#WrestleAlmaty

Susaki and Higuchi Poised to Returned to Japan's Starting Lineup

Thursday, April 8, 2021 - 10:16 By Eric Olanowski

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan (March 31) -- Japanese stars Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) are poised to make their return to the starting lineup at next week's Asian Olympic Qualifier (April 9-11).

Susaki will represent Japan at 50kg for the first time since the '19 Women’s Wrestling World Cup, where she went 2-0 and scored wins over Yanan SUN (CHN) and Whitney CONDER (USA). Higuchi, on the other hand, will make his 57kg debut in Japan's lineup for the first time since winning a silver medal at the '16 Olympic Games. 

Susaki, the two-time world champion, fell to Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a ’19 playoff and lost her starting spot on Japan’s ’19 world championship team. But, in surprising fashion, Irie dropped a barn-burning quarterfinal-match in Nur-Sultan to Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sun and squandered the opportunity to qualify the Tokyo Games host nation at 50kg. This left the door open for Susaki to make a last-ditch effort to reclaim her starting spot, and hopefully, compete at the Olympic Games in her home country.

Susaki regained her starting spot and the right to represent Japan at the Asian Olympic Qualifier by winning gold at the ’19 December All-Japan Championships.

Meanwhile, Higuchi will return to international competition at 57kg for the first time since the '16 Rio Olympic Games. The energetic fan-favorite is best known for his unbelievable showing in Rio where he put on an absolute show en route to a surprising run to the finals. Higuchi won four matches in Brazil before ultimately falling to Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in the gold medal match.

Since that magical run in Rio, Higuchi has competed at 61kg and 65kg. But after falling to Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in a Japan wrestle-off, Higuchi was forced to move back down to 57kg to keep a dream alive of improving his silver to Olympic gold. He defeated ’17 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI at the All Japan Championships and earned his right to represent Japan at 57kg.

The Asian Olympic Qualifiers kicks off on April 9-11 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Greco-Roman action starts on Friday, followed by women's wrestling on Saturday, and freestyle closes out the competition on Sunday. 

50kg Women's Wrestling Entries
Seema SEEMA (IND)
Misaki YOSHIBA (JPN)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

57kg Freestyle Entries
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Ahmed Jawad Kadhim AL ZAIDAWI (IRQ)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Kodai OGAWA (JPN)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Hyeonsik SONG (KOR)
Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Allen Mitch ARCILLA (PHI)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships day five freestyle finals set

Thursday, April 13, 2023 - 04:35 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 13) -- The Asian Championships has entered its business end with freestyle beginning Thursday. Five weight classes will be in action led by world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at 65kg. The other weight classes in action are 57kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The finals for the evening session

57kg - AMAN (IND) vs. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)

65kg - Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)

70kg - Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) vs. Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)

79kg - Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) vs. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)

97kg - Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)

14:30: Top-seed Awusayim HABILA (CHN) gets off to a flying start against Makhsud VEYUSALOV (UZ) at 97kg, scoring a takedown and a pair of lace-lock rolls. He adds a high-crotch takedown to lead 8-0 after the first period. In the second, he gets in deep on a single, then gets behind. Veyusalov holds out for a bit, but Habila finally forces him to the mat to end the match at 3:53.

14:30: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) gave up a stepout but he scores one for himself before a takedown to lead 3-1 against Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN). A stepout in the second period makes it 4-1. But Tazhudinov with a body lock and four! He also gets two laces to lead 9-4. Just under two minutes left. Tazhudinov gets two more takedowns to lead 13-4 but Goleij comes with two of his own against a tiring Tazhudinov. However, that is all the time we have and the Bahrain wrestler will go to the 97kg final.

14:23: Can Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) follow up compatriot Doszhanov's thrilling win with a victory of his own over an Iranian opponent at 79kg? It doesn't start too well, as Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) opens with a takedown and an activity point. But Sakayev scores with a double-leg takedown and, keeping a firm grip on the legs, lifts up and gets a 2-point exposure to go ahead. Kavousi goes ahead with a pair of stepouts, but in the final 30 seconds, Sakayev gets in deep on a single, lifts up and dumps Kavousi to the mat. A fall! And he's into the final.

14:18: Walking into the 79kg finals, Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB). He beats DEEPAK (IND) 10-0 in the 79kg semifinal using five different takedowns and transitions.

14:10: In perhaps the bout of the day, Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) overcomes Morteza GHIASI (IRI) with some help from the crowd. A lot of scrambles in the bout but Doszhanov got the cradle for exposure to lead 4-1 with under a minute remaining. Ghiasi on his part tried to get an opening but failed to get one. 

14:02: Zafarbek OTAKHANOV (UZB) makes short work of Orts ISAKOV (JOR) in their 70kg semifinal, scoring a quick takedown and locking up an arm, then flip-flopping his opponent back and forth for four quick exposures and a 10-0 technical fall in 54 seconds.

