Emperor's Cup

Younger Kawai Captures Elusive National Title with Victory in 59kg Final

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - 19:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (Dec. 21) - Yukako KAWAI is still quite a ways from catching up to her older sister, world and Olympic champion Risako. But she moved a step closer by capturing her first Japan national title on Thursday.

Kawai, with her sister at matside in her corner, forged out a hard-fought 3-2 victory over recently crowned world under-23 Yuzuru KUMANO in the women's 59kg final on day two of the Japan national championships. 

"As sisters, she's extremely close to me as a senior teammate, but in terms of ability, the difference is like heaven and earth," Kawai said. "But I'm using the fact that we wrestle as sisters as a positive, and am working to catch up."

The four-day tournament at Komazawa Gym, a venue used for the 1964 Olympics located in western Tokyo, is following the newly adopted UWW format of having each weight class competed over two days. The finals in 10 divisions were held Thursday, along with competition up to the semifinals in 10 others. 

While Kawai's clash with Nihon University's Kumano was their lone match of the day, much of it lacked the energy expected from two fresh wrestlers. 

Kawai scored the lone point of the first period when Kumano, a two-time world junior champion, was on the activity clock, then padded the lead to 3-0 with a takedown early in the second.

The action amped up as Kumano desperately fought to close the gap, but could only manage a last-second takedown that proved too little, too late.

"Naturally I'm really happy, but there is also a feeling of disappointing over the way I wrestled in the final," said the 20-year-old Kawai, who competes for powerhouse Shigakkan University.

Kawai said that before taking the mat, Risako told her: "You train with the world and Olympic champion. There will be nobody stronger than me. Go out there with confidence."

After taking those words to heart and coming off the mat in triumph to be greeted by her elated sister, it was Risako who was in tears. 

"Risako is the person who is most concerned about me," Kawai said. "When I saw Risako crying, it hit me, 'ah, I am the national champion'. It was my way of repaying her."

While her older sister captured the 60kg gold this summer in Paris, Kawai's first appearance at a senior world championships ended with her finishing out of the medals at 63kg.

Japan teams are chosen based on results from the All-Japan championships (known as the "Emperor's Cup") in December and the national invitational championships (the "Meiji Cup") in the spring, but Kawai did not earn automatic qualification. Instead, she was selected by the Japan federation among several candidates. Now she has a chance to go on her own merits.

"I went to the world championships this year, but I didn't win at the Meiji Cup to earn a place on the team," Kawai said. "I told myself that next time for sure, I would win the All-Japan and earn a place on the national team. First, it's good I was able to win at the Emperor's Cup this year."

In other action, world 75kg bronze medalist Hiroe SUZUKI survived a close call of her own in edging high schooler Yasuha MATSUYUKI 2-0 in the women's 76kg final, giving her a second straight national title and fourth overall.

Suzuki scored both of her points in the first period, the first on the activity clock and the second on a step-out. After that, it was just a matter of withstanding the pressure from Matsuyuki, whose twin sister Naruha made Friday's final at 72kg earlier in the day.

"The final turned into a match in which I did nothing," Suzuki lamented. "I regressed to the person I was before I finished third in the world."

To her credit, she had been plagued recently with injuries, and wrestled with her right shoulder heavily taped. But the problem, she said, was not physical.

"More and more during practice when I went in for a takedown, I felt a tingling sensation. I had it taped, but during the match, the reason I couldn't get in on my tackles was more of a mental problem [than physical]." 

The other women's gold on offer went to world under-23 and junior champion Ayana GEMPEI at 65kg. As with Kawai, her 3-1 win over Miwa MORIKAWA in the final made her a first-time senior national champion.

"If you don't win at home, you can't go to world competitions," a tearful Gempei said. "It's a tough selection process. To become champion here means so much."

In the men's competition, Shota TANOKURA capped off a dominating performance at Greco-Roman 55kg with a flashy 4-point throw that gave him a 8-0 technical fall in 4:55 over Shota OGAWA in the final.

Tanokura regained the national title he won in 2012 and 2013, but had relinquished to eventual Olympic silver medalist Shinobu OTA and world champion Kenichiro FUMITA.

