#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Lopez beats Mirzazadeh, Ozaki falls

Monday, August 5, 2024 - 12:41 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 5) -- Welcome to wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Day one here at the Champs de Mars Arena with Greco-Roman in 130kg and 60kg and Women's Wrestling in 68kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 NEWS

What a session of wrestling! Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) marches towards a fifth Olympic gold medal after reaching the semifinals at 130kg. He downed world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) 3-1. At 60kg, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal. 

In women's wrestling, Amit ELOR (USA) has Sol Gum PAK (PRK) while Blessing OBURODUDU (NGR) wrestles Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)

17:20: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) looks like a man on a mission as he puts away Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) on his first chance of par terre, going back and forth for four exposures and a 9-0 win in 1:43 at Greco 60kg. That sets up a mouth-watering encounter with Sharshenbekov for a place in the finals.

17:17: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) pulls off one of the biggest victories of her career, scoring a takedown with seven seconds left to stun Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) 8-6 at women's 68kg after squandering a six-point lead. Zhumanazarova counters a single leg for a takedown and adds a roll, then picks up a second takedown to go up 6-0 at the break. Ozaki comes back in the second period with a takedown and gut wrench, then goes ahead on criteria with a takedown with 1:10 left. But Zhumanazarova still has some fight left in her, and gets behind on a single for the win.

17:15: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) rides a 4-point throw from par terre to a 9-0 victory over Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) to secure his place in the Greco 60kg semifinals.

17:07: Liguo CAO (CHN) gets a 4-point throw from par terre and that makes the difference in a 5-3 victory over a gutsy Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) to advance to the Greco 60kg semifinals.

17:06: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) relied on her wits and experience to defy the home crowd and get past Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) 6-2 and advance to the women's 68kg semifinals. Oborududu trailed 2-1 in the second period when she scored a takedown with 1:10 left. With Larroque pressing for the winning score, it was Oborududu who came up with a takedown to clinch the win.

17:03: A semifinal for Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) as he hangs on for a 2-1 win over Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) at 130kg. He will wrestle Lingzhe MENG (CHN) for a spot in the final

16:53: Teenager Sol Gum PAK (PRK) and a right shoulder injury prove too much for NISHA (IND), who can't hang on and is eliminated with a 10-8 loss at women's 68kg. Nisha was the dominant force, building up an 8-2 lead when she injured her shoulder during a Pak takedown. She could offer little resistance as Pak continued to score points until getting the winning takedown with 8 seconds left to earn a semifinal clash with Elor.

16:52: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) survived a second passivity call against himself to beat Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) 1-1 and enter the semifinal at 130kg in Greco-Roman

16:47: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), who ended the Tokyo Olympics in tears after losing to a Cuban in the Greco 60kg, showed no mercy for Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) as he cruised to an 11-1 victory. Fumita gets three rolls from par terre in the first period, then finishes off the proceedings with a 4-point headlock throw in the second.

16:39: Three-time Asian medalist Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) makes short work of Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), reeling off a series of gut wrenches for a 9-0 victory in 1:48 at Greco 60kg.

16:40: Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) gets both the par terre to lead 2-0 against Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ). The Kazakh is then docked two points for his aggressive open hand. Shariati wins 4-0 to enter the semifinals against Lopez

16:37: Amit ELOR (USA) proves too much for Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) and she's comfortably into the women's 68kg semifinals with an 8-0 victory. Elor gets two takedowns and a stepout in the first period, then adds an activity point and takedown in the second.  

16:35: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) uses a nice arm drag for a first-period takedown, then adds a second 2-point in the second in a 4-2 win over Enes BASAR (TUR) at Greco 60kg. Basar used the over-the-top jump to score a late takedown, but the clock ran out before he completed a turn.

16:30: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) in the 130kg quarterfinal. Lopez defeated the Iranian in the Tokyo Olympics. In Paris, he gets the first par terre advantage and, hold your breath, gets a turn from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break! What a moment in the match. Three minutes to wrestle. Mirzazadeh used a much more aggressive approach in the second period. Lopez is called for passivity and is now in par terre. Mirzazadeh needs a turn to take the criteria lead. Mirzazadeh wants to resume in standing. That strategy from Iran will need three points for a win. Lopez is still standing tall over Mirzazadeh. Mijain LOPEZ beats Mirzazadeh 3-1 and moves into the semifinal

16:27: Like her compatriot minutes before Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) needs a comeback to get by Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) 8-3 at women's 68kg. Zhumanazarova trails 3-0 going into the second period when she hits a 4-point takedown, then tangles up Enkhsaikhan's legs and scores a pair of rolls. She will next face Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) for a place in the semifinals later tonight.

