#WrestleAlmaty

Ryu Makes Final in Move up to 72kg as 2 Iranian Defending Champions Dethroned

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 - 09:59 By Ken Marantz

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 15) --- As if qualifying for the Olympics six days earlier wasn't enough, Korean star Hansu RYU (KOR) made his bid for a third straight gold medal and fourth overall at the Asian Championships a bit more challenging.

Ryu, the reigning champion at 67kg, moved up to 72kg and used his speed and skill to overcome a disadvantage in girth and advance to the final, while two Iranian defending champions were dethroned  on Wednesday, the second day of the tournament in Almaty.

"I didn't participate in any competitions due to COVID, so I decided to participate in all competitions now, hence the Asian Championships," said Ryu, a two-time world champion. "I was trying to stay in the bouts till the end and that was my way to win today."

Ryu held off a gutsy Muslihiddin UROQOV (TJK) in a 6-5 semifinal victory to make the final, where he will face 2020 bronze medalist Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) in the night session at the spectator-less Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports.

"I don't know his strategy in the final but I am confident of winning because we have a lot of difference in weight, so I can use that to my advantage," said Ryu, who secured a spot at 67kg in the Tokyo Olympics at the Asian qualifying tournament held at the same venue April 9-11.

Unlike in his opening match, when he scored all of his points in the second period of a 10-1 technical fall victory over Taishi HORI (JPN), Ryu built up a 6-0 lead in the semifinal. But Uroqov caught the Korean with a pancake as he tried to spin behind for 4 points with 1:30 left. An unsuccessful challenge gave Uroqov another point, but Ryu hung on for the win.

Tsarev assured himself a move up the medal podium by avenging a loss from last year to defending champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), beating him 3-1 in the semis with the decisive points coming on a 2-point penalty for leg-grabbing with :50 left.

Before that, Tsarev knocked off Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) -- the runner-up to Ryu last year at 67kg -- by 8-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals.

"The Iran wrestler was tougher than the Uzbek because he is coming from 67kg so he had less power," Tsarev said. "And I have trained with Bakhshilloev before, so I also know his strategy.

"I have already had the goal to medal before in 2014. I lost to the Iran wrestler at the Asian Championships in Delhi last year 1-2. This is our top competition and it's was good to avenge that loss.

"I don't fight in an Olympic weight, so my focus is always on Asian Championships and World Championships, and the Olympics is not really my thing right now."

Iran's other defending champion to lose his crown was Mahdi EBRAHIMI (IRI), who lost both of his Nordic group matches at 82kg and failed to make the semifinals. Proof that their group was the dominant came when both of Ebrahimi's conquerors made the final.

In the semifinals, 2020 bronze medalist Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) edged Satoki MUKAI 3-2, while Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) rode a big 4-point throw from the par terre position to a 7-3 win over Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ). Berdimuratov won the group-stage clash between them, 3-0.

"The toughest wrestler today was Asykeev, but if you see, the Iran wrestler was not easy as well," Berdimuratov said. "I had to fight very hard against both of them. I want to bring glory to Uzbekistan by winning the gold medal here."

Berdimuratov's 6-0 victory earlier over Ebrahimi, which consisted of nifty 2-point and 4-point arm throws, was pay back for a 6-5 loss to the Iranian in last year's semifinals.

The other group was somewhat diluted by the absence of 2019 Asian champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), who defaulted his three matches for unspecified reasons. Kim had tried but failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at 77kg last week. 

Revenge was also sweet for Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN), who will get a chance for more when he faces Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) in the final at 67kg. The two met for the gold three years ago in Bishkek, with Kebispayev coming out on top 5-1.

In the semifinals, Shimoyamada defeated Hossein ASSADI KOLMATI (IRI) 3-2 by scoring a 2-point reverse lift with :40 left. That avenged a 5-3 loss to the Iranian in their bronze-medal match last year.

"He's a difficult opponent," Shimoyamada said. "At last year's Asian Championship in New Dehli, I lost to him. I'm happy I won."

Asked about coming back from a 2-point deficit to win, Shimoyamada said, "When I couldn't get points I thought I wouldn't win. But miracles happen, sometimes."

Kebispayev, a 2019 world bronze medalist at 63kg, scored a takedown and a front headlock exposure in the first period en route to a 4-1 victory over  Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ).

At 60kg, Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) will get a chance to improve on his bronze medal from a year ago after rolling to a 9-1 technical fall in the semifinal over Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) -- a repeat of the result between them at the 2019 world U-23, where the Iranian took a bronze medal.

Opposing him in the final will be Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ), who chalked up a solid 7-2 win over Karrar Abbas ALBEEDHAN (IRQ) in the other semifinal.

"I came here with a fixed target of winning the gold medal at the Asian Championships," Mohsen Nejad said. "I am lucky enough to reach the final and I am now ready for it."

Suzuki produced a surprise in the quarterfinals when he stormed to a 9-0 technical fall over Islomojon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), the 2019 champion and the other bronze medalist last year, with a pair of 4-point throws.

"The level of competition has been very good and all wrestlers are tough," Mohsen Nejad said. "The Japanese and Uzbek had a tough bout, and then I was with Japan, which was tough as well."

Iran, which won three of five golds on Tuesday, will get another chance to add to the tally when 2017 Asian junior champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) takes on 2017 Asian silver medalist Seungjun KIM (KOR)  for the 130kg title.

In the semifinals, Balihamzehdeh emerged victorious from one of the day's most convoluted but exciting bouts, beating Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) 11-9 on a takedown with one minute to go after having squadered a 9-4 lead. Just before the takedown, Iskakov had hit a second 4-point throw that put him ahead on criteria.

