZAKI is back at 62kg. She can't say for sure that that's where she will be at the time of the next Olympics, but she's off to a good start in a bid to make that happen.

Ozaki, the only one of Japan's 11 medalists at the Paris Olympics entered in the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, swept to the 62kg gold on Friday at Tokyo's Yoyogi No. 2 Gym for her fourth career national title.

The 21-year-old Ozaki, last year's 68kg champion, completed an unscored-upon run to the gold with a 10-0 technical fall over high schooler Shirin TAKEMOTO in the final to add to the 62kg titles she won in 2020 and 2021.

"I realize that to compete against the top wrestlers, I have to raise my level both technically and physically," Ozaki said. "It was a relief to come out with a win at this stage, but it also made me aware there are many things I need to work on."

In other highlights on the second day of the four-day tournament that is also serving as one of the two domestic qualifiers for next year's World Championships, three-time former world champion Haruna MURAYAMA needed a dramatic last-second victory at women's 55kg to win her first title in five years, and Katsuaki ENDO denied training room collegue's bid for a historic first by regaining the Greco 67kg title.

Ozaki was the world champion at 62kg in 2022 and seemingly on a fast-track to Olympic glory when her plans were derailed by Sakura MOTOKI, who moved up from 59kg and snatched the Paris berth in the Olympic weight.

Ozaki famously made the daring decision to bump up all the way to 68kg, and it paid off when she scored a miraculous playoff victory over Ami ISHII at the buzzer for ticket to Paris. There, she came away with a bronze medal -- below expectations, no doubt, but a solid performance nonetheless.

JPN4 Paris Olympic 68kg bronze medalist Nonoka Ozaki scores a takedown in the women's 62kg final against Shinrin TAKEMOTO. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

The Emperor's Cup marked Ozaki's first competition since Paris, after which she took about two months off and comtemplated which direction she wanted to go. While Japan's other Olympic medalists are still recovering while enjoying the fruits of their labor, Ozaki said she came to the decision in October that it was time to get back into action.

"I really struggled with this decision," she said. "I was coming off the break, so I had to become resolved to do it. If I was going to enter, I didn't want to lose. That was the main thing.

"There was pressure that by coming back and entering the tournament, I was expected to win, and that's tough. But I lived up to the challenge and was in good condition, so I'm glad I did it. I put the Olympics in the past. It was a great experience, but I saw this as a making a new start."

Starting with a victory by fall over world U20 bronze medalist Nagisa ITO, Ozaki faced her toughest challenge in the semifinals from Misuzu ENOMOTO, who had won a bronze medal at the Korean Open in September. Ozaki was never in trouble in carving out a 4-0 win.

The final was vintage Ozaki, as she scored a quick takedown against Takemoto and transitioned to a high-leg roll. From there, she moved down to a lace lock to make it 6-0, then added a takedown to go into the break up 8-0. She needed just 18 seconds of the second period to end the match with a quick shrug-by takedown.

"This tournament, I felt I was in the bracket with strong opponents leading up to the final," Ozaki said. "I thought the semifinal would be the mountain I had to get over. But anyone who makes it to the final will be tough, the key was to not let down my guard. This time it was a high schooler, and they have a lot of spunk and want to knock off those at the top. I remembered back to when I was a high schooler. I fought hard with that in mind."

Ozaki makes no secret of her desire to get to and win the gold at the Los Angeles Olympics. She's just not sure in what weight class fate will put her.

"I'm not thinking yet that four years from now I'll be at 62kg, but my weight has come down from its peak and at this time it seemed that 62kg was the most suitable for me and that's what I entered here," she said.

"Looking at my next objectives, there is the Asian Championships next year, the [world] under-23 and qualifying for various tournaments. My goal is to be well prepared and come out with victories."

JPN Haruna MURAYAMA, top, bowls over Sowaka UCHIDA for a 4-point takedown in the final seconds of the women's 55kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Murayama foils high schooler's upset bid

In women's wrestling in Japan, there always seems to be another new prospect coming on to the scene, and Murayama ran headlong into one of the latest rising stars, and only barely avoided a stunning upset.