16:21: Two-time reigning world champion and top seed Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), aiming to become his country's first-ever gold medalist, survives a tough first test from neighbor Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ), scoring two takedowns in the second period for a 6-3 win at Greco 68kg.

16:20: World bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) pins age-group world champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) at 130kg. He moves into the quarterfinals. But it's time for the big one. Lopez vs Mirzazadeh

16:16: World 65kg champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) needs just 32 seconds to get past Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN) 10-0 to start her quest for the women's 68kg gold after missing out on Japan's place at her usual weight at 62kg.

16:14: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) spotted former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) an early takedown, but came back with three of her own in the second period for an 8-2 victory at women's 68kg. 

16:10: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) hangs on to a 1-1 win over Kiril MILOV (BUL) at 130kg. Acosta got the passivity advantage in the second period which was enough for him to win 1-1. Milov, a regular at 97kg, moved to 130kg after Bulgaria was awarded a quota.

16:07: World bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN) hits a 4-point throw from par terre in the second period to secure a 6-2 victory over Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) at Greco 60kg. Cao was trailing 2-1 when he received the passivity point with 1:47 left to put him ahead on criteria, but sealed the deal with his big throw at the edge.

16:01: World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), urged on by a loud partisan crowd in the Champs de Mars Arena, scores two takedowns in the first period and one in the second in a 6-0 victory over Tayla FORD (NZL).

15:59: Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) gets the par terre and never allows to Oussama ASSAD (MAR) to defend. He scores four turns and wins 9-0 to enter the quarterfinals at 130kg in Greco-Roman.

15:55: Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) gives South America a rare victory by holding on to defeat two-time world medalist Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) 6-5 at Greco 60kg. Rodriguez, helped by a leg penalty, leads 6-1 before Mammadov scores a takedown with :45 left and adds a gut wrench to cut the gap to 1. Rodriguez then squirms out of a late takedown attempt to clinch the win and a place in the quarterfinals.

15:55: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) has a good warmup win over Jello KRAHMER (GER) at 130kg. He moves into the quarterfinals with a 4-1 win.

15:48: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) showed again how her country's wrestlers can never be underestimated when she outdueled former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in a 10-6 thriller at women's 68kg. The two traded takedowns throughout the bout and Ringaci led 6-4 when Pak went ahead on criteria with a takedown with :58 left. She then put the matter to rest with a late 4-point takedown.

15:42: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) with a takedown in the second period to beat Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) 3-1 at 130kg. Both exchanged passivity points but Syzdykov kept the pressure up and got the takedown with just over a minute left in the bout.

15:39: World bronze medalist Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) gets started at Greco 60kg with a comfortable 9-0 victory over Refugee Team member Jamal VALIZADEH (EOR). Bakhramov was just unstoppable with his gut wrenches from par terre in ending the match at 3:52.

15:37: Asian bronze medalist NISHA (IND) bounces back after giving up an early 4-point takedown to Tatiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR) at women's 68kg, scoring two takedowns in the second period for a 6-4 victory. Sova Rizhko used a nice reverse headlock-back trip combination for her 4 points. 

15:32: Victor Ciobanu (MDA), the 2021 world champion who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, falls at the first stage at Greco 60kg to Se Ung RI (PRK). From par terre, Ciobanu gets a reverse lock and pulls Ri back and over his head for 2, but Ri responds with a front headlock roll for 4 that was originally given 2 but upgraded on a challenge. Ri then catches Ciobanu when he tries the desperation over-the-head jump, throws him to his back and records the fall with 1:02 left.

15:30: Two veterans at 130kg. 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) and Rio bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) on Mat C. Nabi gets the first par terre advantage and leads 1-0. Shariati gets the par terre in the second and leads 1-1 on criteria. Shariati maintains the lead and wins 1-1 on criteria

15:22: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) pulls a surprise at women's 68kg, knocking off Zagreb Open champion Feng ZHOU (CHN) 10-3. Choluj uses a beautiful fireman's carry to take a 4-1 lead into the second period. The match hits a key point when Choluj gets in deep for a takedown and Zhou tries a counter lift. That gives both 2 points, but Choluj rolls through it and lands on top for 2 more to go ahead 8-3. 

15:22: Four-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) sets up a quarterfinal against world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) at 130kg. He looks formidable in his 7-0 win over Seungchan LEE (KOR).

