Without Leader Icho, Japan Faces Battle to Reclaim Women's World Cup Title

TOKYO (March 13) – Japan had hoped that having three world champions in their stable would give them the early edge in their efforts to reclaim the World Cup of women’s freestyle wrestling this weekend in Tokyo.

Eri TOSAKA at 48kg, Saori YOSHIDA at 53kg, Kaori ICHO at 58kg were expected to give the Japanese a flying start in their bid for a seventh World Cup, and then the energy and enthusiasm of the faithful crowding Azusawa Gymnasium in Tokyo would carry the hometown sweethearts to victory.  But, that was before Black Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Japanese team officials and wrestlers learned that national team coach Eikatsu YOSHIDA, father of three-time Olympic champion Saori, had died of an apparent brain hemorrhage.

And, just as that tragic news was sinking in, team officials revealed that Icho had sustained a neck injury, which makes her a big question mark for the March 15 event.

With Icho on the sidelines and Yoshida mourning, Tosaka and the younger Japanese will have to pick up their game against the likes of current Cup holder China, an emerging Mongolian team, a resurgent United States, and the young guns from Canada.

Since the inaugural event in 2001, Japan has won the World Cup six times, most recently two years ago in Tokyo. China also has won six Cups, including last year in Ulaanbaatar.

The Japanese and the Chinese, however, cannot overlook Mongolia, which upset Japan in pool competition last year, nearly defeated China in the final, and then nearly pipped Japan for the team title at the world championships in September. And, this year’s Mongolian team appears to be even stronger and more confident.

The World Cup features the top eight teams from last September’s world championships – Japan, Mongolia, United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Canada and Hungary – in a dual-meet team competition.

World Cup Schedule

Saturday, March 15    

10 a.m.-noon     Pool matches, first round

2:30-3 p.m.        Opening ceremony

3-5 p.m.             Pool matches, second round

5-7 p.m.             Pool matches, third round

Sunday, March 16      

10-11 a.m.         Final for 7th-8th place

11 a.m.-noon     Final for 5th-6th place

2-3 p.m.             Final for 3rd place

3-4 p.m.             Championship final

4-4:30 p.m.        Awards ceremonies

Draws and Match Schedule

Group A: JPN, USA, CHN, HUN

Group B: MGL, UKR, RUS, CAN

Preliminary Round (March 15)

10:00 - 12:00: CHN v. HUN, JPN v. USA; RUS v. CAN, MGL v. UKR

15:00 - 17:00: USA v. HUN, JPN v. CHN; UKR v. CAN, MGL v. RUS

17:00 - 19:00: USA v. CHN, JPN v. HUN; UKR v. RUS, MGL v. CAN

JAPAN

With Kaori ICHO unlikely to see any time on the mat this weekend, the task of team leader falls to world champion Eri TOSAKA, who will kick things off at 48kg.

Tosaka’s most formidable foes likely be two world champions from 51kg -- Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) and SUN Yanan (CHN).  It will be interesting to see how the 48kg champion handles the bigger, more powerful opponents.

The “understudies” – junior world champs Chiho HAMADA, Kanako MURATA, Risako KAWAI -- will then have their chance to perform on the big stage along with world bronze medalist Sara DOSHO at 69kg, Yarygin Grand Prix champion Yurika ITO at 63kg, and five-time former world champion Kyoko HAMAGUCHI at 75kg.

CHINA

Cup holder China won five straight World Cups from 2007 to 2011, and added a sixth title last year.

China brings two world champions to Tokyo with 51kg titlist SUN Yanan entered at 48kg and 72kg winner ZHANG Fengliu moving up to 75kg. Former world champion at 67kg XILUO Zhuoma is entered at 63kg and owns a win over Japan’s Ito at the Asia championships last year.

The key for China in defending the World Cup crown may well rest with 2012 junior world champion at 72kg ZHOU Feng, who is entered at 69kg.

MONGOLIA

Mongolia upset Japan in the pool matches, 4-3, last year and led China, 3-2, in the final before letting the Cup slip from their grasp in the final two bouts.  In the world championships, Mongolia also made a run at the team title but came up one point short of their first-ever world crown.

