#WomensWrestling

Stadnik, Chasing Olympic Gold, Confirms Run for '24 Paris Games

Monday, January 10, 2022 - 20:15 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 10) – Mariya STADNIK (AZE) officially put an end to the rumors that she’s hanging up her wrestling shoes, as she told United World Wrestling she's committed to competing through the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

There was a slew of retirement announcements following the Tokyo Olympics, and it was heavily speculated that the 33-year-old mother-of-two would call an end to her career after she won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games – her fourth Olympic medal in as many tries. But the nine-time European champion (seven European Championships and two European Games) squashed the rumors, saying she still believes in her potential and has a burning passion for the sport.

“I think that as long as I have the desire to wrestle, I should fulfill all my potential,” Stadnik said. “I made this decision to continue wrestling as soon as I came back home [from Tokyo]. All my relatives and friends believe in me very much.  My son wants me to go on wrestling because he says I am very strong.”

Stadnik, who has a combined ten Worlds and Olympic medals and only ten losses since she made her senior-level debut at the 2008 Golden Grand Prix in Baku, sits alongside Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) as the only women in the Games history to claim a quartet of Olympic medals.

If she reaches the podium in Paris, she’d become the first-ever wrestler – male or female – to win five Olympic medals in one style. Furthermore, if Stadnik wins that long-awaited Olympic gold, she’d become the oldest Olympic champion in women’s wrestling by a long shot.

Icho, who won her Rio Olympic title at 32-years-and-2-months-old, holds the current record. Stadnik will be 35-years-and-8-months-old during the ’24 Paris Games.

“I would really love to have five Olympic medals. Each medal is a part of my life story; it’s a part of my way. There are five Olympic Rings, so having five Olympic medals would make history," she said.

But Stadnik, who won a bronze in Beijing and silver in London and Rio, understands that to sustain greatness at her age, she has to listen to her body and can’t compete as often as she once did.

“Competing four or five tournaments a year is perfect for me,” Stadnik explained. “The only problem I might have before going to Paris is I don’t know how my body would react to training. I have some experience that I need to use in the right way in order to compensate for that energy I had when I was 20 years old.”

Owing to a similar reason, the 2019 world champion has limited her participation in tournaments in past. In 2019 and 2021, she participated only in two competitions each year, perhaps to keep her body healthy and reduce the burden of cutting weight before competitions. Although she didn’t say when she plans on lacing up her shoes next, Stadnik is expected to compete at the ’22 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary (March 28 – April 3).

Stadnik's Resume:
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World Championships:??????
Euro Championships: ???????
European Games: ??

#JapanWrestling

In battle of 53kg titans, Fujinami subdues Olympic champ Shidochi

Friday, June 16, 2023 - 08:15 By Vinay Siwach

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TOKYO (June 16) -- Mayu SHIDOCHI (formerly Mukaida), with tears streaming down her face, walked up for an interview shortly after her loss at the Meiji Cup. Throughout the press session, Shidochi struggled to control her emotions in front of the cameras.

After a while, Shidochi managed to calm down and even smiled during a few of her answers. However, when the questions about the Paris Olympics began to pile up, she broke down once again. She repeatedly mentioned one word in her answers: "Paris Olympics."

Shidochi, the Tokyo Olympic champion, was aiming to defend her gold in Paris and participated in the Meiji Cup. A gold medal at the Meiji Cup would have secured her spot in the playoff that Japan would host on July 1. Winning the playoff meant Shidochi would have earned a ticket to Belgrade for the World Championships. From there, all she had to do was win a medal, which was almost guaranteed for Japanese women wrestlers, to compete at the Paris Olympics.

However, she won't be going to Belgrade or Paris.

Only in Japan's women's wrestling, an Olympic champion starting as the underdog in a domestic tournament quarterfinal is unprecedented. That was the case when she faced Akari FUJINAMI at 53kg in the Meiji Cup on Friday. But in just five minutes and 37 seconds, the 19-year-old pinned Shidochi at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

There was no surprise or collective gasp from the crowd. It seemed like an expected result since Fujinami was coming into the bout as the world champion and unbeaten in 119 bouts dating back to 2017.

Like any other country, Japan is obsessed with Olympic medals and Shidochi won it in Tokyo while Fujinami can win it in Paris. So the bout between the two was touted as the final showdown to ascertain the best at 53kg.

"I wanted to go to Paris soon after winning the Tokyo Olympics," Shidochi said. "But my motivation got down with time and I wondered what if I could not keep it up till this point. But I decided to compete because Fujinami was there.

"There was also a feeling of gratitude to the juniors who are pushing forward on the winning streak. I wanted to fight strong people. That was one of the reasons I kept competing after winning the gold medal [in Tokyo]."

Shidochi wanted to wrestle the best, in this case, Fujinami, and qualify for the Paris Olympics. She wrestled at the Emperor's Cup but lost to Haruno OKUNO and the match against Fujinami was delayed. Six months later, both ended up on the same side of the bracket at the Meiji Cup.

"I definitely wanted to enter the upper side of the bracket [as Fujinami) and my wish came true," she said.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI turns Mayu SHIDOCHI before getting the fall at the Meiji Cup. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

Perhaps the most-anticipated match of the morning, Fujinami scored an opening takedown using her signature sweep single and go-behind, even though Shidochi anticipated her move. Shidochi seemed to have analyzed Fujinami's style, successfully defending against any other attempts at an ankle pick from the side.

During one of Fujinami's attempts, Shidochi flung her to the right. Although Fujinami managed to stay on her feet, Shidochi went for a headlock to the left and scored two points. Fujinami quickly escaped the hold and executed a reversal.

Fujinami's lead at the break was only one point. So she decided to remain on the attack in the second period as well. And 30 seconds into the second period, she attempted that pick from the side again. She failed but went for it again. Shidochi tried defending once again. However, Fujinami's grip on this instance was stronger and she scored a takedown and transitioned into a lace lock.

Rather than going for turns, Fujinami held Shidochi on her back, striving to secure the pin. For over a minute, Shidochi used a bridge to survive the attempt. However, with 23 seconds remaining on the clock, Fujinami pressed Shidochi's shoulder to the mat, securing the fall.

Both wrestlers acknowledged each other's achievements with a bow right after the whistle, and Fujinami helped Shidochi return to the center of the mat, displaying respect for her opponent.

Shidochi returned the favor during her interview.

"Throughout the match, I realized that she had practiced as well and was really strong," Shidochi said. "It's frustrating to end with this feeling, so I don't know what it will be [in the future]," Shidochi said. "But I want to take a good rest after this and think about it."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI secured the fall over Mayu SHIDOCHI in five minutes and 37 seconds. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

For Fujinami, defeating the Olympic champion in their first official battle was the ultimate passing of the baton.

"My feeling was 'finally'," Fujinami said of facing Shidochi in an official match. "There is not a single day I did not think about Shidochi."

Acknowledging Fujinami's dominance was another Olympic champion and Fujinami's coach at the Nippon Sports Science University who stood on the sides of the mat and later patted the teenager's back.

That Olympic champion was Kaori ICHO.