15:13: Beginning the action at Greco 60kg on Mat A, Enes BASAR (TUR) puts together an amazing rally to defeat Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) 8-7 in a battle of the world 63kg bronze medalists. Tibilov storms to a 7-0 lead in the first period, but Basar turns the tide in the second, scoring a takedown and gut wrench, then getting another gut wrench from par terre. An unsuccessful challenge of a late takedown attempt gives Basar his final point.

15:12: The women's 68kg competition gets started on Mat B with a clash of reigning world champions. Amit ELOR (USA), the gold medalist at 72kg, had little problem putting away the top-seed and world 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), scoring four takedowns in a 10-2 victory.

15:09: World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) gets his first win as he beats Adam COON (USA) with no trouble. He scores a turn from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break. Coon gets the par terre in the second period but no turn for him. Mirzazadeh wins 3-1 and enters the quarterfinals.

15:00: Wresting at the 2024 Paris Games could not have had a better story to follow on day one. Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) is going for his fifth Olympic gold medal at the Olympics. No athlete has done that before.

#JapanWrestling

Motoki stuns Ozaki with last-second win in Japan's world team playoff

Sunday, June 22, 2025 - 11:52 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (June 22) -- Each second that ticked off the clock left Paris Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI that much further from a trip back to the World Championships and a chance to take care of some unfinished business.

But the final second was just enough for her to post arguably the most dramatic win of her life.

Motoki finished up a takedown at the buzzer to stun Nonoka OZAKI 6-5 in a world team playoff, following a close 3-3 victory over her fellow Paris Olympic medalist in the women's 62kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Sunday in Tokyo.

"When she took back the lead, there was still 30 seconds left," Motoki said. "I train hard in practice every day, and deep down I knew, or at least thought, I could definitely get it. At the end, I gave it a last shot and was able to finish it off. As long as I kept attacking, there was always a chance."

The Meiji Cup was the second of Japan's domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships in Zagreb in September. As the winner at the first qualifier, the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December, Ozaki could have secured her ticket to Zagreb by winning either the Meiji Cup final or the playoff.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI scores a match-winning takedown in the final second to defeat Nonoka OZAKI in the women's 62kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Instead it will be Motoki who will get a chance to make it to the top step of the world podium, after taking a bronze at 59kg in 2022 and a silver at 62kg in 2023 -- results that still leave a bad taste in her mouth that wasn't alleviated by her triumph in Paris.

Motoki and Ozaki already had a history when it comes to high-profile showdowns. At the start of the qualifying process for the Paris Olympics, Ozaki was the reigning world 62kg champion and the odd's-on favorite to secure the ticket to Paris.

But Motoki moved up from 59kg to 62kg and beat the odds and stunned the wrestling world by not only beating Ozaki at the 2022 Emperor's Cup, but also going on to qualify for Paris and take home a gold medal.

In the intervening years, Ozaki temporarily moved up to 65kg and won the world title at that weight in 2023. Then when the 68kg spot in Paris opened up, she took a shot at that, securing the berth with a last-second playoff win over Ami ISHII -- so unlike the one she experienced on Sunday with the shoe on the other foot.

Having taken a bronze in Paris, Ozaki was determined to regain the domestic throne at 62kg.

While all of Japan's Paris medalists took long post-Olympic hiatuses -- five of the eight gold medalists still haven't returned to competition -- Ozaki was the first one back in action, taking the title at the Emperor's Cup and a bronze at the Asian Championships in March.

Motoki returned to the mat for the Japan Junior Queen's Cup, but only needed one match to qualify for the World U23 Championships, taking just over a minute to win by fall. So she was still working out the kinks as she headed into the Meiji Cup.

"Compared to the Olympics, my wrestling is nowhere near as complete, and that made me a bit anxious," Motoki said. "But the wrestler I am now is stronger than the me of the past and I'm more confident going into matches. I was much stronger at the time of the Olympics. But I am still developing and from now will become a more complete wrestler and widen my range."

Motoki dug deep to defeat Ozaki as much on will as on technique.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI will get a chance to win a first world title after a dramatic victory over Nonoka OZAKI in the women's 62kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the Meiji Cup final, Motoki received an activity point in the first period, then fell behind 3-1 when Ozaki scored a single-leg takedown while Motoki was on the clock. But with a minute to go, Motoki fended off a shot, launched a countershot and spun behind for a takedown that gave her a 3-3 win on last-point criteria.

Surprisingly or not, the playoff followed the exact same pattern. The only difference was that after Motoki went ahead 3-3, Ozaki came back and got a 2-point exposure during a single-leg attempt with 30 seconds left.

