World Silver Medalist Morikawa Adds Punch to Credentials with 3rd National Title

Friday, December 17, 2021 - 17:13 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO, Japan (December 17) -- Against an opponent seeming to channel boxing great Mike Tyson, it was world silver medalist Miwa MORIKAWA who delivered the wrestling equivalent of a TKO.

Morikawa captured her third straight national title with a 10-0 technical fall victory over former world bronze medalist Ayana GEMPEI in the women's 65kg final on Friday at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"I wanted to solidify my hold on 65kg by winning here and having that lead into next year, so I'm content with this win," said Morikawa, a senior at Nippon Sports Science University, which came away with five of the day's eight golds by either current or former students.

The Emperor's Cup is serving as the first of two domestic qualifiers for next year's World Championships in Belgrade, along with the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships slated for the spring. It is also the qualifying meet for Japan's team to the Asian Games in September in Hangchou, China.

Ayata SUZUKI and Kaiki YAMAGUCHI, both members of the Japanese squad at this year's World Championships in Oslo, each won a second national title, but face a difficult path to Belgrade should the Tokyo Olympic medalists in their weight classes return to action as expected at the Meiji Cup. None of the medal-winners in Tokyo entered the Emperor's Cup.

Suzuki, this year's Asian bronze medalist who finished seventh in Oslo, won the gold medal at Greco 60kg -- the domain of Tokyo 2020 silver medalist and two-time world champion Kenichiro FUMITA -- while Yamaguchi triumphed at freestyle 65kg, where he can expect Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO to be the one to beat at the Meiji Cup.

Among the five other champions crowned on Friday across the three styles, Arata SONODA maintained his complete domination of the heaviest weight in Greco-Roman by capturing his eighth straight title at 130kg.

Gempei Miwa MORIKAWA (red) defeated Ayana GEMPEI in the 65kg final. (Tateo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

For the 22-year-old Morikawa, her exploits at 65kg now are a stepping stone toward her goal of appearing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, for which she will move up to 68kg. She came to a whisker away from making the Tokyo Games at that weight but lost a nail-biting playoff to Rio 2016 gold medalist Sara DOSHO for Japan's spot.

After that, Morikawa dropped back down to 65kg, the weight in which she won the world junior title in 2019, only to be handed a dose of reality in her senior worlds debut when she was dealt an 8-6 loss in the final by Irina RINGACI (MDA), who became Moldova's first-ever female world champion.

The match hinged on a 4-point counter that gave Ringaci an 8-2 lead, a severe blow to the psyche of Morikawa who prides herself on her takedown ability. But it proved a valuable lesson that she won't forget soon.

"At the World Championships, you can't let down," Morikawa said. "I gave up a big 4-point move. My opponent really kept plugging away, and I couldn't hold her off. I was beaten both physically and technically. To become No. 1 in the world is no easy thing. I think there are still things I am lacking."

She looked to be on the right track against Gempei, who is only getting back to form after missing nearly two years due to a knee injury. A 2018 world bronze medalist and world U23 champion, the 25-year-old returned to action at last spring's Meiji Cup, where she placed third.

Morikawa took the initiative from the outset with a pair of stepouts, then after getting Gempei to the mat with a double-leg takedown, she tossed her fellow Abe Gakuin High School alum over for 4 points and an 8-0 lead. Another stepout and a snapdown-spin behind takedown ended the match at 2:51 for her third technical fall of the day without giving up a point.

"My opponent is an older alumni of the same high school and I had never beaten her up to now," Morikawa said. "She is really strong. But I was definitely determined to win. I planned to keep on attacking, and that resulted in my controlling the pace of the match."

Morikawa managed to successfully attack despite a somewhat unique strategy Gempei employed while in the standing position. Instead of tieing up like she used to, Gempei stayed at arm's length and bobbed and weaved, much like a prizefighter in the boxing ring.

"I changed my stance and my movement, without regard for how it looks," Gempei said. "To simply explain it, it's moving so that I can shoot without grabbing my opponent."

Gempei said it was her father who suggested the action, although he himself has no experience in martial arts beyond a passing interest.

"There are different factors, but it's moving like Mike Tyson, and based on principles," Gempei said. "It's an unusual way of moving, and it's still a work in progress. There are times it doesn't work, but I will work out the kinks so that it does work."

Morikawa said that while she noticed the bobbing, it did not dissuade her from going with what works best for her. "I just stuck with my wrestling and martialed the courage to shoot," she said.

