#WrestleXian

Powerhouse Japan Puts All 5 in 1st-Day Women’s Finals; 4 to Clash with Chinese

By Ken Marantz

XI’AN, China (April 25)—An unintended overnight stay in Shanghai en route to Xi’an due to a canceled flight couldn’t prevent the Japanese women from getting off a sizzling start at the Asian Championships.

All five Japanese in action on the first day of women’s wrestling made it to the finals, setting up a virtual duel meet with China as the hosts will have four in the gold-medal matches.

Yuki IRIE (JPN), the 2015 Asian champion who finished third last year in Bishkek and second at the Asian Games, is determined to show she can win again on the international stage when she faces battle-hardened world bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN) in the 50kg final.

Irie won all three of her matches by 10-0 technical fall to set up the showdown with Sun, a bronze medalist at the Rio 2016 Olympics and winner at this year’s Klippan Lady tournament. 

“My movement was a bit stiff today,” Irie said who defeated two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) at the national championships in December. “I have to properly prepare for the final and use 100 percent of my arsenal.” 

Sun took a similar path to the final, receiving a first-round win by default before chalking up a pair of 10-0 technical falls.

The final will be a rematch of their clash at last year’s Women’s World Cup in Takasaki, in which Irie won by fall after building up a 10-0 lead. That sparked Japan to a 6-4 victory over China in the final.


Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) returned from shoulder surgery and made the 68kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

In another featured final on Day 3 of the tournament, Rio 2016 Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN), showing no effects from the shoulder surgery that kept her from defending her world title last year, will face defending champion ZHOU Feng (CHN) for the 68kg title. 

Dosho injured her shoulder in the preliminary round at the Women’s World Cup, scuttling a meeting in the final with Zhou, who later won a bronze medal at the Budapest 2018 worlds.

“I am only focused on my own actions,” Zhou said when asked about her first meeting with Dosho. 

Two-time world bronze medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), aiming to regain the Asian title she won in 2015, advanced to the 76kg final against world U23 champion Paliha PALIHA (CHN). 

Minagawa Suzuki, who finished second to ZHOU Qian (CHN) at both the Asian Championships and Asian Games last year, posted two 10-0 technical falls before defeating Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) by fall in :41 in the semifinals. 

Saki IGARASHI (JPN), the lone Japanese women’s champion last year in Bishkek—Japan saved its top wrestlers for the World Cup---put herself in line for a title repeat when she advanced to the 55kg final, where she will face XIE Mengyu (CHN). 

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) will take on Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) in the 57kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The lone final that does not include a Chinese is at 59kg, only because that showdown came in the semifinals, from which young collegian Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) advanced to the gold-medal match against Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL).  

Inagaki, a 2017 world cadet champion and winner at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in January, overwhelmed ZHANG Qi (CHN) by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals.

Altantsetseg has already assured she will improve on her bronze-medal finish at 57kg in Bishkek. She also finished third at the Asian Games and the Yarygin Grand Prix.

The Japan women’s team had planned to arrive in Xi’an on Monday night. But their connecting flight in Shanghai was canceled due to rain and fog, and the team had to spend the night at a hotel about a half-hour away from the airport.

Team coach Hideo SASAYAMA said the squad was unable to do any kind of workout for a full day. Irie said she was limited to some stretching in her room.

“There was nothing to do,” Sasayama said. “It was already late and the only thing to do was sleep. We wanted to get some exercise, but it couldn’t be helped.”

Sasayama said that the unexpected delay did not damper the mood on the team. Looking at the first day results, it was obvious there were no negative effects.

“The two young wrestlers [Inagaki and Igarashi] also won through smoothly, so there were no problems,” he said.