With :24 left, Motoki shot in on a low single that Ozaki stopped with a whizzer as the clockwound down. For all of the intricate movements involved, the final 10 seconds seemed to last forever:

-- Six seconds left. Motoki steps up and tries to drive forward, but Ozaki sits out and wriggles to the front, leaving Motoki in a double-leg position

-- Two seconds left. Motoki transitions to a single-leg, lifts up and drives with her left shoulder.

-- Ozaki lands on her side with a thud. The video replay on challenge shows her hitting the mat with "0.17" on the clock.

"She got out of it once and I wondered if I could get her leg," Motoki said. "At the end, I gave it everything I had and somehow managed to get it in time. It was just my body reacting."

Having won the world cadet (U17) title in 2017 and U20 in 2020, Motoki will get a chance to add the world u23 and senior titles in the coming months. That would make her just the third member of an elite group that has achieved the "Golden Grand Slam" of Olympic gold and all four world age-group titles, after Yui SUSAKI and Amit ELOR (USA).

But the gold in Zagreb is the one that most beckons. She has a reminder of it every morning to keep her from deviating from her mission.

"I have come up short at the World Championships twice, which is really vexing," Motoki said. "As the alarm on my smartphone to wake up in the morning, I use the music they play during the winning lap at the World Championships.

"Each time I hear it, it gives me an unpleasant feeling and makes me remember what happened. Even after I won at the Olympics, that sinking feeling never really went away."

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN)Remina YOSHIMOTO works to turn Umi ITO over during their women's 50kg playoff. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Yoshimoto secures shot at world title

In other women's action on the final day at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, Remina YOSHIMOTO took advantage of the absence of nemesis Susaki to win the 50kg gold and earn a shot at adding to the world title she won in 2021.

Yoshimoto went into the second period trailing 2023 world U23 champion Umi ITO, but got back on track and went ahead before ending the match by fall. It was the same pairing as the Emperor's Cup final, which Yoshimoto won 3-2.

Ito, who had lost all nine previous matches with Yoshimoto, took the lead with a takedown in the first period, countering a shot by getting on top and putting in a grapevine.

In the second period, Yoshimoto responded with a single-leg takedown, then used an arm bar to turn Ito over. Ito righted herself at one point, but Yoshimoto turned her over again and secured the fall at 4:19.

"At the start, Ito set the flow of the match and I didn't feel I was in control," Yoshimoto said. "This was the 10th time I've faced her, so we know each other and have each done our homework, and that made for a tough match. It was good that I kept my composure in the second period."

Since 2019, Yoshimoto has never been beaten either domestically and internationally by a wrestler not named Susaki, who has handed her all four of her losses in that span.

"It was frustrating that I couldn't get to the World Championships for four years," said Yoshimoto, who won a fourth Asian title this year. "I'm going to take advantage of this chance to get the gold medal. With the Los Angeles Olympics in mind, I want to practice so I can have a tournament that gives me confidence."

Himeka TAKUHARA (JPN)Himeka TOKUHARA launches a 4-point back suplex during her victory over Sae NANJO in the Meiji Cup final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 57kg, 2022 world U23 champion Himeka TOKUHARA earned a ticket to her first senior worlds when she hit a 4-point roll through in defeating Emperor's Cup champion Sara NATAMI 7-1 in the playoff.

Tokuhara also had a 4-pointer with a masterful back suplex in the Meiji Cup final, in which she edged two-time former world U23 champion Sae NANJO 6-5. Tokuhara had defeated Natami, this year's Asian champion, 3-1 in the semifinals on Saturday.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO df. Umi ITO by Fall, 4:19 (6-2)

BRONZE: Rinka OGAWA df. Mai OGAWA by TF, 10-0, 5:03
BRONZE: Miyu NAKAMURA df. Mako ONO by Def.

57kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Sae NANJO, 6-5

BRONZE: Sara NATAMI df. Kanon YAMASHITA by Fall, 5:26 (6-7)
BRONZE: Ichika ARAI df. Momiji KIMURA, 8-0

World Team Playoff: Tokuhara df. Natami, 7-1

62kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI df. Nonoka OZAKI, 3-3

BRONZE: Misuzu ENOMOTO df. Kiwa IWASAWA, 6-2
BRONZE: Yuzuka INAGAKI df. Shirin TAKEMOTO, 11-2

World Team Playoff: Motoki df. Ozaki, 6-5