U23 Worlds: On return, Otoole leads U.S. dominance in Tirana

Monday, October 23, 2023 - 20:00 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 23) -- Last year, the United States had only three Freestyle finalists at the U23 World Championships and failed to win a single gold medal.

The U.S. team this year can certainly hope to better that performance as it managed to enter three of its wrestlers in the finals on day one of the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania.

Led by 2021 U20 world champion Keegan OTOOLE (USA), the U.S. was the best-performing nation with three finalists with Turkiye coming second with two finalists. Two Individual Neutral Athletes also made it to the finals.

Japan, Kazakhstan and Moldova earned a finalist each as the competition commenced with five Freestyle weight classes in the Albanian capital.

Otoole last competed internationally in 2021, winning the gold medal at 74kg in Ufa. But on Monday it seemed he had never been away from international wrestling, winning his four bouts with utter domination.

In the semifinal against Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), Otoole came out with his cradle and pinned Santiago to reach the final.

Imam GANISHOV (AIN) defeated NAVEEN (UWW) 10-0 in the 74kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

To win a second world age-group title, Otoole will have to beat Imam GANISHOV (AIN) who was equally good on the mat as the American.

After beating Vasile DIACON (MDA) 8-0 in his first bout, Ganishov secured three technical superiority wins including a 10-0 win over NAVEEN (UWW) to enter the final.

Aaron BROOKS (USA) reached the 86kg final after beating Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) 5-4. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time world age-group medalist Aaron BROOKS (USA) was the second high-profile athlete from the U.S. to reach the final as he made his way to the 86kg final after a close 5-4 win over Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) in the semifinal.

Brooks scored a takedown in Bagaev's activity period to go 3-0 up but Bagaev countered one of Brooks' attempts to cut the lead to 3-2. Brooks was called passive in the second period but he swung into action and scored a takedown just before the activity period finished to lead 5-2.

Bagaev, who finished 12th at the World Championships in Belgrade, scored a pushout with 39 seconds remaining and then got a point for negative wrestling from Brooks who still won 5-4.

Defending champion at 86kg Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) reched the final in Tirana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending champion Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) will look to stop Brooks in the final as he put on another defensive show throughout the day to enter his second straight U23 world final.

Shirai blanked Benjamin GREIL (AUT) 4-0 in the semifinal, taking his total points scored in four bouts to 22 while he conceded only one. He will look to become Japan's first-ever double U23 world champion in Freestyle.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) was the third American wrestler in the final after he chalked his way with some gritty wins. He opened his day with a big victory over Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN). Hendrickson pinned Kurbanov after leading 17-9. Nicolae STRATULAT (MDA) was handed a 14-1 defeat before Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), a former U23 world silver medalist, was stopped 4-2 in the semifinal.

Adil MISIRCI (TUR) will look to end Hendrickson's run in Tirana after he made the final from the other side of the bracket. He after scoring two big wins in the morning Misirci kept calm and beat Anirudh KUMAR (UWW) 3-0 in the semifinal.

Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) made it to the 92kg final in Tirana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye confirmed another medal as Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) entered the 92kg final and will take on Ion DEMIAN (MDA) for the gold medal.

Gimri had to work hard in his 8-5 semifinal win against Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW). He led 1-1 on criteria at the break but scored a takedown in the second period when Patil was on the activity clock. Once Patil failed to score in the 30-second limit, Gimri led 4-1. He hit a strong double-leg to make it 6-1 before Patil scored a takedown and gave up exposure as Gimri led 8-3. Patil got two more points but it mattered little as Gimri completed an 8-5 win.

Ion DEMIAN (MDA) booked his spot in the 92kg semifinal against Muhammed GIMRI (TUR). (Photo: UWW / Ulug Burga Han Degirmenci)

Demian overcame U23 European champion Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) that too in a spectacular manner, winning the semifinal 11-1 and becoming only the second Moldovan wrestler to reach the final at U23 Worlds after Radu LEFTER (MDA) in 2021.

The Moldovan used three stepout to lead 3-1 at the break before adding two more in the second period. Margishvili was struggling with his conditioning as both wrestlers kept going for their attacks. Margishvili gave up a tame go-behind with a minute left to fall behind 7-1. Margishvili tried a bodylock move but Demian defended well and flung the Georgian, earning four points and an 11-1 win.

Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), right, stunned returning silver medalist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the 61kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 61kg, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) had a dream run to the final as he avenged his U23 Asian Championships loss to returning silver medalist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the semifinal.

Yessengeldi was up 9-1 in the semifinal when Zhumashbek Uluu mounted a comeback in the second period but fell short despite two cautions to Yessengeldi. Zhumashbek Uluu scored two takedowns in the second period and was awarded two stepouts along with two caution points but Yessengeldi did enough to remain in the bout.