Day 3 results

Women’s wrestling

50kg (13 entries)
Gold – Yuki IRIE (JPN) v SUN Yanan (CHN)
Bronze – Seema SEEMA (IND) v Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ)
Bronze – HWANG Yong Ok (PRK) v OH Hyunyoung (KOR)

Semifinals
Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 4:44
SUN Yanan (CHN) df. OH Hyunyoung (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 3:23

55kg (11 entries)
Gold – XIE Mengyu (CHN) v Saki IGARASHI (JPN)
Bronze – KIM Haeyeung (KOR) v Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Bronze – Shakhodat DJULLIBAEVA (UZB) v Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL)

Semifinals
XIE Mengyu (CHN) df. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 1:13
Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL), 9-0

59kg (8 entries)
Gold – Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) v Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
Bronze – Thi Huong DAO (VIE) v Kumari MANJU (IND)
Bronze – CHOI Yeonwoo (KOR) v ZHANG Qi (CHN)

Semifinals
Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. Kumari MANJU (IND), 15-6
Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. ZHANG Qi (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 3:38

68kg (10 entries)
Gold – ZHOU Feng (CHN) v Sara DOSHO (JPN)
Bronze – Battsetseg SORONZOBOLD (MGL) v Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Bronze – Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) v Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)

Semifinals
ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Divya KAKRAN (IND) by TF, 14-4, 4:27
Sara DOSHO (JPN) df . Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 3-0

76kg (9 entries)
Gold – Paliha PALIHA (CHN) v Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)
Bronze – CHANG Hui Tsz (TPE) v Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Bronze – HWANG Eunju (KOR) v Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)

Semifinals
Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL) by TF, 10-0, :37
Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) by Fall, :41 (2-0)

#WrestleXian

Kim, Nouri Add to Asian Greco Gold Collections; Tasmuradov Denied by Tuo, Back Injury

By Ken Marantz

XI’AN, China (April 27)— Former Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) didn’t need much help in capturing a fifth gold medal at the Asian Championships, but got some anyway in the form of a risky decision by his opponent. 

Hossein NOURI (IRI), meanwhile, didn’t dominate the opposition, but was never really challenged either in capturing a fourth career gold. 

Iran won two gold medals out of five on the first day of the Greco-Roman competition in Xi’an, while host China gained a title when a bad day for four-time Asian champion Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) only got worse.

Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) won his fifth Asian title with an 8-0 win over India's Singh GURPREET in the 77kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Kim, who had two falls and a technical fall leading up to the final at 77kg, secured the gold with an 8-0 technical fall over Singh GURPREET (IND). But the match ended on an odd note--with the winning point being awarded on an unsuccessful challenge by the Indian side.

Kim, a 2018 world bronze medalist, had a five-point lead when he spun behind for a takedown to make it 7-0. The Indian coach threw the stuffed toy used for a challenge, and Gurpreet approved the move, despite the risk that it could cost him the bout.

“His leg was outside the zone,” Gurpreet said of his decision. “So I said OK to the coach.”

For Kim, it was his first Asian gold since winning three straight from 2013-15. The London 2012 Olympic champion and Rio 2016 bronze medalist, who finished third at last summer’s Asian Games in Jakarta, looks to be on track to being a contender at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Hossein NOURI (IRI) won his second consecutive Asian title with a 2-0 win over India's Kumar SUNIL (IND) in the 87kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Nouri, the defending champion at 87kg, also faced an Indian opponent in his final, and struck gold again after scoring a first-period takedown against Kumar SUNIL (IND) then holding on for a 2-0 victory.

Nouri gained his points when he deftly avoided a stepout by slipping to the side, then shrugging Sunil past him and getting behind.

“My opponent was good, but when I scored two points, I thought, no problem, I can hold him and I can win,” Nouri said. As for the scoreless second period. “I was reacting to the action of the opponent. Everything he did, I had a strategy for,” he said.

Nouri, a 2017 world bronze medalist and last year’s Asian Games champion, said this Asian title was the hardest to win, as he won all four of his matches by two points. 

“The competition was very high and strong, and all of my matches were very hard,” Nouri said. 

TUO Erbalu (CHN) was awarded the 63kg gold medal after Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) was unable to complete the match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

China gained its title when Tasmuradov was unable to continue in the 63kg final against TUO Erbalu (CHN) after suffering a severe back strain. The bout was ended 37 seconds into the second period with Tuo leading 4-3.