Kim's 2-1 victory over Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) was decided on an unsuccessful challenge with Kim holding the criteria advantage after each had received a passivity point.

Day 2 Greco-Roman Results

Semifinals

60kg (10 entries)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) df. Karrar Abbas ALBEEDHAN (IRQ), 7-2
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) df. Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) by TF, 9-1, 5:03

67kg (10 entries)
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN) df. Hossein ASSADI KOLMATI (IRI), 3-2
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 4-1

72kg (9 entries)
Hansu RYU (KOR) df. Muslihiddin UROQOV (TJK), 6-5
Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) df. Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), 3-1

82kg (7 entries)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Satoki MUKAI (JPN), 3-2
Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) df. Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ), 7-3

97kg (9 entries)
Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) df. Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ), 11-9
Seungjun KIM (KOR) df. Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 2-1

#JapanWrestling

Gomi Takes Big Strides as Japan’s Next Greco-Roman Hope

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 13:33 By Vinay Siwach

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JAPAN (February 18) -- Koto GOMI (JPN) has been racking up titles in recent times. Last year, he won the U23 world title, the first for Japan in six years. He then won the All-Japan Championships gold in December for the first time.

Making his senior debut in 2026, the 21-year-old had an extraordinary run at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event, winning the 60kg gold medal and giving up only three points in four bouts. In the final, Gomi defeated world silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0, using three arm-throws to secure the victory inside the first period.

Koto GOMI (JPN)Koto GOMI (JPN) defeated Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the Zagreb Open final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While it may be too early to call Gomi a protégé, he may have already ended Japan's search for a new star at 60kg and a replacement for Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN).

The 30-year-old Fumita is a two-time world champion and won silver at the 2023 World Championships. A silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, he turned it into gold at Paris 2024.

But Fumita has not stepped on the mat since. He took time off and was entered in the All-Japan Championships at 63kg, but later pulled out. Though he did not mention it, most in Japan cite weight-cut issues for his delayed return.

That leaves Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), Kaito INABA (JPN) and Gomi as the front-runners for the spot if Fumita cannot make it. Gomi pinned Shiotani and then beat Inaba via technical superiority at the National Sports Festival in October.

Two months later in December, he again beat Shiotani to earn a spot on Japan’s Asian Championships team.

Koto GOMI (JPN)
Koto GOMI (JPN), left, after winning the All-Japan University Championships. (Photo: Koto Gomi / Instagram)

Early start

Gomi was born in the Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo. The prefecture has given wrestling some of its biggest stars including Olympic champions Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Tatsuhiro YONEMITSU (JPN).

He was introduced to wrestling by his father Joe, a kickboxer. Joe would take his eldest son Koto to far away tournaments to compete. Though the results were not always satisfying, Shiro wanted his son to face high-level competition every year.

"Wrestling has few injuries," he was quoted as saying by Japan Wrestling Federation in 2010. "It's a sport that develops physical ability and trains both the body and mind. I think it's the perfect martial art for children.

"It's a sport where older students take care of younger students. They naturally take care of you without you having to teach them." 

It's true in Gomi's case. Like Gomi, both Fumita and Inaba hail from the same prefecture and attended the same high school.

Fumita's father, Toshiro, introduced most wrestlers to Greco in their high school. While Fumita and Inaba moved to Nippon Sports Science University, Gomi is at the Ikuei University, same as the world and Olympic champions in women's Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN).

Koto GOMI (JPN)Koto GOMI (JPN), blue, at the 2022 U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Gomi began competing exclusively in Greco-Roman around 2022 but did not get satisfactory results internationally, finishing fifth and ninth at the two U20 World Championships.

In one of the memorable matches early in his career, Gomi had troubled the now Olympic Saied ESMAEILI (IRI). At the 2022 U20 Worlds, he was led 6-4 and then 9-4 at one point in the match against the Iranian but he lost it 13-9.

Two years later, Gomi emerged as a dominant force. He won the gold medal at the U20 Asian Championships and all age-group domestic competitions. His only losses came at the senior All-Japan Championships, winning bronze at three of them.

Gomi said his recent success was the result of years of hard work, particularly at university.

"I don't seem to be the athletic type, but rather a refreshing liberal arts type, and that's how I'm often seen," Gomi said. "I'm competitive. I get really annoyed and frustrated when I lose in practice. The hard work I've put in over the past four years at university is starting to show in the past year."

Domestic challenges

In 2025, Gomi suffered only one loss in five tournaments -- a 10-0 humiliation to Shiotani in May. But in December, he avenged that loss in the final of the All-Japan Championships and earned a chance to represent Japan at the 2026 Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in April.

The December win also put Gomi a step closer to the 2026 World Championships and Asian Games. He now has to win the Japan National Championships in May to qualify for both. If he fails to win, he will have a wrestle-off with the winner on the same day.

Both the U23 World Championships and the Zagreb Open showcased Gomi's technical excellence. He often uses a two-on-one to set up his arm-throws and arm-drags. It is his swiftness, rather than brute force, that allows him to complete his attacks.

In par terre, Gomi has an excellent high gut-wrench, which he used effectively against Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in Zagreb and Maxwell BLACK (USA) at the U23 Worlds.

"I'm starting to find my strengths, like in terms of technique, so I think that's a good thing," he said.

Despite his rapid rise, Gomi is cautious about calling himself the best yet. He knows he still needs to get past several domestic rivals before becoming Japan’s first-choice wrestler at 60kg.

"It's not like that, but I was conscious of focusing on my strengths and techniques and taking the initiative to attack," he said. "But, there are many other players in Japan, like Fumita and Inaba, and I don't think I can beat them yet, so I'll continue to practice hard."

But if Zagreb was any indication, it may not take long.