She was just following the advice of the coach in her corner, four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO. "She said, 'More than what the opponent does, just stick with your wrestling and fight with a strong will,'" Morikawa said. "I heeded those words and gave everything I had."

In other women's finals, Sumire NIIKURA became the first-ever women's national champion from Kanagawa University when the freshman defeated 2019 champion Mei SHINDO 3-1 in the 72kg final.

Niikura, also a graduate of powerhouse Abe Gakuin High School, scored with a stepout in the second period just seconds after receiving a second activity point to clinch the victory in the weight class missing world champion Masako FURUICHI, who dropped down to 68kg for the tournament.

At 55kg, Nihon University's Umi IMAI captured her first national title, scoring a first-period takedown and holding on for a 2-1 win in the final over Ibuki TAMURA.

Imai has a long list of honors at 53kg to her name, including the world and Asian junior titles in 2018 and victories at the Klippan Lady Open and Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, but was always stuck deep in a depth chart filled with stars like world champions Mayu MUKAIDA and Haruna OKUNO.

Suzuki Ayata SUZUKI won the gold at 55kg. (Tateo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

In Greco finals, Suzuki scored two gut wrenches in the par terre position to opponent Kaito INABA's one, and that was the difference in a 5-3 victory at 60kg in a battle between an alumnus and current student at NSSU.

Although nearly a repeat of Suzuki's 3-1 win over Inaba in the final of the Meiji Cup last May, it still left Suzuki with a bad taste in his mouth after posting technical falls in his first two matches.

"It was a 'salty' match, the final," Suzuki said. "My first match and the semifinal went well, but a 5-3 score in the final is disappointing. I lost at the World Championships and intended to be more aggressive, but in the final against an opponent I train with, I held back and that was the result."

Suzuki hopes to settle some scores at the Asian Games. He may also go to the Asian Championships, scheduled for April at a place to be determined, but the Japan federation has not decided how or when that team will be decided.

"The Iran wrestler [Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)] who beat me, I've lost to him twice, I'd liketo get back at him," Suzuki said. "The Uzbekistan wrestler [Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)], I beat him at the Asian Championships, but I lost to him in the final of the international tournament in Poland. That's another one I have to avenge."

At 130kg, Sonoda stormed to his eighth straight gold with an 8-0 technical fall in 4:21 in the final over Sota OKUMURA, a student at his alma mater of Takushoku University.

Unfortunately, Sonoda has not been able to transfer his domestic dominance overseas. He has never won a match in six trips to the World Championships, and his best continental showing was a bronze medal at the 2016 Asian Games.

Looking to buck that trend and qualify for the Paris Olympics "when I will be at my peak," he said he has changed his training routine, including added a rowing machine.

Endo Katsuaki ENDO won the 67kg gold over Kyotaro SOGABE. (Tateo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At 67kg, Katsuaki ENDO avenged a loss from the Meiji Cup semifinals to Kyotaro SOGABE, scoring all of his points in the first period of a 6-1 victory to add to his lone national title previously won in 2018, the year he was the world U23 champion at 63kg.

In freestyle, NSSU's Yamaguchi defeated Waseda University's Ryoma ANRAKU in the 65kg final for the second straight year, scoring a stepout and an activity clock point in a tense 2-0 victory.

Yamaguchi, the 2019 world junior champion who finished 11th in Oslo, was also a bit dissatisfied with his performance.

"I'm happy I was able to win the title, but the way the final went was the same as last year, and I felt it ended without bringing out what I had done in training," Yamaguchi said. "The way I wrestled will ensure I lose in Asia, so I have to make more effort."

The 79kg final was also an NSSU-Waseda clash, with the former's Yudai TAKAHASHI notching a 6-1 win over Kosuke YAMAKURA for his first national title.

Last year's champion, Ryuki YOSHIDA, who finished fifth at the World Championships after beating Takahashi in a playoff to make the Japan team, has moved up to 86kg.

The tournament continues Saturday with action in freestyle 61kg, 74kg and 86kg, Greco 63kg and 97kg, and women's 57kg, 62kg and 68kg.

As coronavirus protocols, each weight class is limited to a maximum of 12 entries and are completed in one day, with no repechage and only one bronze-medal match. Spectators are banned from the arena, including family and non-essential team members.

