Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March, 3, 2020

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 - 13:17 By Eric Olanowski

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Discussing Olympic champion Asgarov's comeback at 74kg, Pino Hinds moving to freestyle and former Russian great Gatsalov set to compete under the Armenian flag. Also looking at USA's new-look Pan-Am OG Qualifier team and the cancellation of the Asain OG Qualifier. 

1. Azerbaijan Turning to Asgarov for European Olympic Games Qualifier
Toghrul ASGAROV (AZE) replaced Khadzimurad GADZHIEV (AZE) in Azerbaijan's lineup for this month's European OG Qualifier in Budapest, Hungary.

Azerbaijan inserted Asgarov, a two-time Olympic finalist and London Olympic champion, over Gadzhiev at 74kg after the youngster failed to qualify his nation for the Tokyo Games with a seventh-place finish in Nur-Sultan. Gadzhiev was also Azerbaijan's representative at the 2018 and '19 European Championships, where he finished fifth and tenth, respectively.

Asgarov's return marks the third time he's stepped foot on a mat since dropping the 65kg Rio Olympic finals to Soslan RAMONOV (RUS). He's been plagued by injuries and has competed sparsely since 2016. Asgarov wrestled in the Indian Pro League in 2017 and the Beat the Streets charity event in 2018. In 2019, he fell to a disappointing tenth-place finish in his lone individual competition, which was at August's Tbilisi Grand Prix. The Azeri dropped his first-round match, 9-5, to Columbia's Nestor TAFFFUR, and finished outside the top-ten for only the fifth time in his long career.

Yabrail HASANOV (AZE), Azerbaijan's 74kg Rio bronze medalist and two-time defending 79kg world runner-up, was rumored to be heading down to 74kg, but his Yasar Dogu entry at 86kg indicates otherwise. 

Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), a Greco-Roman world runner-up, is on a quest to qualify Cuba for the Olympics in both styles. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

2. World Silver Pino Hinds Transitioning from Greco-Roman to Freestyle 
Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) is on a quest to become the second wrestler since 2015 to qualify his nation for the Olympic Games in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He'd join Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) as the only wrestlers to master the feat in the past five years if he finishes inside the top-two at the Pan-American OG Qualifiers.

Pino Hinds qualified Cuba for the Tokyo Olympic Games with his 130kg Greco-Roman silver-medal finish in Nur-Sultan. He's moving to freestyle after the reemergence of Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who is looking to become the first male wrestler ever to win four Olympic titles.

Pino Hinds is wrestling freestyle at 125kg at the Pan-American Championships and the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier. His toughest competition at the Pan-American OG Qualifier is the two-time world bronze medalist, Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA). The pair met twice last year, with Gwiazdowski scoring a pair of technical superiority victories. 

Pino Hinds led 1-1 on criteria in the second period but gave up two takedowns and four leg laces before ultimately finishing the tournament with a bronze medal. He also fell 10-0 in the Pan-American Games finals. 

Olympic champion Khadzhimurat GATSALOV (ARM) will return to the mat for the first time since 2016. (Gabor Martin)

3. Gatsalov to Compete under Armenian Flag at European OG Qualifier 
Khadzhimurat GATSALOV (ARM) is returning to the mat for the first time since 2016, but it won't be under the Russian flag where he won five world titles and an Athens Olympic gold medal. 

The former Russian great will compete under the Armenian flag for the first time in his storied career at the European Olympic Qualifier on March 19-22, where he'll have to finish top-two to qualifier Armenia for the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

The 38-year-old's return comes after a four-year lay-off when he finished in fifth place at the 2016 Poland Open. Before that, he fell to Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) in the 2016 Russian National finals. 

Gatsalov's insertion into the weight brings the total of Olympic champions to four, joining Rio Olympic champions Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA), and London Olympic gold medalist, Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE). 

Olympic Champions at 97kg
Khadzhimurat GATSALOV (ARM)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) 
Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

Helen MAROULIS (USA) is returning to the mat with hopes of defending her Rio Olympic gold medal. (Photo: Tony Rotundo) 

4. New-Look USA Team Entered into Pan-Am OG Qualifier 
The United States entered a new-look squad into the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier with hopes of adding to their pair of Olympic qualified weights (68kg and 76kg). Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) and Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) are dropping from their Nur-Sultan world championship weights of 53kg and 55kg, respectively, while Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) is returning to international competition for the first time since the 2018 World Championships.

Hildebrandt moved down to 50kg from her Budapest world silver medal-winning weight of 53kg. She gained control of the spot with two straight wins over Whitney CONDER (USA) in their special wrestle-off. 

The Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier is Hildebrant's second international competition down at the new weight. In her first showing at 50kg, Hildebrandt defeated second-ranked Alina VUC (ROU) with a last-second takedown to win the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series title.

Winchester dropped to 53kg from the non-Olympic weight of 55kg, where she's the reigning world champion. She earned her shot to be USA's 53kg representative by downing Katherine SHAI (USA) in two straight matches in the pair's special wrestle-off last month. 

Rio Olympic champion Helen Maroulis is returning to USA's lineup for the first time since falling to a 21st-place finish at the 2018 World Championships. She's faced difficulties with concussions over the last two seasons but locked up her spot on the Pan-American Qualifer team with two straight pins against Nur-Sultan world team member, Jenna BURKERT (USA). 