With those two opting for the Olympic weight class of 60kg with eyes on Tokyo 2020, Tanokura is expected to focus on going for gold at next year's world championships in Budapest.

In other Greco-Roman finals, Yuta NARA won a second straight national title by rallying with five points in the second period for a 6-3 win over Masaaki SHIKIYA at 97kg, while Takayuki INOGUCHI earned his first gold with a 9-7 win over Ryo MATSUI at 63kg.

In freestyle, Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA earned his first national crown in three years and sixth overall when he overwhelmed two-time defending champion Taiki YAMAMOTO, 6-1, at 125kg. 

Keisuke OTOGURO, a national champ in 2015, got the best of Yamanashi Gakuin University teammate Kirin KINOSHITA in the 70kg final, scoring all of his points in the first period and holding on for a 6-2 victory.

Two others made their first forays to the top step of the podium: Kazuya KOYANAGI (61kg)  and Takashi ISHIGURO (92kg).

Nihon University's Ishiguro could hardly have cut it closer. Trailing 2-0 against Seiji SUZUKI, he got in on a double-leg takedown in the last five seconds and managed to lift and dump his opponent to pull out a 4-2 win.

Koyanagi, the runner-up at 57kg at the Meiji Cup to eventual world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI, charged out to a 9-0 lead in the first period against Shingo ARIMOTO, then finished him off with a barrel roll for a 13-0 technical fall at 3:26.

Among the weight classes that had preliminary rounds to set up finals on day three, the featured match saw world 70kg bronze medalist Yuhi FUJINAMI advance to the freestyle 74kg final by storming to a 10-0 technical fall in 1:48 over Momojiro NAKAMURA, the 2016 national champion and 2017 Asian gold medalist at 70kg.

In the quarterfinals, Nakamura barely squeezed out a 11-9 win over 2015 national champion Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA, a fifth-place finisher at both the 2016 world and Asian championships.

Former world 74kg silver medalist Sosuke TAKATANI, moving up to 79kg as part of his preparation to make Tokyo 2020 at 86kg, got off to a good start with a pair of technical falls, both in less than two minutes. 

In Greco-Roman, former freestyle champion Atsushi MATSUMOTO's bid for a second straight title since switching styles ended when he was blitzed out in the 87kg semifinals by Taichi OKA. Matsumoto, put in the newly adopted par-terre position, never got out of it, as Oka reeled off four straight rolls for an 8-0 technical fall in 2:28. 

Women's world silver medalist Miyu MUKAIDA had little trouble in dispatching Arisa TANAKA with a 10-0 technical fall in 2:53 to make the 55kg final. 

Results of Day 2 Finals

Freestyle

61 kg (15 entries)
Kazuya KOYANAGI def. Shingo ARIMOTO by TF, 13-0, 3:26
Bronze medals: Takuya FUNAKI and Yudai FUJITA

70 kg (23 entries)
Keisuke OTOGURO def. Kirin KINOSHITA, 6-2 
Bronze medals: Ryo IZUTSU and Yuto MIWA 

92 kg (13 entries)
Takashi ISHIGURO def. Seiji SUZUKI, 4-2
Bronze medals: Masayoshi SAKURABA and Keiwan YOSHIDA

125 kg (8 entries)
Nobuyoshi ARAKIDA def. Taiki YAMAMOTO, 6-1
Bronze medals: Katsutoshi KANAZAWA and Tetsuya TANAKA

Greco-Roman

55 kg (13 entries)
Shota TANOKURA def. Shota OGAWA by TF, 8-0, 4:55
Bronze medals: Hiromu KATAGIRI and Tomoya MARUYAMA

63 kg (10 entries)
Takayuki INOGUCHI def. Ryo MATSUI, 9-7
Bronze medals: Masashiro KAGEYAMA and Mitsunaga OYAMA 

97 kg (13 entries)
Yuta NARA def. Masaaki SHIKIYA, 6-3
Bronze medals: Yukihito YAMADA and Masayuki AMANO

Women's Wrestling

59 kg (9 entries)
Yukako KAWAI def. Yuzuru KUMANO, 3-2
Bronze medals: Saki KAWAUCHI and Yui SAKANO

65 kg (6 entries)
Ayana GEMPEI def. Misuzu ENOMOTO, 3-1 
Bronze medals: Miyu IMAI and Miwa MORIKAWA 