Mongolia brings to Tokyo its two world silver medalists from Budapest – SUMIYA Erdenechimeg at 53kg and SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg at 63kg – along with three bronze medalists.

London 2012 Olympian SUNDEV BYAMBATSEREN at 55kg and junior world champion SUKHEE Tserenchimed at 59kg give Mongolia the horsepower to romp past any team.

UNITED STATES

The United States, which won the third World Cup in 2003, is the only country outside of Japan or China to have a World Cup in their trophy case.

This year, the US brings all seven of their entries from last year’s world championships, led by 2012 world champion Elena PIROZHKOVA at 63kg. Pirozhkova, who earned a bronze medal last year, is joined by 2013 bronze medal winners Alyssa LAMPE at 48kg and Adeline GRAY at 75kg.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games bronze medalist Randi MILLER returns to the American team for the first time in five years and is slated for 69kg or 75kg. Miller will be joined by 2012 world silver medalist Helen MAROULIS at 53kg, World University Games 59kg silver medalist Alli RAGAN at 55kg and junior world bronze medalist Jennifer PAGE.

CANADA

Canada arrives in Tokyo led by 2012 world champion Jessica MacDONALD entered at 48kg but World Cup success may well hinge on the performances of last year’s World Cup individual winner Michelle FAZZARI and a trio of wrestlers making their World Cup debuts.

Erica WIEBE, entered at 75kg, posted wins over world champ ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) and 2011 world runner-up Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) earlier this year. Dorothy YEATS is a two-time junior world champion and 2012 senior world runner-up, while junior world silver medalist Braxton STONE won two senior-level events last summer.

RUSSIA

London 2012 gold medalist Natalya VOROBIEVA tops the Russian entry list and most recently has won the Yarygin Grand Prix crown at 69kg in January. Vorobieva has been unbeaten since last year’s world championships final where she was caught in a quick headlock and pinned.

Maria GUROVA comes into Tokyo with back-to-back wins at the Yarygin Grand Prix and in Klippan, but may find 53kg loaded with talent like world silver medalist SUMIYA Erdenechimeg (MGL) and 2012 world runner-up Helen MAROULIS (USA).

Meanwhile, World University Games champion Valeria KOBLOVA, who had been expected to wrestle in the World Cup, was not on the final entry list of wrestlers traveling to Tokyo.

UKRAINE

World champion Alina MAKHINIA is absent from Ukraine’s World Cup entry list even after her triumph at the Medved Prizes last week. Instead, Ukraine will send a young squad of rising stars.

Universiade silver medalist Irina HUSYAK (UKR) is entered at 55kg will seek to improve on her Medved Prizes second place. Junior world silver medalist at 55kg Larisa SKOBLYUK will wrestle at 53kg and European junior champion Ilona SEMKIV will try her luck at 48kg.

HUNGARY

Marianna SASTIN became Hungary’s first world champion in women’s freestyle in Budapest last September and leads Hungary into its first-ever women’s World Cup. With the new weight categories, Sastin will discover 58kg crowded with many top wrestlers including Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Yarygin Grand Prix runner-up at 60kg Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS). 

Emese BARKA became Hungary’s second-ever world medalist with a bronze at 55kg last year and will be joined by junior world bronze medalist Mercedesz DENES at 48kg and cadet world champion Ramona GALAMBOS at 60kg.

Death of Coach Overshadows Preparations for Women’s World Cup 

TOKYO (March 13) – Japan’s plans to reclaim the World Cup this coming weekend in Tokyo were met with tragic news Tuesday as national team coach Eikatsu YOSHIDA (JPN), father of three-time Olympic Champion Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), died of an apparent brain hemorrage. He was 61.

The elder Yoshida was reportedly on his way to meet some wrestlers who were taking part in the final training camp prior to the World Cup on Saturday and Sunday. He was found limp and unconscious in his car on the shoulder of the Ise expressway.

Yoshida was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors confirmed his death. The cause of death was given as a brain hemorrhage.

Yoshida won the All-Japan national championships crown in men’s freestyle at 57kg as a student at Senshu University. After he ended his competitive career, he opened his own wrestling school for children.

Yoshida was named a national team coach in 2009 and was scheduled to serve as one of the coaches for the women’s World Cup team this weekend.