Kaiki YAMAGUCHI won over Ryoma ANRAKU 2-0 in the 65kg final. (Tateo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

65kg (11 entries)
Final - Kaiki YAMAGUCHI df. Ryoma ANRAKU, 2-0
3rd Place - Yujiro UENO df. Kanta TOKURIKI by TF, 15-4, 4:23
Semifinal - Yamaguchi df. Tokuriki by TF, 11-1, 4:44
Semifinal - Anraku df. Ueno, 6-4

79kg (11 entries)
Final - Yudai TAKAHASHI df. Kosuke YAMAKURA, 6-1
3rd Place - Takahiro MURUYAMA df. Tetsuro MARUME, 8-3
Semifinal - Takahashi df. Marume, 8-1
Semifinal - Yamakura df. Muruyama, 2-1

Greco-Roman

60kg (10 entries)
Final - Ayata SUZUKI df. Kaito INABA, 5-3
3rd Place - Maito KAWANA df. Kosei TAKESHITA, 4-1
Semifinal - Suzuki df. Kawana by TF, 9-0, 2:36
Semifinal - Inaba df. Takeshita, 3-2

67kg (11 entries)
Final - Katsuaki ENDO df. Kyotaro SOGABE, 6-1
3rd Place - Shintaro YOSHINAGA df. Yuji UEGAKI, 7-1
Semifinal - Sogabe df. Uegaki, 5-3
Semifinal - Endo df. Yoshinaga by TF, 10-0, 1:57

130kg (12 entries)
Final - Arata SONODA df. Sota OKUMURA by TF, 8-0, 4:29
3rd Place - Ryuta KONO df. Satoshi KAIZUKA, 3-1
Semifinal - Sonoda df. Kono by Fall, 1:49 (6-0)
Semifinal - Okumura df. Kaizuka, 7-1

Women's Wrestling

55kg (6 entries)
Final - Umi IMAI df. Ibuki TAMURA, 2-1
3rd Place - Misaki YOSHIBA df. Eri SHIMADA, 6-5
Semifinal - Imai df. Yoshiba by TF, 10-0, 3:58
Semifinal - Tamura df. Shimada by Fall, 2:33 (4-2)

65kg (8 entries)
Final - Miwa MORIKAWA df. Ayana GEMPEI by TF, 11-0, 2:51
3rd Place - Miyu IMAI df. Kaede HIRAI by TF, 11-0, 3:29
Semifinal - Morikawa df. Hirai by TF, 10-0, 1:48
Semifinal - Gempei df. Imai, 3-1

72kg (7 entries)
Final - Sumire NIIKURA df. Mei SHINDO, 3-1
3rd Place - Kyoka MIZUSHIMA df. Kanon KOBAYASHI, 6-4
Semifinal - Shindo df. Mizushima by TF, 10-0, 1:29
Semifinal - Niikura df. Kobayashi, 10-2

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Saravi wins Iran's first gold after beating Aleksanyan

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 - 22:46 By Ken Marantz

PARIS (August 7) -- Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) notched his first win in four career meetings with superstar Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), and it couldn't have come at a better time or place.

Saravi scored a late takedown against Aleksanyan in the Greco 97kg final on Wednesday at the Paris Olympics, giving him a 4-1 victory to improve on the bronze medal he won three years ago in Tokyo and assuring that the Armenian's fourth career Olympic medal would be a second straight silver.

"Thank God I got the first gold for Iran at Paris 2024, and my first gold at an Olympics after I took bronze at Tokyo 2020," Saravi said. "And thanks to my coaches. I’m so happy."

In other action at the packed Champs de Mars Arena, one day after Japan won its first Olympic Greco gold in 40 years, it got another when Nao KUSAKA (JPN) claimed the 77kg title, while Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) emerged victorious when the dust cleared on a chaotic day in the women's 50kg division.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) with his coach at the medal ceremony at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Saravi, winner of three tournaments this year including the Asian Championships, looked confident against the veteran Aleksanyan, who had previously beaten him in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics and at both the 2019 and 2022 World Championships.

"It’s so sweet to win the gold medal after three attempts," Saravi said. "I have a lot of respect for my opponent in the final. He’s so professional, but I was able to beat him."

Both wrestlers were unable to score from the top in par terre, and Saravi held a 1-1 lead on criteria in the second period. In a quick flurry, Aleksanyan was knocked backward toward the ground, and Saravi spun behind for a takedown.

The Armenian side challenged that Saravi had gone out of bounds during the move, but the takedown was upheld, tacking another point onto the Iranian's tally. He then held on to become Iran's fifth Olympic Greco champion in its history.

"I had lost matches before, even though I still won medals, but now I won, and it is like getting revenge, and at the most important tournament to do that," said Saravi, the 2021 world champion who won bronzes in 2022 and 2023.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) tries to score on Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Saravi knows that celebrations have started in his hometown of Amol in north central Iran.