Murayama, who had won her three world titles (2017, 2018 and 2023) under her maiden name of OKUNO, scored a 4-point takedown in the final seconds of the 55kg final for a 6-3 victory over 18-year-old world U20 champion Sowaka UCHIDA.

In a defensive battle, Murayama was leading 2-1 in the second period, with all of the points coming on the activity clock, when Uchida suddenly charged ahead and scored a stepout as Murayama defended with whizzer. A challenge was unsuccessful, putting Uchida up 3-2 with 11 seconds left.

Murayama was not to be denied and came out charging like a bull, managing to plow Uchida over backwards during the final ticks of the clock for the 4-pointer.

"If I could get one point, I would win, so I didn't need a takedown," Murayama said. "I pressed for one, but she's flexible and can keep from being forced out, so I thought I couldn't get her out. I felt her power making a stand, so I changed direction and got the points."

Uchida, a member of the JOC Academy that produced such stars as Ozaki, Yui SUSAKI and Takuto OTOGURO, had made a name for herself at last year's Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, when she scored a stunning 11-9 victory over Emperor's Cup champ Moe KIYOOKA.

Murayama has arguably been the biggest victim of the depth of Japanese women's wrestling. First she lost out on a place to the Tokyo Olympics to Mayu MUKAIDA (now SHIDOCHI), then was pushed aside in the race to Paris by phenom Akari FUJINAMI.

JPN2 Katsuaki ENDO launches a throw that was good for 2 points in the Greco 67kg final against Kaisei TANABE. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Endo intervenes in Tanabe's quest for history

A day after Kaisei TANABE successfully defended his freestyle 61kg crown, he set out to become the first wrestler to complete the national freestyle-Greco double in over 50 years. Endo had other ideas.

Endo, competing domestically for the first time since seeing his Olympic dream end with a loss in last year's final to Kyotaro SOGABE, denied Tanabe with a one-sided 8-0 victory in Friday's Greco 67kg gold-medal match.

Endo, last year's Asian Games gold medalist, had stepped away from the mat after his loss to Sogabe, who ended up winning the Asian qualifier to earn a ticket to Paris. Endo came back this fall and headed to the Bundesliga, where he compiled a 12-0 record despite sometimes competing in weight classes over 70kgs.

En route to Friday's final, Endo scored less-than-satisfying victories over a pair of 2023 world U23 bronze medalists, beating Chiezo MARUYAMA (who won a bronze at 63kg in Tirana) 3-2 and Haruto YABE 3-1 in the semifinals.

"My impression is that my matches were pretty disappointing," Endo said. "Last December, I lost here, after which I started thinking about my form and I took a long break. After that, I went over to compete in the Bundesliga for three months. This was the tournament where I was going to turn things around. But I didn't have a match that went as I had imagined and that was disappointing."

In the final, experience paid off for Endo, a graduate of Nippon Sports Science University where he still trains and where Tanabe is currently a student. Their paths do not cross very often as Tanabe focuses more on freestyle.

From par terre, Endo launched two throws that, while not putting Tanabe on his back, were good for two points each, then added a roll for a 7-0 lead. He clinched the technical fall with a stepout midway through the second period, regaining the title he won in 2021. He also won at 63kg in 2018.

Tanabe came up just short of becoming the first wrestler to win freestyle and Greco titles at the same All-Japan since 1973, when Mitsuo YOSHIDA won golds in the 100kg class of both styles. He went on to become a professional wrestler with the ring name Choshuriki.

Endo applauded Tanabe, whose father Chikara was a freestyle bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is currently one of the coaches at NSSU.

"I totally respect him," Endo said. "Kaisei is strong in freestyle and strong in Greco. It makes me a bit jealous. This was the final of the All-Japan, and it would have been disrespectful if I hadn't given it my all."

Asked if he also didn't have the urge to show Tanabe that he can't take Greco for granted, Endo replied, "There's a little of that. But once he takes the mat, he's one of us and I respect that."

One reason that there has not been a freestyle-Greco double achieved in so long is that for several decades, no wrestler thought to attempt it. There was no rule against it, but it was never encouraged.