USA'S Pan-American OG Qualifier Team 
50kg - Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
53kg - Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
57kg - Helen MAROULIS (USA)
62kg - Kayla MIRACLE (USA)

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) tosses Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) at the 2018 Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

5. Kyrgyzstan Cancels Asian Olympic Qualifier
The State Agency for Youth, Physical Culture and Sports under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has informed United World Wrestling that Kyrgyzstan will no longer host the 2020 Asian Olympic Qualifier due to the spread of the coronavirus. The event was slated for March 27-29 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

United World Wrestling is now considering other solutions, and discussions with the International Olympic Committee which will be continued next week.

Click HERE for full release.

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 
1. Big Move Monday -- Ismael BORRERO @borreromolina (CUB)
2. Happy Friday, wrestling fans.
3. Who are the wrestlers to watch at the #WrestleOttawa Pan-American Championships (March 6-9)?
4. #WrestleNewDelhi Top Performer: Kumar RAVI (IND)
5. Big Move Monday -- Winchester J. @jacarra016(USA)

#JapanWrestling

Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 16:02 By Ken Marantz

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Top photo: Haruna MURAYAMA flips Mayu SHIDOCHI onto her back for a 2-point takedown during their women's 53kg quarterfinal match. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

TOKYO (June 20) -- Through their years as university teammates and beyond, Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI and Haruna MURAYAMA each compiled a long list of laurels that included three world titles.

But when their paths crossed on the mat, Shidochi had been the dominant one. Murayama showed on Friday that those days are over.

Shidochi, returning to the mat after a two-year layoff that included giving birth to her first child, saw her bid for a shot at a fourth world title end when Murayama dealt her a 5-1 loss in the women's 53kg quarterfinals at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in Tokyo, the second of two qualifiers for this year's World Championships.

Shidochi, who won the Tokyo Olympic gold at 53kg under her maiden name of MUKAIDA, was ahead on criteria in the second period after each received an activity point, but Murayama (nee OKUNO) went ahead with a pair of takedowns.

"It's really disappointing," said Shidochi, who had a 9-0 career record against Murayama before losing to her for the first time at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December 2022. "I lost to Okuno at the Tokyo qualifier and I really wanted to get revenge for that."

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Haruna MURAYAMA works to get behind Mayu SHIDOCHI for a takedown during their women's 53kg quarterfinal match. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Shidochi, who will turn 28 on Sunday, had last competed two years at the Meiji Cup, which was part of the qualifying process for the Paris Olympics. Her dreams of an Olympic repeat ended with a loss by fall in the second round to Akari FUJINAMI, who went on to take the 53kg gold in Paris.

Shidochi, who has her sights set on the 2026 Asian Games to be hosted by Japan, had planned to return in July at a lower-tier national tournament, where she could qualify for this year's Emperor's Cup, a qualifier for the Asian Games. But she moved it up a month when she found out her status as a former Olympic champion granted her entry into the Meiji Cup.

"Even though I lost like this at this tournament, I'm glad I took up the challenge," she said. "Ilost, but I found out things that I need to work on. I want to use that to step up my game so I can win in December."

Shidochi said that is probably more nerves than rustiness that did her in against Murayama, who is two years her junior.

"When I was warming up, I was moving really well," she said. "But during the match, I thought I could do more. I wasn't moving my feet. In preparation, I trained hard and did my research. I was really looking forward to it, but it didn't work out."

Murayama still has her work cut out for her if she wants to be on the plane to Zagreb. In Saturday's final, she will face Moe KIYOOKA, who last year succeeded her as the world 55kg champion. The two met in the final at the 2023 Emperor's Cup, which Kiyooka won 5-1.

A victory by Kiyooka would give her the world team spot outright. If Murayama wins, it will set up a playoff between the two later in the session, although Murayama has another option.

Murayama won the 55kg title at the Emperor's Cup, but opted not contest that playoff.

In another weight class that started Friday and will end Saturday, world 72kg champion Ami ISHII looks poised to grab the world team spot at 68kg after easily winning her lone match of the day in a four-woman round-robin that is down to three after Rin MIYAGI's injury withdrawal.

Ishii will clinch the spot with a victory in her final match against Seia MOCHINAGA. Meanwhile, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI will need to take the playoff route if he wants to improve on the world silver medal at freestyle 70kg that he won last year.

Aoyagi, the Emperor's Cup champion, was dealt a last-second 3-2 defeat in the semifinals by world U20 champion Ryoya YAMASHITA, who will take on Shoya MIURA in Saturday's final in a battle of 19-year-olds.

Aoyagi, a two time world U23 medalist, is coming off winning a gold at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournament in Tirana and his second career Asian medal with a bronze in Amman.

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN)Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI scores a takedown during his 4-4 victory over Emperor's Cup champion Ryunosuke KAMIYA in the freestyle 74kg semifinals. (Photo: Takeo Yakubi / wrestling-spirits.jp)

There will also be a playoff at freestyle 74kg, where Emperor's Cup champion Ryunosuke KAMIYA was dealt a nail-biting loss to 19-year-old collegiate champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI.

Gharehdaghi, whose father is Iranian, has already made Japan's team to the U20 worlds. To get the senior worlds, he will first have to get through fellow collegian Subaru TAKAHARA, who has qualified for the U23 worlds.

At freestyle 61kg, 2021 world bronze medalist Toshihiro HASEGAWA scored in double-digits in all three of his victories to advance to the final, capped by a 10-2 semifinal win over Aiki KAWAI.

In the final, Hasegawa will face Akito MUKAIDA -- Shidochi's younger brother, who has already qualified for the World U23 Championships.