13:59: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) scores a takedown with :30 left to clinch a 5-2 victory over world U20 champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) to make the 65kg final. Jalolov uses a slick duck under for a takedown in the first period, but hurts himself in the second period, when he backs out for a stepout and a fleeing point, then gives up another point with a lost challenge that puts him behind 3-2.

13:55: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) gets the job done against Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN). A stepout and passivity point for Amouzad against Anraku's passivity point in the 2-1 win.

13:43: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KAZ), a bronze medalist a year ago, will be fighting for the 57kg gold after putting away  Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) 8-6. Smanbekov scores a takedown in the first period, then opens the second with an arm throw for a 4-1 lead. He then stops a throw attempt and puts the Mongolian directly to his back for 4. With the big lead, he concedes three stepouts in the waning moments, two of which have a penalty point tagged on for lack of effort. 

13:30: U23 world champion AMAN (IND) is up against Wanhao LUO (CHN) and he has been called passive and Luo is up 1-0. He scores stepout to start the second period. A nice ankle pick for Aman to lead 2-2 on criteria. Luo is tiring and Aman is up 7-2. Luo gets a single leg for a takedown to cut the lead to 7-4. No more action in that semifinal and Aman is into the final.

Welcome to the finals. We start with 57kg.

13:05: In a cracker of a match, Orts ISAKOV (JOR) completes a wild 20-7 victory over AGUDAMU (CHN) in the 70kg quarterfinals with a spectacular 5-point back suplex that draws cheers from the crowd. Jordan has never had a freestyle medalist at an Asian Championships. 

12:57: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) joins the Iranian parade into the semifinals, overpowering Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) with an 11-0 technical fall at 97kg. A takedown to a pair of gut wrenches gave Goleij a 9-0 lead in the first period, and he finished the match with a takedown in the second.

 

12:52: Zagreb Open bronze medalist Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) jumps out to a five-point lead, then holds on for a 5-2 victory over Asian U23 champion Deepak NEHRA (IND) to advance to the 97kg semifinals.

12:38: Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) pulls off a thrilling victory over Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) for a place in the 70kg semifinals. Doszhanov was trailing 4-0 when he hits a back-roll counter that barely exposes Toktomambetov's back. The referees give him 2, but when Kyrgyzstan challenges, the move it upgraded to 4, giving Doszhanov a 4-4 win on criteria.

12:35: World U23 champion AMAN (IND), looking to keep the 57kg title that Ravir KUMAR (IND) won last year in Indian hands, fends off Rikuto ARAI (JPN) 7-1 to advance to the semifinals. Aman showed his flexibility when Arai had put in a grapevine during a takedown attempt but the Indian squirmed out of it. The Japanese side thought Arai should have been awarded the 2, but the challenge was lost.  

12:14: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), a bronze medalist a year ago, scores two first-period takedowns and holds on to defeat last year's silver medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) 4-2 and book his place in the 65kg semifinals. 

12:00: Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) with a takedown and then goes for the gut wrench to lead 6-0 against U20 world bronze Mulaym YADAV (IND). A takedown on the edge before finishing the bout 10-0.

11:56: 2021 world bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) cruises into the 97kg quarterfinals with a 12-0 technical fall over Ulziisaikhan BAASANTSOGT (MGL). Goleij, the Asian champ in 2020, gets a takedown and two gut wrenches to finish the first period up 8-0. He ends the proceedings with a 4-point back trip. 

11:54: Former Asian champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) gets a rude welcome to the 65kg class, as the four-time medalist at 61kg falls is dealt a 4-0 defeat by Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) in the quarterfinal round. Tumur Ochir scores an activity point and a stepout in each period for the win.

11:46: World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) begins defense of his Asian title with a solid 6-0 win over Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) in the 65kg quarterfinals. Amouzad gets three stepout points off his attack which, added to an activity point and a late spin-behind takedown, is enough to defeat Mukhtar, who never comes close to a successful attack of his own.

11:35: Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) was a little surprised by the defense of Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in his 65kg bout. Kudiev led 2-0 before Anraku got one point for Kudiev's passivity and then the Tajik blocked Anraku's attack with a hand on the neck, resulting in the caution and win. That gave the win to Anraku. Kudiev challenged it but lost.

11:28: In one of those matches between gold-medal candidates that the draw sometimes produces in the qualification round, 2022 bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI (JPN) knocks off 2021 world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI), finishing up a 12-1 technical fall with a tilt at the buzzer. Arai led 2-0 going into the second period when he upped the lead with two takedowns. Sarlak takes an injury timeout. With a minute remaining, Arai stays aggressive and gains a double-leg takedown. Sarlak loses interest and easily gives up a pair of exposures.

11:15: World U20 champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZ) crunches Divoshan CHARLES  FERNANDO (SRI) for a fall in less than a minute to advance to the quarterfinals at 65kg. 

11:10: Local favorite Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) opens the action on Mat B with a 5-0 win over Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ) at 65kg, earning him a quarterfinal clash with reigning Asian and world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI).

11:00: Hello again from Astana as we get ready for Day 5 and the start of the freestyle competition, with action at 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg. Back to defend his title is world champion Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) at 65kg.