PARIS, August 16 – For the first time since 2002, Japan heads into the wrestling world championships without Saori YOSHIDA or Kaori ICHO in the women’s line-up.

Other coaches might fret over suddenly not having either of these wrestling superstars and their gold production – 23 world titles, seven Olympic Games gold medals -- to go to after 15 years.

But, for Kazuhito SAKAE and his coaching staff, the beat goes on.

They have assembled a squad for the August 21-26 Senior World Wrestling Championships at AccorHotels Arena that includes four favorites in the women’s events.  The average age of the quartet is 20.5 years.

The quartet features Rio 2016 gold medalists Risako KAWAI (60kg) and Sara DOSHO (69kg) – each seeking their first world titles – along with 2016 junior and senior world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (53kg) and three-time cadet world champion Yui SUSAKI (48kg).

Further, due to a quirky coincidence in scheduling, all four favorites from Japan will be on the mats on Thursday, the second day of women’s wrestling at the world championships.

Wednesday, the first day of women’s events, will be headlined by Helen MAROULIS, who grabbed the Rio 2016 gold medal with a win over Yoshida at 53kg. In Paris, she will be entered at 58kg and faces a potential showdown with Rio silver medalist Valerie KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS).

With Mukaida’s move to 53kg and Maroulis’s jump to 58kg, 2015 world bronze medalist Odunayo ADKUOROYE (NGR) takes over the favorite’s role at 55kg. The field, crowded and balanced, features Rio bronze medalist Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) and European champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL).

At 63kg, PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) dons the favorite’s mantle with wins in Poland and Spain, while two-time European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) becomes the favorite at 75kg.  Adar gives Turkey the favorite wrestler in the heaviest category of each discipline – with Riza KAYAALP (130kg) in Greco-Roman and Taha AKGUL (125kg) in freestyle.

On the second day of women’s wrestling, Dosho might face the stiffest challenge of the Japanese quartet at 69kg with the likes of 2014 world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) and European champion Anastasija BRATCHIKOVA (RUS).

Dosho could also face local favorite and one of France’s brightest medal hopes, European bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). Larroque, who won the 2016 junior world title in Macon (FRA), kicked off 2017 with a triumph in Paris. She also won the Klippan Open with a win over Rio bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) in the final.

Meanwhile, three-time Olympic Games medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) is apparently sitting out the world championships at 48kg after winning her seventh European championship title in May.

The number of entries for each weight category is based on the number of national governing bodies that have submitted preliminary entries for the world championships. The number can change since final entries can be accepted until noon on the day of the category’s weigh-in.

48kg (29 entries)

Favorite – Yui SUSAKI (JPN). Three-time cadet world champion. Won the Yarygin Grand Prix, Klippan Open and Asia Championships all before turning 18 on June 30.  Lightning quick and laser precise in her technical execution. 

Challengers – 2017 Pan America champion Victoria ANTHONY (USA), Klippan Open No.2 Jasmine MIAN (CAN).
Dark Horses – Poland Open No.2 Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS), three-time European junior champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR).

53kg (28 entries)

Favorite – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN). 2016 junior and senior world champion. 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist. Undefeated in international competition since losing to Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) in the final of the Klippan Open in February 2016.

Challengers – 2017 Pan America champion Jessica MacDONALD (CAN), 2017 Europe champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR). Both wrestlers won world titles in 2012.
Dark Horses – 2016 world bronze medalist DAVAASUKH Otgontsetseg (MGL), 2016 European U23 champion Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS).

55kg (22 entries)

Favorite – Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR). Caught the eye of wrestling fans winning a bronze medal at the 2015 world championships. Took the 2016 Golden Grand Prix Final over a field that included 2016 European silver medalist Tatyana KIT (UKR).

Challengers – Rio 2016 bronze medalist Natalya SINISHIN (AZE), 2017 European silver medalist Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR).
Dark Horses – European U23 champion Tatyana KIT (UKR), Pan America champion Becka LEATHERS (USA)

58kg (27 entries)

Favorite – Helen MAROULIS (USA). Rio 2016 gold medalist at 53kg with a 4-1 win over Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) in the finals. Most recently, won the Poland Open by default over Yarygin Grand Prix titlist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

Challengers – Rio 2016 silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS), 2016-2017 Asia champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Dark Horses – 2017 Paris Grand Prix titlist Marwa AMRI (TUN), 2017 European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR)

60kg (25 entries)

Favorite – Risako KAWAI (JPN). Rio 2016 gold medalist at 63kg. Moved up to 63kg from 58kg in 2015. Pinned in the final of the 2015 world championships, rebounded for gold medal in Rio de Janeiro with 6-0 win over European champion Maria MAMASHUK (BLR).

Challengers – 2017 European champion Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), 2016 European champion Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Dark Horses – 2016 world silver medalist Allison RAGAN (USA), 2017 European bronze medalist Tatyana OMELCHENKO (AZE)

63kg (25 entries)

Favorite – PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL). Undefeated since finishing seventh at Rio 2016.  Defeated fellow Olympians Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS), Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) and XU Rui (CHN) to win both the Yarygin and Spanish Grand Prix as well as the Poland Open.

Challengers – 2017 European bronze medalist Yulia TKACH (UKR), 2017 European silver medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Dark Horses – 2015 Pan American Games gold medalist Braxton STONE (CAN), 2015 European Games gold medalist Valeria LAZINSKAIA (RUS)

69kg (20 entries)

Favorite – Sara DOSHO (JPN). Rio 2016 gold medalist, but in the three world meets prior, 2013-2015, went bronze-silver-bronze. Seeking first senior world title. Needed late rally to defeat 2015 world silver medalist ZHOU Feng on criteria in the Asian championships in May.

Challengers – 2014 world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER), Klippan Open titlist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
Dark Horses – 2017 European champion Anastasija BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), Rio 2016 silver medalist at 63kg Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) 

75kg (25 entries)

Favorite – Yasemin ADAR (TUR). Two-time European champion, 2016-2017. Defeated Klippan Open bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST) in the semifinals, rolled over European U23 champion Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) for her second continental crown.

Challengers – Klippan Open titlist Justina DiSTASIO (CAN), Grand Prix of Spain titlist Epp MAE (EST), 
Dark Horses – 2017 Asia champion PALIHA Paliha (CHN), 2017 European runner-up Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) 

Schedule

Women’s Wrestling

Tuesday, August 22
16:00-17:00 – Medical Examination: WW 55, 58, 63 & 75kg
17:15-17:45 – Weigh-in: WW 55, 58, 63 & 75kg

Wednesday, August 23
10:00-16:00 – Elimination rounds & Repechage: 55, 58, 63 & 75kg
16:00-17:00 – Medical Examination: 48, 53, 60 & 69kg
17:15-17:45 – Weigh-in: 48, 53, 60 & 69kg
19:00-21:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: 55, 58, 63 & 75kg

Thursday, August 24
10:00-17:00 – Elimination rounds & Repechage: 48, 53, 60 & 69kg
19:00-21:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: 48, 53, 60 & 69kg