76 kg (6 entries)
Hiroe SUZUKI def. Yasuha MATSUYUKI, 2-0
Bronze medals: Miku SAITO and Rino ABE

Results of Day 2 Semifinals

Freestyle

74kg (14 entries)
Yuhi FUJINAMI def. Momojiro NAKAMURA by TF, 10-0, 1:48
Ken HOSAKA def. Mao OKUI, 4-1

79kg (11 entries)
Sosuke TAKATANI def. Yuta ABE by TF, 12-2, 1:28
Tsubasa ASAI def.Hayato ISHIGURO, 8-0

97kg (13 entries)
Takeshi YAMAGUCHI def. Naoya AKAGUMA, 4-0
Taira SONODA def. Hiroto NINOMIYA, 6-1

Greco-Roman

67kg (15 entries)
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA def. Shogo TAKAHASHI by TF, 9-1, 5:56
Katsuyoshi KAWASE def. Taiki KOBAYASHI, 6-2

72kg (19 entries)
Tomohiro INOUE def. Muuto SAWADA by TF, 9-0, 3:58
Kazuhiro HANAYAMA def. Takahiro YAMAMOTO, 15-7

87kg (12 entries)
Taichi OKA def. Atsushi MATSUMOTO by TF, 9-0, 2:28
Masato SUMI def. Kanta SHIOKAWA by TF, 10-0, 2:32

130kg (13 entries)
Arata SONODA def. Naoto YAMAGUCHI by TF, 8-0, :31
Masahiro TANITA def. Yuya FUJITA, 3-0

Women

55kg (6 entries)
Mayu MUKAIDA def. Arisa TANAKA by TF, 10-0, 2:53
Saki IGARASHI def. Momoka KADOYA, 5-0

57kg (7 entries)
Katsuki SAKAGAMI def. Akie HANAI, 4-2
Chiho HAMADA def. Sae NANJO, 2-1

72kg (4 entries)
Masako FURUICHI def. Mei SHINDO by TF, 10-0, 2:18
Naruha MATSUYUKI def. Rin MIYAJI by TF, 10-0, 3:48
 

#WrestleAmman

Medet Kyzy pulls off late miracle for 3rd Asian gold

Thursday, March 27, 2025 - 19:00 By Ken Marantz

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AMMAN, Jordan (March 27) -- Winning the tight ones is a sign of a true champion, and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) couldn't have cut it any closer in retaining her Asian crown and becoming a three-time champion.

Medet Kyzy thwarted an upset bid from REETIKA (IND) with a takedown and gut wrench in the dying seconds for a 7-6 victory in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships on Thursday as women's wrestling took the stage on the third day in Amman, Jordan.

"I prepared for the Asian Championships really well," said Medet Kyzy, who will turn 26 on Sunday. "In the last 20 seconds, I said to myself, 'Aiperi, you have to win.'"

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) also became a three-time champion at 50kg, while young compatriot Sakura ONISHI (JPN) had a miracle victory of her own at 59kg as the powerful Japanese squad was limited to two of the five titles at stake, albeit they lost a world champion to a last-minute withdrawal due to injury.

The two other finals were match-ups between wrestlers from China and the DPK Korea, which they split as Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) and Zelu LI (CHN) became first-time champions at 55kg and 68kg, respectively.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) scores the winning turn against REETIKA (IND) in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 76kg final, Medet Kyzy, a two-time world medalist, was facing an opponent bent on avenging a close 1-1 loss in the quarterfinals at last year's Paris Olympics.

And for much of the match, it looked like it was payback time for 2023 world U23 champion Reetika, an Asian bronze medalist a year ago in Bishkek.

After Medet Kyzy opened with a counter for a takedown, Reetika scored a single-leg takedown to go into the break up 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, Reetika twisted Medet Kyzy over in a scramble for a 2-point exposure, then added a double-leg takedown to make it 6-2.

It looked bleak for Medet Kyzy when, in the final seconds, she managed to get behind for a takedown, then barely muscled Reetika's shoulders past the 90-degree point with a gut wrench with :02 left on the clock. The 2-point exposure was upheld on challenge.