No wrestler since the 1980s had entered both styles until last year, when 2022 world 70kg freestyle champion Taishi NARIKUNI did it as part of quest to also become a world Greco champ, only to pull out of both due to an injury.

Along with Tanabe, among the 20 or so that tried this year was Waseda sophomore Leon KAKEGAWA, who for the second straight year came home with medals in both styles -- and the same ones, in fact.

A day after taking a bronze at Greco 82kg, he secured the silver in freestyle 92kg, losing to Takashi ISHIGURO 5-0 in the final. Ishiguro had moved down from 97kg, where he won back-to-back titles in 2021-22.

JPN3 Arash YOSHIDA gets in deep on a single-leg takedown against Yohei SHINADA in the freestyle 97kg final. (photo by Takeo YABUKI / JWF)

Yoshida continues dominance of upper weights

In other action, 2023 Asian champion Arash YOSHIDA, Japan's top hope to end a global medal drought in the men's upper weight classes, won a second straight title at freestyle 97kg with a first-period victory by fall over Yohei SHINADA.

Yoshida, a junior at Nihon University, opened with a takedown, then took Shinada down again directly to his back before securing the fall at 1:49.

Yoshida's father is Iranian and runs the kids club in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, where he and his siblings got their start in the sport. Arash first showed his potential by winning the gold at last year's Asian Championships, where he beat an Iranian in the first round. He followed that by making the semifinals before placing fifth at the World Championships in Belgrade.

But he came up short in the Olympic qualifiers, showing he still has a way to go.

"Watching the [Olympic] matches, I gained the feeling that I'm not yet at that level. Both from the technical and physical aspects, there is still much that I need to do. I have to build my strength, then firm up my techniques, then I think I can get there. It's still an unknown world for me. Anyway, I need to practice more."

Since Akira OTA won a silver medal at freestyle 90kg at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Japan has had only a handful of wrestlers over 90kg qualify for the Olympics, and none since London 2012.

Looking closer ahead, he is aiming for this year's Asian Championships and perhaps a chance meeting with one of the sport's newest stars.

"At the Asian Championships, I'm not sure, but the Olympic champion [Akhmed TAZHUNIDOV (BRN)] might be there. That would give me an idea of where I'm at, which I can take into the Meiji Cup and then on to the World Championships."

The Meiji Cup, to be held in June, is the second of the two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

92kg (16 entries)
GOLD -- Takeshi ISHIGURO df. Leon KAKEGAWA, 5-0
BRONZE -- Hiroto NINOMIYA df. Sorato KANAZAWA, 6-4
BRONZE -- Takato UCHIDA df. Yusuke SUZUKI by TF, 10-0, 1:45

97kg (9 entries)
GOLD -- Arash YOSHIDA df. Yohei SHINADA by Fall, 1:49 (6-0)
BRONZE -- Genki HOKI df. Ryusei FUJITA by Inj. Def.
BRONZE -- Takuma TACHIOKA df. Akinobu TAKEUCHI by Inj. Def.

125kg (13 entries)
GOLD -- Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Taira SONODA by TF, 10-0, 3:40
BRONZE -- Hosei FUJITA df. Koei YAMADA, 2-1
BRONZE -- Sota NAGANO df. Kaito UTSUNOMIYA, 5-1

Greco-Roman

67kg (17 entries)
GOLD -- Katsuaki ENDO df. Kaisei TANABE by TF, 8-0, 4:22
BRONZE -- Haruto YABE df. Chiezo MARUYAMA, 6-2
BRONZE -- Ryoma HOJO df. Taisei MAEDA by TF, 11-0, 2:24

72kg (13 entries)
GOLD -- Issei HONNA df. Yuji UEGAKI, 3-3
BRONZE -- Hajime KIKUTA df. Sanshiro ISHIHARA, 8-4
BRONZE -- Rei NAGAMATSU df. Kensaku ONO by TF, 14-4, 5:19

77kg (15 entries)
GOLD -- Kodai SAKURABA df. Shunsuke MIZUGUCHI by TF, 9-0, 1:38
BRONZE -- Shu YAMADA df. Isami HORIKITA by Inj. Def.
BRONZE -- Naoki KADODE vs Yuki AOYAGI by TF, 9-0, 1:56