He will take on Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) for the gold medal after Magomedov blanked Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN) 10-0 in the other semifinal. That was Magomedov's third victory via technical superiority in as many matches.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) vs. Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)

SF 1: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN), 10-0
SF 2: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 9-7

74kg
GOLD: Keegan OTOOLE (USA) vs. Imam GANISHOV (AIN)

SF 1: Keegan OTOOLE (USA) df. Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), via fall (8-0)
SF 2: Imam GANISHOV (AIN) df. NAVEEN (UWW), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Aaron BROOKS (USA) vs. Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN)

SF 1: Aaron BROOKS (USA) df. Arslan BAGAEV (AIN), 5-4
SF 2: Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) df. Benjamin GREIL (AUT), 4-0

92kg
GOLD: Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) vs. Ion DEMIAN (MDA)

SF 1: Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) df. Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW), 8-5
SF 2: Ion DEMIAN (MDA) df. Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), 11-1

125kg
GOLD: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) vs. Adil MISIRCI (TUR)

SF 1: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), 4-2
SF 2: Adil MISIRCI (TUR) df. Anirudh KUMAR (UWW), 3-0

#JapanWrestling

Olympic champ Fumita joins Ono as late withdrawal from Emperor's Cup

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - 07:42 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 17) -- Five days after former world champion Masanosuke ONO made the stunning announcement that he was pulling out of the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, another high-profile star aborted a long-awaited return to action by joining him on the sidelines.

Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA announced Wednesday on the eve of the tournament that he was withdrawing due to an injury, keeping him out of what would have been his first tournament since his triumph at the Paris Olympics.

Fumita, who won the Paris gold at Greco 60kg but was entered at 63kg, made the announcement on his X account. Without disclosing the injury, he said it "was not a major injury that will have an effect on my wrestling career, but I feel it is not worth the risk at this time so I decided to withdraw."

The Emperor's Cup is also serving as the domestic qualifier for the 2026 Asian Championships, and as the first of two national domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships and Asian Games. The latter holds particular significance in that Japan will be hosting the event.

Fumita, the silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and a two-time former world champion, had only competed at 63kg once in his career, at the 2023 German Grand Prix, where he placed second as a warmup for the World Championships, where he took home the silver.

The 30-year-old was due to take the mat on Thursday, the first day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"I deeply apologize to everyone who was looking forward [to seeing me] and to all those involved [with the tournament]," Fumita said. "I will make the utmost effort to be in top condition and be able to perform at the next competition."

Last Friday, Ono announced that he had withdrawn for health reasons, a move that indefinitely delays his return to the mats of his native country.

Ono revealed on social media that he had been diagnosed with a kidney problem, possibly linked to cutting weight to get down to 57kg, according to a report by Japan's top wrestling website Wrestling Spirits.

Ono has been competing at either 61kg or 65kg in recent years, and the stress of getting down to 57kg might have taken too big a toll. Ono said that he had gotten near 57kg the previous week when he experienced thickening of the urine, which can be regarded as a sign of dehydration.

Upon consultation with a doctor, it was decided "I will play it safe this time," Ono said.

The 22-year-old Ono has become a worldwide sensation, first by winning the senior world title at freestyle 61kg in 2024 with one-sided victories that included beating a past Olympic gold medalist and the reigning world champion, then for leaving the comfort of Yamanashi Gakuin University for the challenge of competing in American folkstyle at powerhouse Penn State University.

The Emperor's Cup would have provided a rare chance for Ono to compete in a freestyle tournament again, the first step on the path to getting back to the World Championships.

Ono said he will now return to Penn State, where he will resume his introduction into folkstyle. While he is redshirting this year -- the system that allows him to train with the team but not enter official competitions to preserve a year of eligibility -- he plans to enter an open tournament in January.

As pointed out by Wrestling Spirits, the big issue facing Ono now is whether or not he will be afforded a spot in the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in May next year, which will be the second domestic qualifier for the worlds and Asian Games.

As the name implies, the field is limited to invitees, using criteria set by the Japan Wrestling Federation based on results from major competitions over the past year. There are exceptions made for a wrestler who has been out of action for an extended time but has achieved "particularly outstanding results."

In the past, this has been interpreted to mean medaling at an Olympics, as the majority of wrestlers take time off following Olympic success. The question the federation will have to answer is, will a world title in 2024 earn Ono an invitation?

Asked directly by Wrestling Spirits, Kenji INOUE, the federation's chairman of the technical enhancement committee, replied, "At this stage, nothing has been decided."

There is one incentive for the publicity-starved JWF to include Ono in the Meiji Cup field -- it could set up a classic match-up between him and Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI.

Higuchi has not competed since winning the Paris gold, but has already stated he plans to return at the Meiji Cup with eyes on a first Asian Games appearance.

Ono has not competed in Japan since June 2024, when he participated in the East Japan Collegiate League, a team competition in which he helped Yamanashi Gakuin win the Division I title.

After winning the gold at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships in Tirana in October 2024, he revealed he had been dealing with a broken ankle.

That kept him out of competition for awhile, then early in 2025, he headed across the Pacific to begin training with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. In March, he made the blockbuster announcement that he would enroll at Penn State.

Ono had been entered at 57kg at the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational in New York in November, but was a late withdrawal for undisclosed reasons.

At the Emperor's Cup, Olympic weight classes will be contested over two days in the same format at the World Championships, while non-Olympic weights will be finished in a single day.

Although Fumita will no longer be competing, fellow Paris gold medalist Yuka KAGAMI will be making her return to the mat for the first time since her Olympic triumph at women's 76kg, which gets started on Thursday.

U23 Worlds: On return, Otoole leads U.S. dominance in Tirana

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Olympic champ Fumita joins Ono as late withdrawal from Emperor's Cup