"My city and province is the home of Greco-Roman wrestling in Iran," he said. "Everybody is really happy there and celebrates my medal, so I am really proud to have made this happen.”

Aleksanyan did not take the defeat very well. With a full collection of Olympic medals -- he also won a gold at Rio 2016 and bronze at London 2012 -- a second silver was not anything he desired.

Immediately after the medal was placed around his neck at the award ceremony, he took it off and kept it in his hand, even as the medalists were paraded around the arena for photo shoots. He did not attend the medalists' press conference.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) celebrates after winning the 77kg final in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the other Greco final, world bronze medalist Kusaka scored a 4-point takedown in the second period that propelled him to the 77kg gold with a 5-2 victory over four-time Asian medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ).

The victory came a day after Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), Kusaka's predecessor at powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, won the 60kg gold, ending Japan's 40-year Greco drought at the Olympics.

"I was in junior high and high school when Kenichiro won world titles and he was someone I always looked up to," the 24-year-old Kusaka said. "As my senior colleague, he was the one who pulled me along the most."

In the final, Zhadrayev struck first with a stepout and a passivity point, but he was unable to turn Kusaka from par terre and went into the second period leading 2-0.

Kusaka, who had beaten Zhadrayev in their only previous meeting at the 2023 German Grand Prix, turned the match around when he stuck the Kazakh with a pancake for 4. He then received a passivity point to make it 5-2 and held on to finish up the victory.

"To be honest, it didn't go according to my game plan," Kusaka said. "But all I could do was believe in myself all the way to the end. Once I got on the mat, there was nobody there to save me. I just believed in myself and all the training that I put in and kept putting the pressure on."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) scores two points against Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three years ago in Tokyo, Japan got a surprising bronze medal in this weight class from Shohei YABIKU (JPN). But in the ensuing years, Kusaka seemed to come out of nowhere to not only depose Yabiku, but rise to a world-class level.

He first made himself known with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships. After going on his own to Germany and Hungary for intense training, he started this year off with a bronze at the Zagreb Open.

It got better from there, as he won the Asian Championships, beating reigning world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in the process, then the Budapest Ranking Series to suddenly make himself the top seed in Paris.

"It's like a dream," Kusaka said. "For this moment, from when I was little, I got through tough times and it's great that I became the champion."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) celebrates with his mother after winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It could be said that Kusaka was destined for Olympic success from the day he came into the world. He was born two months after Naoko TAKAHASHI (JPN) won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a feat that makes her among Japan's most beloved athletes to this day.

So impressed was Kusaka's mother that she used the same kanji character for "Nao" in Takahashi's first name for her newborn son.

Kusaka paid tribute to his namesake after his win. After Takahashi's won in Sydney, she famously said, "It was a really fun 42 kilometers."

After Kusaka won in Paris, he commented, "It was a really fun six minutes."

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 50kg at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Hildebrandt seemed to be having fun throughout the day, from the time she stood in the tunnel awaiting the women's 50kg final to the time she stood for the endless photos and hugged numerous well-wishes over her hard-earned gold medal.

Hildebrandt gave the U.S. two golds in two days of women's wrestling with a 3-0 victory over Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), who was not her opponent when everyone went to sleep the night before.

"My mind and body are not computing everything, especially with the chaotic morning I had with the change of opponent, so it's all been crazy," Hildebrandt said. "Mostly, I just feel gratitude and I just want to go squeeze my family."

Much of the wrestling world awoke to the shock of 50kg finalist Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) failing to make weight. Phogat had produced the surprise of the competition when she handed defending champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) her first-ever international loss, and was aiming to give India its first-ever Olympic women's gold.

Under UWW rules, Guzman, as the losing semifinalist to Phogat, took her place in the final. At first, Hildebrandt and her team did not know how the disqualification would affect the competition.

"We get the news that she didn't make weight, and we were under the impression that it was a forfeit," Hildebrandt said. "So, there was a lot of celebrating. It was very strange, like 'Oh my god, I just won the Olympics.'

"Then an hour later, they were like, 'You did not win the Olympics.' I'm like, 'Oh, this is very weird.' So there had to be a reset. I took a nap, woke up, and it was like a fever dream."

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) The four medalists at the 50kg weight class at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Hildebrandt had beaten Guzman 10-0 in the semifinals of last year's Pan Am Championships, but the Cuban did a good job of keeping the Paris final close.

In the end, a takedown in the first period and an activity point in the second were all that three-time world medalist Hildebrandt could put on the scoreboard, but it was enough to add the Paris gold to her bronze from Tokyo.