Medet Kyzy said she was inspired by her Kyrgyzstan teammates, including Greco-Roman brothers Zholaman and Tynaar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) cheering her on from the stands.

"They cheered so badly for me I couldn’t lose," she said. "I worked till the very end." Medet Kyzy said that she and her coaches have been working on improving her quickness on the mat, which paid off on Thursday.

"After the Olympics, I sat down with the coaches and we did a full analysis of my wrestling," she said. "Now I’m more efficient compared to before."

Medet Kyzy, who finished fifth at the Paris Olympics, had also previously struck gold in 2022 and now has a total of eight Asian medals, along with a gold and bronze from the Asian Games.

"The Olympics were half a year ago," Medet Kyzy said. "It was very hard for me, because I ended up being fifth. All this time my friends, family, and coaches supported me a lot. Now we have started preparation for the 2028 Olympics."

At 50kg, Yoshimoto, taking advantage of a chance to compete internationally with high-profile rival Yui SUSAKI (JPN) still on hiatus, put on a takedown clinic in an 8-0 victory over world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN).

Yoshimoto chalked up two takedowns in each period with a combination of single-leg attacks and counters to outclass the Chinese teen and add to her previous Asian golds from 2022 and 2023 -- she also has gold from the 2023 Asian Games.

"I didn't make the team last year, but I went into my third [Asian Championships] with a new feeling and not thinking about it too deeply," said Yoshimoto, the 2021 world champion in Susaki's absence. "I feel like the opponents came up with a strategy against me, so it wasn't so easy.

"I wasn't looking to win in any particular way, but I wasn't moving like I wanted. It was different from the first and second times and there is much I need to reflect on."

Yoshimoto has not lost to a non-Japanese opponent since 2019, when she was defeated by Chun LEI (CHN) at the test event for the Tokyo Olympics. Her only other international loss was to two-time Olympic medalist Yun SUNAN (CHN) in the final of the Klippan Lady earlier that year.

Next up for Yoshimoto is the Meiji Cup in June, the second of two domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships where she will likely have to encounter Susaki, who has not competed since taking a bronze at the Paris Olympics.

Onishi, one of Japan's brightest rising stars, looked to be headed to just her second defeat in seven international tournaments when she pulled off a last-second 6-4 victory over Pyol HONG (PRK) in the 59kg final, thanks to a favorable call.

"This is my first time at the senior Asian Championships, and I knew it would not be easy to win," Onishi said. "That's exactly how it was. The final was a tough match. There was a moment when I thought I was going to lose. But I stayed strongly determined to win."

The reigning world U20 champion took a 3-0 lead with a single-leg takedown, to which a 1-point penalty was tacked on for grabbing the wrists.

In the second period, all of Onishi's tackle attempts were well thwarted by Hong, who spun behind after one counter for a takedown, after which she added a gut wrench to go up 4-3.

With the clock ticking down, Onishi launched a desperate surge forward that forced Hong over the edge for a stepout with :02 left that, by itself, would not have been enough. But the referee signaled an additional point for fleeing that was upheld by the side judges, leaving Hong stunned and Onishi elated.

"There was only a little time left, but I thought I had to do something and just go for it," the 19- year-old Onishi said. "All I thought was that I wanted to win. I have no recollection of what I actually did."

The match marked Onishi's first encounter with an opponent from the DPR Korea. "She was very powerful and she was able to keep me from doing my usual winning pattern. I couldn't get in on a tackle, and honestly speaking, I was panicking a little. But it was a good experience."

Onishi, the world U17 champion at 53kg in 2023, prepped for Amman by winning the Tirana Ranking Series event in February. She was dealt her lone international loss in the final at the 2022 U17 worlds to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR).

Oh, the losing finalist at 55kg last year, moved up to the top of the medal podium by grinding out an 8-1 victory over Yuxuan LI (CHN), who finished third in Tirana.

Oh gained a takedown off a counter, then went to a lace lock, but was limited to one roll through by Li to make it 4-0. In the second period, Oh padded her lead with a single-leg takedown and added another lace lock roll. As she tried another, Li managed to execute a switch and scored a reversal for her lone point.

Oh had earned her place in the final for the second year in a row by knocking off three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) with a nail-biting 6-5 win in the semifinals. Last year, she lost in the final to Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), who will be going for the 53kg gold on Friday.