Women's Wrestling

55kg (12 entries)
GOLD -- Haruna MURAYAMA df. Sowaka UCHIDA, 6-3
BRONZE -- Minami MARU df. Karen SASAKI, 6-4
BRONZE -- Ruka NATAMI df. Risa MOTOHARA, 3-0

62kg (10 entries)
GOLD -- Nonoka OZAKI df. Shirin TAKEMOTO by TF, 10-0, 3:18
BRONZE -- Hiyori MOTOKI df. Ayana HISHINUMA, 6-5
BRONZE -- Misuzu ENOMOTO df. Nagisa ITO by TF, 10-0, :59

72kg (7 entries)
GOLD -- Masako FURUICHI df. Sumire NIIKURA, 2-0
BRONZE -- Haruka KOBARU df. Yuka FUJIKURA, 3-3

Japan Wrestling

Fujinami's pre-Paris prepping includes victory in rare clash with fellow world champ Sakurai

Sunday, January 21, 2024 - 12:45 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (January 18) -- It wasn't exactly Rocky and Apollo Creed settling their score in a dank empty boxing gym. But on a winter morning in Tokyo, two reigning women world champions met in a rare clash that would have been a marquee match-up on a global stage but was seen only by a sparse crowd in a nondescript high school gym.

Akari FUJINAMI got the best of fellow world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI when they faced off not for individual glory, but for collegiate pride in the East Japan Women's Collegiate League, a team competition held on Jan. 14.

A crowd of 150 or so was on hand for the clash of titans at Kokugakuin High School in central Tokyo, almost solely teammates, coaches, referees and officials from the organizing Tokyo Wrestling Association. The only sign that something special was at hand were the 30-plus media members there to witness the historic event.

JPN1 Nippon Sport Science University's Akari FUJINAMI looks for an opening in her match with fellow world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI of Ikuei University in a collegiate team tournament in Tokyo on Jan. 14. (photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Fujinami, the reigning world gold medalist at 53kg from Nippon Sports Science University, defeated three-time 57kg titlist Sakurai of Ikuei University 5-0 in a 59kg match as both continue their preparations for the Paris Olympics, where they will both be favorites to strike gold.

Fujinami and Sakurai have practiced together before at national team camps, most recently at the start of the new year, but had not met in an official match since their high school days.

"We have practiced together many times," Fujinami said. "I was nervous in the actual match and it had a different feel. I think things came out that I can work on going into Paris, and I hope the two of us can win gold medals in Paris."

The five-team competition (actually four, with Nihon University a no-show) paired squads of three in the 53kg, 59kg and over-59kg weight classes in a duel meet format. Fujinami's victory was not enough to prevent Sakurai's Ikuei from beating NSSU 2-1, with Paris hopeful Ami ISHII scoring the decisive victory. Ikuei went on to win the title.

Fujinami, however, won her two other matches on the day, running her current winning streak to 133 that dates back to her junior high school days and includes two world senior titles.

So what led such stars to risk injury in an Olympic year in a match that would normally only have occurred had a national team berth been at stake?

"For sure, there were various things I thought of, but I wanted to make some contribution to Nittaidai," Fujinami said, using the common term for NSSU. "I heard that Sakurai would be participating, and I knew Sakurai would be ready, so I wanted to do it. I thought it would be a match that will have a connection to Paris. I entered because I will do everything to get ready for Paris, and I did it for Nittaidai."

Sakurai, at 22, is two years older. The two had met three times previously, most recently in July 2019, when Fujinami won for the first time, notching a 7-4 victory in the final at the Inter High School Championships.

Before that, Sakurai scored technical falls in their first two matches, both in 2016, when Fujinami was still in junior high school. It would be in June the following year that Fujinami would lose 7-2 to Umi ITO in the 44kg final of the All-Japan Junior High School Championships---and has not lost since.

"The last time I faced [Sakurai] I was in my first year of high school, so some time has passed since then," Fujinami said. "Both of us have made progress, and both of us will be putting it all on the line in Paris, so we will practice together again with the aim of making us both better."