For Hildebrandt, it marked a remarkable journey in which she made the drastic drop from 55kg down to the Olympic weight of 50kg.

"The weight cut has taken a lot of deliberate education and discipline," she said. "I actually started the weight cut for these Games back at the end of 2022. I was like, 'Everything I do, from
here on out, is going to feed into [Paris] 2024. So, it's going to be uncomfortable in 2023.'

"I'm so happy to say I've had the smoothest cut of my life for Paris 2024. It paid off."

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) defeated Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the bronze medal bout in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Susaki, Makhmudov bounce back to bag bronzes

Susaki bounced back from her dethroning as Olympic champion by winning a bronze medal -- the first time in her life that she had ever taken part in a third-place match.

Putting on a display of the lightning-quick takedowns that had made her 94-0 against non-Japanese opponents prior to Tuesday's defeat, Susaki cruised to a 10-0 victory over Oksana LIVACH (UKR), finishing off the match 17 seconds into the second period.

"After losing in the first round yesterday, it's been a really rough two days," Susaki said. "But the people around me had my back and helped me get back on my feet. I am grateful to them from the bottom of my heart."

Susaki said she was moved by the many non-Japanese fans who cheered for her. "I had thought that without being 'Yui Susaki, Olympic champion,' I would have no value. But win or lose, I was encouraged by the cheers and I want them to see me again as an Olympic champion. I will fight hard over the next four years."

According to the Japan Federation website, a third place at the 2017 All-Japan Championships marks the only time Susaki finished out of the top two in any competition both at home and abroad, dating back to junior high school. In that tournament, the losing semifinalists received the bronze medals without a playoff.

World bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) picked up the other bronze at women's 50kg, storming to a six-point lead and holding on for a 6-4 vicory over world silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL).

Feng opened with two slick takedowns, following the second with a gut wrench, before Dolgorjav struck back to make it 6-2 at the break. Dolgorjav kept the pressure on in the second period, but it wasn't until the final four seconds that she finally got behind for a takedown that was too little, too late.

At Greco 77kg, Makhmudov, the Tokyo silver medalist who looked bound for an Olympic gold in Paris after winning back-to-back world titles, also had to settle for a bronze, and it was no easy task at that.

Makhmudov, who fell to Zhadrayev in the quarterfinals, got a 4-point lift-and-throw early in the second period, and that made the difference in a 6-5 win over Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), whose late rally came up just short.

Down 5-1, Suleymanov got a stepout and fleeing point, then scored a takedown with six seconds left. But Makhmudov had the criteria advantage, and a last-ditch challenge by the Azeri side only added an unneeded point.

European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), the bronze medalist at the last two World Championships, picked up the other bronze at Greco 77kg when he hung on for a 6-5 victory over Aram VARDANYAN (UZB).

Amoyan opened with a stepout that became an afterthought when he launched a 4-point throw from par terre for a 6-0 lead. But in the second period, Vardanyan hit a 4-point throw of his own from par terre using a front headlock, but that early stepout left him one point short.

Kyrgyzstan picked up a second bronze when five-time Asian medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) edged Mohamad GABR (EGY) 2-1 at Greco 97kg. Dzhuzupbekov had the criteria advantage after each received a passivity point when Gabr had the option for a second par terre in the final minute, but opted to remain standing. After time ran out, Egypt made a dubious challenge that added a point to Dzhuzupbekov's tally.

The other 97kg bronze-medal match ended on a sad note when 40-year-old Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) was forced to default after injuring his shoulder early in his clash with reigning world champion Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB).

Assakalov landed on the shoulder as he tried an arm throw. He tried to continue, but after a few seconds realized it was not to be, awarding the victory to Rosillo.

It would be the two-time world medalist's last chance for an Olympic medal in three appearances, as he left his shoes on the mat after the match as a sign that he was retiring.

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

67kg
SF 1: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 3-3
SF 1: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), 10-4

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 5-2

BRONZE: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Aram VARDANYAN (UZB), 6-5
BRONZE: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 6-5

87kg
SF 1: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) df. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), 3-3
SF 1: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-1

BRONZE: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) by Inj. Def., :42 (2-0)
BRONZE: Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) df. Mohamad GABR (EGY), 2-1

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), 3-0

BRONZE: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
BRONZE: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), 6-4

53kg
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Annika WENDLE (GER) by TF, 10-0, 4:29
SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Qianyu PANG (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 4:40

World Silver Medalist Morikawa Adds Punch to Credentials with 3rd National Title

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Paris 2024: Saravi wins Iran's first gold after beating Aleksanyan