Zelu LI (CHN)Zelu LI (CHN) works a cradle against Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The 68kg final was a quick affair when Zelu Li defeated Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by fall in just 35 seconds.

Li forced in a half-nelson from the standing position, then slammed Pak directly to her back and clamped down for the fall.

Li finished second at the Tirana Ranking Series to world 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), who was entered at 68kg in Amman but withdrew prior to the competition due to a knee injury she suffered a week ago in training.

Murayama Okuno bounces back to take bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Murayama Okuno assured she would not leave her first Asian Championships empty-handed, while two Indian teenagers made it onto the medal podium in their international senior debuts.

Murayama Okuno bounced back from her semifinal loss to Oh by shutting out Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB) 8-0 at 55kg.

Murayama Okuno jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and a stepover exposure. In the second period, she broke through Matnazarova's defenses to get a late takedown off a counter and a gut wrench for her final points.

The other 55kg bronze went to two-time Asian U23 champion Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL), who got behind countering a takedown attempt by NISHU (IND), applied a chicken wing and turned her over for a fall in 2:13.

At 50kg, Myonggyong WON (PRK), last seen on the continental stage winning a bronze at the Asian juniors (U20) in 2019, now has a senior medal after overwhelming Miran CHEON (KOR) 10-0.

Won twice went out the back door for a takedown, and after the second one, secured a high- thigh lock and executed one roll, then moved down to the laces and ripped off two more to end the match at 2:01.

Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), in her second appearance at the Asian Championships five years after placing fifth, came away with the other 50kg bronze after scoring a deep double-leg takedown late in the first period and making that hold up in a 3-0 victory over Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ).

At 59kg, teenager MUSKAN (IND), a 2024 world U17 bronze medalist at 53kg, received two activity points and scored a late takedown to defeat Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) 4-0.

Mengyu XIE (CHN) made short work of Guldana BEKESH (KAZ), storming to a 10-0 technical fall in :48 to add the other 59kg bronze to the gold she won back in 2019.

Xie, a 2022 world bronze medalist at 55kg, opened with a takedown-gut wrench combination, then did it again, adding a second roll to finish off Asian U23 bronze medalist Bekesh.

In a battle between last year's bronze medalists at 68kg, 2023 world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) added to her extensive collection of Asian medals by finishing off Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) 14-2 with a driving 4-point takedown in the final seconds.

Enkhsaikhan scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-2, then added two more and looked headed for a 10-2 win. But she got in deep on a double-leg, lifted up and drove Tashtanbekova to the mat for a 4-pointer.

Enkhsaikan now has five Asian medals, all bronze save for a silver from 2021.

The second Indian teen, world U17 champion Mansi LATHER (IND), used a snap-down, spin-behind attack to maximum effect to rout Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) 12-2 for the other bronze at 68kg.

In an entertaining bout at 76kg, YANGLA (CHN) twice threw Mi Hyang KIM (PRK) to her back, only to be reversed to her own back, but scored a late takedown to clinch an 8-5 victory. Yangla got the big move of the match with a back suplex for 4.

Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) added to the Japanese medal tally, showing surprising speed and agility for a heavyweight in charging to a 10-0 win over Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) for the other 76kg bronze.

Yamamoto opened with a single-leg takedown and two gut wrenches, added a snap-down, go-behind takedown, then finished things off at 2:00 with a single-leg takedown at the edge.

Photo

Day 3 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Yu ZHANG (CHN), 8-0

BRONZE: Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ), 3-0
BRONZE: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Miran CHEON (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:01

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Yuxuan LI (CHN), 8-1

BRONZE: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) df. Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB), 8-0
BRONZE: Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL) df. NISHU (IND) by Fall, 2:13 (4-0)

59kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Pyol HONG (PRK), 6-4

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), 4-0
BRONZE: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Guldana BEKESH (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, :48

68kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by Fall, :35 (4-0)

BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) by TF, 14-2, 6:00
BRONZE: Mansi LATHER (IND) df. Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) by TF, 12-2, 4:43

76kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. REETIKA (IND), 7-6

BRONZE: YANGLA (CHN) df. Mi Hyang KIM (PRK), 8-5
BRONZE: Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:00