TBILISI (September 16) – Asian cadet champions Suzuna YOSHIMURA (JPN) and Haruna OKUNO (JPN) led the charge Friday as Japan advanced all five of its entries into the gold medal bouts at the Cadet Wrestling World Championships.

Yoshimura fashioned a 9-6 win over European cadet champion Emma MALMBERG with her unorthodox style in the semifinals at 46kg and Okuno picked away at Pan American junior runner-up Andribeth RIVERA BELLIARD (PUR) for a 6-1 win in the 52kg semifinals.

Okuno’s win puts her in the gold medal final at 52kg opposite 2015 world champion at 49kg Ronna HEATON (USA), who defeated 2015 European bronze medal winner Ida JOENSSON (SWE) by fall in the other semifinal.

Heaton also won by injury default over Eden MISHIEV (ISR) in the round of 16 and by fall over European runner-up Erika BOGNAR (HUN) in the quarterfinals.

In other weight categories, newcomer Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) recorded a fall and a pair of technical falls to reach the 40kg final where she will take on Asian runner-up Mansi MANSI (IND), who defeated European champion Maria CIOCLEA (ROU), 6-3, in the semifinals.

At 60kg, another newcomer Atena KODAMA (JPN) kicked off her march to the finals with a fall over 2015 European bronze medal winner Ioana MARINKOVA (BUL) and a technical fall over European runner-up Elena SELL (GER).

Kodama takes on 2015 European silver medalist Maria LACHUGINA (RUS), Russia’s lone finalist in the gold medal matches on the final day of women’s events at Tbilisi Sports Palace.

In the women’s finale, Yasuhu MATSUYUKI (JPN) meets Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) for the 70kg crown.

Medet Kyzy defeated defending world champ Denise STROEM (SWE), 10-2, in the semifinals, while Matsuyuki bumped off European champion Anastasia ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) and bronze medal winner Evgenia ZAKHARDHENKO (RUS) in the earlier rounds.

Results

40kg (14 entries)

Gold – Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) v Mansi MANSI (IND)
Bronze – CHANG Yu-syuan (TPE) v Anna ARGUNOVA (RUS)
Bronze – Maria LEORDA (MDA) v Maria CIOCLEA (ROU)

Semifinal – Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df. Anna ARGUNOVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 2:30
Semifinal – Mansi MANSI (IND) df. Maria CIOCLEA (ROU), 6-3

46kg (19 entries)

Gold – Andrea ANA (ROU) v Suzuna YOSHIMURA (JPN)
Bronze – Anju ANJU (IND) v Valentyna KARAMAVROVA (UKR)
Bronze – Alleida MARTINEZ (USA) v Emma MALMGREN (SWE)

Semifinal – Andrea ANA (ROU) df. Valentyna KARAMAVROVA (UKR), 6-0
Semifinal – Suzuna YOSHIMURA (JPN) df. Emma MALMGREN (SWE), 9-6

52kg (22 entries)

Gold – Ronna HEATON (USA) v Haruna OKUNO (JPN)
Bronze – Erika BOGNAR (HUN) v Ida JOENSSON (SWE)
Bronze – Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ) v Andribeth RIVERA BELLIARD (PUR)

Semifinal – Ronna HEATON (USA) df. Ida JOENSSON (SWE) by Fall, 0:43 (2-4)
Semifinal – Haruna OKUNO (JPN) v Andribeth RIVERA BELLIARD (PUR), 6-1

60kg (17 entries)

Gold – Maria LACHUGINA (RUS) v Atena KODAMA (JPN)
Bronze – Anshu ANSHU (IND) v Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Bronze – Kirti SAXENA (CAN) v Alara BOYD (USA)

Semifinal – Maria LACHUGINA (RUS) df. Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) by Fall, 3:25 (6-3)
Semifinal – Atena KODAMA (JPN) df. Alara BOYD (USA), 8-0

70kg (18 entries)

Gold – Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) v Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN)
Bronze – Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) v Denise MAKOTA-STROEM (SWE)
Bronze – Raquel RAMA ESCRIBANO (ESP) v Bernadett NAGY (HUN)

Semifinal – Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Denise MAKOTA-STROEM (SWE), 3-2
Semifinal – Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Bernadett NAGY (HUN), 5-1