Fujinami Claims 57kg Title, Bonus Journey ‘Dwelling’ for Asian Games

TOKYO (May 24) — Not even an premature knee harm, a lot much less any opponent on the mat, was going to discourage Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI from her subsequent main goal.

Fujinami confirmed little results of a knee harm suffered three weeks in the past in capturing the ladies’s 57kg title on the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships on Sunday, stretching her superb profitable streak to 153 matches relationship again to 2017 and her junior highschool days.

With her 8-0 victory within the remaining over Sena NAGAMOTO on the ultimate day of the four-day match at Tokyo’s Komazawa Gym, Fujinami earned a ticket again residence, so to talk — a spot on Japan’s group to this 12 months’s Asian Games, which shall be close to her Mie Prefecture hometown in neighboring Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture.

“The Asian Games will be in my home area of Nagoya, so I have strong feelings about it,” Fujinami stated. “I know the competition is going to be tough, but that only makes me look forward to it even more. I will go into it imagining the people from back home seeing me crowned as champion.”

The Meiji Cup was serving because the second of two qualifiers, together with the Emperor’s Cup All-Japan Championships held in December, for not solely the Asian Games, but in addition for the World Championships to observe three weeks later in late October.

Fujinami wouldn’t commit making the journey to Astana for the World Championships, the place she might win a 3rd world gold and first since transferring as much as 57kg after profitable the 53kg gold on the Paris Olympics.

Another issue weighing on the Japanese wrestlers is that the World Championships is simply two months earlier than this 12 months’s Emperor’s Cup, which could have elevated significance as the start line within the qualifying course of for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I will consult with my coach. There is also the Emperor’s Cup, and we will discuss it seriously and make a decision,” stated Fujinami, who has made no secret of her final aim of an Olympic repeat and whose demeanor confirmed her leaning towards giving the worlds a cross.

Two days earlier, Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI handed on an opportunity to compete in a playoff for the world group spot at Freestyle 61kg as a result of he’s solely centered on a return to the Olympics at 57kg. For him, a shot at one other world title has no bearing on his plans.

Meanwhile on Sunday, two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI fended off world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI in a blockbuster ladies’s 62kg remaining, then expressed her pleasure over incomes a ticket to each huge occasions, as did fellow Paris Olympic bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI, who cruised to victory at ladies’s 50kg.

Two Paris gold medalists — Kotaro KIYOOKA at Freestyle 65kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg — additionally emerged victorious, with the previous saying he shall be going to each world competitions, however the latter stating definitively he’ll skip the World Championships.

Fujinami, who continues to be making the adjustment to the upper weight, gained the world U23 gold at 57kg final October earlier than capturing the Emperor’s Cup title, though that included the most important risk to her profitable streak when she needed to battle off her again in a 4-2 win within the remaining over Himeka TOKUHARA.

Her subsequent huge take a look at was to have come ultimately month’s Asian Championships in Bishkek, however she was compelled to tug out because of an ankle harm. No sooner had that healed when she suffered a left knee harm in preparation for the Meiji Cup.

But, with the Asian Games in thoughts, in addition to having new obligations and an elevated fan base after gaining a company sponsorship upon her commencement from Nippon Sports Science University, she was decided to press on.

“I injured my knee three weeks in the past,” Fujinami said. “My ankle had lastly healed and was I coaching for the Meiji Cup once I acquired injured, and at the moment I might barely even stroll. At that second, I believed, ‘Why again, why now?’

“But for the primary time, I pictured the faces of the folks supporting me. If it have been my previous self, I in all probability would have simply given up, however when these faces got here to thoughts and I considered what to do, the folks round me helped. I got here to understand that I’m able to do wrestling thanks to varied folks.”

In Sunday’s remaining, Fujinami relied solely on her unstoppable single-leg assault in opposition to Nagamoto, the Asian champion at 59kg. She twice used it to achieve a 2-point publicity when Nagamoto tried for counter lifts, and twice completed it off for correct takedowns.

Asked if she was involved about her lack of floor factors, Fujinami inferred she was engaged on it by saying, “Please look forward to [seeing me at] the Asian Games.”

An expanded reportoire would appear important in what Fujinami herself acknowledges is likely one of the stronger ladies’s weight class.

“In the world, the level of the 57kg weight class is very high, and also in Asia,” she stated. “I expect very good wrestlers to be entered at the Asian Games, and I want to start preparing for that right away.”

Ozaki, who has had her fill of lacking out on nationwide group spots for main competitions, assured she will not miss the 2 arising this 12 months with a well-executed 2-1 victory over rising star Onishi of their extremely anticipated 62kg remaining.

Ozaki scored a single-leg takedown within the first interval, then restricted Onishi to a stepout after she acquired in deep on a single leg of her personal within the second.

“While I was thinking what I should do on the mat, I kept my heart strong until the end,” Ozaki stated.

The victory got here a day after Ozaki defeated Paris Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI within the semifinals, a repeat of her win within the Emperor’s Cup remaining. That had avenged a loss to Motoki in final 12 months’s Meiji Cup remaining and subsequent playoff that stored Ozaki out of the 2025 World Championships.

“When it comes to Japanese opponents, we all pretty much know each other well, and it makes it more difficult to fight,” Ozaki stated. “We are all getting ready for the Olympic qualifying.

“Separately from opponents from around the world, dealing with Japanese opponents, I have already experienced the Olympic qualifiers, so I understand very well how emotionally tough it can be, and I think various things can go out of sync.”

Ozaki, the world champion at 62kg in 2022 and at 65kg in 2023, additionally has some unfinished enterprise on the Asian Games, which Japan shall be internet hosting for the primary time in 30 years.