JPN2 Fujinami gets behind for a first-period takedown. Fujinami's father and coach calls out in the background on the left. (photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

In the match, Sakurai tried to use her strength advantage to tie up Fujinami's arms, which thwarted any attacks but led to a passivity point for Fujinami. At the end of the first period, Fujinami finally broke through with a classic single leg takedown to take a 3-0 lead into the second frame.

Neither wrestler could create a good opening in the second period. At one point, Fujinami shot and was temporarily knocked back off balance, but she quickly recovered, and she later squirmed out of an arm spin. With time running out, Sakurai attempted a last-ditch headlock, but Fujinami fought it off for a takedown at the buzzer.

"At this level, I knew it would be a match in which you couldn't let the chance get away if given even a little opening," Fujinami said. "She's an opponent with a strong defense."

JPN5 Hosei University's Narumi NAKAMURA scores a rare 2-point exposure on Fujinami. (photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Not surprisingly, Fujinami had an easier time in her two other matches, winning by either fall or technical superiority. She did, however, give up a rare 2-point exposure to Hosei University's Narumi NAKAMURA, who normally wrestles at 57kg. Fujinami had scored a takedown and was trying for a turn when her opponent reached down and pulled up Fujinami's leg from the inside. But the action came at the edge and was limited to the exposure.

According to the Japan federation website, it was the 12th time in Japan history that two reigning world champions faced each other, dating back to 1965. The most recent occurred in 2019, when then-women's 55kg champion Mayu MUKAIDA (now SHIDOCHI) defeated 53kg counterpart Haruna OKUNO in a 53kg match at the All-Japan Invitational Championships.

In almost all of the previous cases, the clash of titans came about because of the funneling of top wrestlers into the fewer weight classes used for the Olympics. Champions in non-Olympic weights would shift into Olympic ones, creating marquee match-ups. None drew more attention than the epic battles between reigning Olympic champions Kaori ICHO and Risako KAWAI for the 57kg spot at the Tokyo Olympics.

What made the Fujinami-Sakurai encounter so unique was that it occurred in such an innocuous event. While NSSU and Ikuei have emerged as the collegiate powerhouses in women's wrestling, no major title nor individual glory was on the line, and both schools had an alternate on the roster.

"We're in an era now where the strong wrestlers want to face each other," said NSSU assistant coach and former Olympic medalist Chikara TANABE. "If you avoid each other, you won't get stronger. There was also the pride of representing their university. The tournament organizer thought they wouldn't face each other, but they wanted to do it."

JPN3 Sakurai attempts a last-ditch headlock, which Fujinami fights off for a late takedown. (photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Fujinami agrees that facing tough domestic competition, even if it means risking injury -- she has often expressed indifference about the winning streak -- can only be a positive thing.

"I knew deep down that there was a big risk in the challenge itself, but I felt it was something I could not run away from," Fujinami said. "In the end, I won. Looking back on this competition, I will look for things to work on, all in preparation for Paris."

Sakurai concurred, saying, "I went in with the intention of winning, so there is some disappointment. But it is a good thing to to face a wrestler who is above me. Practicing with wrestlers like her at the national camp should help me in my bid to win at the Olympics. I'm glad that I participated in this."

Fujinami would not reveal what her actual weight was on the day, but 59kg marks the heaviest weight class in which she has ever competed. She had gone up to 55kg twice recently and won both times, at the national collegiate championships in 2022 and the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov international tournament in Bulgaria last year.

"I have to lose a lot to get down to 53, so I decided to go at 59," she said.

JPN6 Ikuei's Ami ISHII works for a takedown against Kanagawa's Makoto KOMADA. (photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Ishii preps for playoff with wins

It might have been a small surprise to also see Ishii taking the mat as well, given that she is two weeks away from an all-or-nothing playoff for the women's 68kg spot in Paris coming up against Nonoka OZAKI.

Ishii had secured the 68kg berth by winning the fifth-place playoff in Belgrade, but because she did not medal, as per Japan federation criteria, she did not automatically fill it herself. A victory at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December would have clinched it, but she lost in the first round to Ozaki, who went on to win the title. Now the two will go at again in a playoff on Jan. 27.