“I know he was second at the world championships in 2018, and I feel very sorry for him to get an injury,” said Tuo, who graciously assisted Tasmuradov in descending the steps from the mat, much to the appreciation of the crowd at Xidian University’s Invengo Gymnasium.

Asked by Chinese TV if he thought he could have won anyway, Tuo replied: “He is really strong and an outstanding wrestler. But I think I have the confidence to challenge him. I have been building up my strength and fitness.”

Circumstances notwithstanding, Tuo, the Chinese national champion, was ecstatic over winning his first major international title. 

“I’m really excited, even shocked,” he said. “I’m still hesitant to believe this is real.”

For Tasmuradov, who missed the medal ceremony, the injury was the last blow of a forgettable day. Already suffering from an upset stomach, his nose started to bleed early in the final and he had to take a break several times to staunch the flow.

In the first period, Tasmuradov scored two points with a slick arm throw, but Tuo came back with two-point lift from a front headlock. After scoring on a stepout, Tasmuradov suddenly dropped to the mat, holding the right side of his back. He later said he suffered the injury while twisting during the earlier lift.

He finished the period, but the pain became too much and he gave up the fight, which drew a fleeing penalty. That was immaterial, as he quickly dropped again to the mat, where he remained to be examined by the tournament doctor, who deemed him unable to continue. 

After helping Tasmuradov off the mat, Tuo returned to take a victory lap holding the Chinese flag.  

Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) snuck past Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 3-2 in the 130 gold-medal match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Iran also grabbed the last of the gold medals at stake on the fifth day of the six-day tournament when Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) edged Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) 3-2 in the 130kg final. 

All of the points came in a quick flurry early in the first period. Ghaseminmonjezi stopped a back-drop attempt to go up 2-0, but Abdullaev gained two back by stepping over on a roll attempt, only to see the Iranian get behind again for a one-point reversal.   

Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) captured the first gold of the night at 55kg, getting a point by stepout with 1:25 left to defeat Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN), 1-1, and add the senior Asian title to the junior one he captured in 2016

.Katagiri’s point came for passivity in the first period. He launched a number of positive throw attempts, but while some came close, none were enough to pick up points as he was denied in his bid to keep the Asian title in the lightest Greco weight class in Japanese hands for a third straight year.

The tournament concludes Sunday with competition in the five remaining Greco-Roman weight classes, which could see a rematch of the 59kg final from the 2017 world championships between winner Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) at 60kg.

Day 5 results

Greco-Roman

55kg (10 entries)
Gold – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN), 1-1
Bronze – Asan SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Reza KHEDRI (IRI), 3-1 
Bronze – Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) df. JEON Hyeokjin (KOR) by TF, 9-0, 3:50 

63kg (9 entries)
Gold – TUO Erbalu (CHN) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) by Injury Def., 2;23 (4-3) 
Bronze – JUNG Jinwoong (KOR) df. Urmalbek AMATOV (KGZ), 7-3
Bronze – Saman ABDOUVALI (IRI) df. Kudaibergen TURSYNOV (KAZ), 2-1

77kg (11 entries)
Gold – KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) df. Singh GURPREET (IND) by TF, 8-0, 2:28 
Bronze – Tamerlan Shadukayev (KAZ) df. Bakhit BADR (QAT) by TF, 8-0, 1:11. 
Bronze – Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Naotsugu SHOJI (JPN) by TF, 9-0, 1:43

87kg (10 entries)
Gold – Hossein NOURI (IRI) df. Kumar SUNIL (IND), 2-0
Bronze – Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) df. Tokhirdzhon OKHONOV (TJK) by TF, 8-0, 4:35
Bronze – Ruslam ASSAKALOV (UZB) df. Masato SUMI (JPN) by TF, 9-1, 2:39

130kg (8 entries)
Gold – Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) df. Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 3-2 
Bronze – Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ) df. Prem PREM (IND) by Fall, 1:27 (5-0)
Bronze – Murat RAMONOV (KGZ) df. KIM Minseok (KOR) by TF, 10-2, :55