"I went into the Emperor's Cup with the intention of winning, so I had already committed to entering this before that," Ishii said. "It is a good rehearsal to have a tension-filled match before the playoff."

Ishii all but assured Ikuei the championship when she defeated NSSU's Kokona TAKADA 11-0 in the over-59kg match, then later won again by technical superiority in Ikuei's victory over Kanagawa University. Ishii was selected as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

The 21-year-old Ishii was a silver medalist at 68kg in her senior world debut in 2022. But last year in Belgrade, she lost 11-1 to eventual champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) in the semifinals, then lost a heartbreaking 8-8 decision in the bronze-medal match to Irina RINGACI (ROM). She bounced back to defeat Emma BRUNTIL (USA) 2-0 in the fifth-place playoff.

Ozaki, the 2022 world silver medalist at 62kg, failed to displace Sakura MOTOKI -- Ishii's teammate at Ikuei -- in that weight class, and as a sort of consolation, won the 65kg world title in Belgrade. She then bumped up another weight class at the Emperor's Cup in a last-chance bid to get to Paris.

JPN9 The nine Japanese who have already secured tickets to the Paris Olympics pose together after being introduced to the crowd on the final day of the All-Japan Championships in December. (photo by Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Next stop, Bishkek

Next up for both Fujinami and Sakurai will be the Asian Championships on April 11-16 in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek, where they will look to solidify their UWW rankings and ensure high seeds at the Paris Olympics.

Both won golds at the Asian Games in China last October to follow up their triumphs the previous month at the World Championships. Fujinami will be aiming for her third straight Asian Championships title, while Sakurai will attempt to add to the title she won in 2022.

"We would be concerned if she didn't enter a tournament [before Paris]," said Fujinami's coach and father Shinichi. "At this point the biggest fear is injury. We have to prepare carefully and methodically for Paris."

The Asian Championships is expected to be the last opportunity for the world will get a glimpse of either wrestler before the Paris Olympics, although Shinichi said there is a slight possibility of his daughter appearing at the Ranking Series tournament in Budapest in June.

He noted that the Budapest has a two-kilogram weight allowance, but said at this point the Japan federation will not be dispatching wrestlers, meaning anyone who wants to go would have to do so as an individual.

Of the three other Japanese women who have already clinched tickets to Paris, Yui SUSAKI at 50kg and Sakura MOTOKI at 62kg have not publicly announced their intentions regarding Bishkek, while Yuka KAGAMI at 76kg said she will be there.

Kagami was an Asian champion in 2019 and silver medalist in 2022. Susaki and Motoki just finished competing at the Zagreb Open, where the former captured the gold while the latter lost in the semifinals to rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and defaulted the bronze-medal match.

As for the four Japanese men who already have tickets to Paris, it appears only Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg will be competing in Bishkek, according to his coaches. Kusaka, who won a bronze in Zagreb, will also enter the Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup in Warsaw in June. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA will bypass an attempt at a third career Asian title at Greco 60kg, but intends to travel to Warsaw in his lone tuneup for Paris.

In freestyle, neither Rei HIGUCHI at 57kg nor Daichi TAKATANI at 74kg will be going to Bishkek. Higuchi is expected to enter the Budapest Ranking Series event, as much to experience getting down to weight as anything else, while a source said that Takatani will head to Paris with only practice under his belt.

While Susaki was keeping her immediate plans under wraps, she recently made a surprisingly forthcoming -- and bold -- statement regarding her post-Paris future.

At the All-Japan Championships in December, Susaki and the other eight wrestlers who had already clinched berths in Paris did not compete, but were in attendance on the final day and were introduced to the crowd.

Later, Susaki met with the Japanese press and said that she is not only aiming to win a second straight Olympic title in Paris, but to also win golds at the Olympics after that in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032.

Such a feat would equal that of Kaori ICHO, the only woman in Olympic history to win four consecutive golds in one event.

Ozaki powers to 4th career national title in return to 62kg

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Fujinami's pre-Paris prepping includes victory in rare clash with fellow world champ Sakurai