“First of all, I finished second at the last Asian Games [in 2023],” she stated. “As for making the World Championships, last year I lost out in a playoff and didn’t go. Now I have the chance to become a three-time world champion.”

Susaki, the Tokyo Olympic champion who needed to accept a bronze in Paris, let loose an uncharacteristic roar after finishing the Emperor’s Cup-Meiji Cup double with a victory by fall over Rinka OGAWA within the 50kg remaining.

“I definitely wanted to win and make it to my first Asian Games and to my first World Championships in three years, and the moment I won, I was truly ecstatic,” Susaki stated.

Susaki opened with a pair of takedowns, however her hen wing after the second slipped off, permitting Ogawa to get behind to make it 4-1 on the break. Early within the second interval, Ogawa slipped in an underhook, however Susaki deftly clamped down and blocked the alternative inside thigh to slam Ogawa to the mat. She accomplished the autumn in 3:33.

“When she got the underhook, I thought she had the advantage, but I didn’t panic, knowing I had a move for that situation,” Susaki stated. “I had confidence and was in a position to make use of a throw approach.

“It was just instinct. In my first match yesterday, I also used a throw for a fall. I think that I’ve become better at making the most of lone chances. I’ve included it in my practice, so I can use it any situation.”

Susaki’s domination bodes properly in her quest to regain the Olympic gold in Los Angeles.

“At this tournament, the 50kg field had everyone who will be competing to go to the Los Angeles Olympics, so to win here is a big step forward,” she stated. “I was able to use a winning pattern that I practiced and won the title, so it was a very good tournament.”

Kiyooka, to not be outdone by his youthful sister Moe, defeated longtime observe accomplice and fellow NSSU alum Kaisei TANABE 3-0 in a repeat of final 12 months’s 65kg remaining.

Kiyooka scored a first-period takedown, then added a stepout within the second interval to beat Tanabe, with whom he participated — and even confronted — throughout a stint within the German Bundesliga.

“It’s been almost exactly a year since [Tanabe and I] met in this same final, and there are things we were both aware of about each other,” Kiyooka stated. “Last year he was injured and couldn’t give his all. I went back and reviewed our matches, and I came up with a strategy. Looking back on what I actually did, I felt the main thing was that I was able to stay calm.”

Last 12 months, Kiyooka defeated a hampered Tanabe in a playoff for the world group spot after beating him within the remaining, during which Tanabe was injured. Kiyooka then misplaced within the remaining in Zagreb to Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), whom he had overwhelmed for the gold in Paris.

“Getting to the World Championships, it gives me a chance for revenge and to win my first world title, making it an important event,” Kiyooka stated.

“As for the Asian Games, it gives my family, those in my company and people who otherwise would not have the chance to see me compete overseas to see me up close. And just like at the Olympics, I hope to give them the best result possible.”

On Saturday, Kiyooka’s sister Moe gained the ladies’s 53kg title to clinch her nationwide group place. She has already one-upped her on this planet gold division, having gained the 55kg title in 2024.

At Greco 77kg, Kusaka took problem with a mysterious penalty known as in opposition to him and a phantom stepout that produced no level, however in any other case was untroubled in notching a 6-3 victory within the remaining over Isami HORIKITA, a repeat of the Emperor’s Cup remaining.

Kusaka was main 3-0 when his problem of an obvious stepout that was not awarded some extent was unsuccessful. He then added an indeniable stepout to guide 4-1 on the break. In the second interval, he sandwiched two extra stepouts round a 2-point penalty that he was at a loss to clarify.

“I really don’t know,” he stated, whereas imploring that he was not being important of the referees. “The referee kept telling me, ‘Head up, head up.’ It’s the first time I’ve ever been penalized in that situation.”

What Kusaka made crystal clear was his choice to bypass the World Championships in favor of the Asian Games, saying he lacked motivation for the previous. Like Kiyooka, he gained a silver medal ultimately 12 months’s worlds in Zagreb.

“I don’t have loads of motivation and like to channel it all into one thing,” Kusaka stated. “Winning the Asian Games title, that’s my objective for this year.”

In a battle between reigning world champions, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI defeated Kota TAKAHASHI within the Freestyle 74kg remaining to earn a return journey to the World Championships.

Aoyagi, the world 70kg champion final 12 months, was main 7-0 when Takahashi launched a comeback late within the second interval. He pulled to inside 7-4, helped by a penalty level in opposition to Aoyagi for kicking and a fleeing level throughout a stepout.

But a desperation throw within the remaining seconds was stopped lifeless by Aoyagi, and Takahashi stayed immobile on the mat, permitting a fall to be known as simply earlier than the buzzer.

At Greco 60kg, 2023 Asian Games silver medalist Ayata SUZUKI defeated reigning Meiji Cup champion Kaito INABA 3-3 within the remaining, then edged Emperor’s Cup champion Koto GOMI 7-6 within the playoff for the nationwide group.

Suzuki trailed 6-2 within the playoff when he hit a 4-point arm throw to go forward on standards, then added a stepout for good measure.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Rikuto NAGAI df. Kento YUMIYA, 13-4

BRONZE: Isami TAKATA df. Yuta KIKUCHI, 8-2
BRONZE: Daito KATSUME df. Rin SAKAMOTO by Inj. Def.

World group playoff: Yamato OGAWA df. Nagai, 9-8

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaisei TANABE, 3-0

BRONZE: Kaiji OGINO df. Kaito MORIKAWA by Inj. Def., :02 (0-0)
BRONZE: Takara SUDA df. Shuya MIURA, 2-1

74kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Kota TAKAHASHI by Fall, 5:59, 11-4

BRONZE: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yujin TAKIZAWA, 2-0
BRONZE: Hikaru TAKATA df. Shingo ANDO, 6-1

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Ayata SUZUKI df. Kaito INABA, 3-3

BRONZE: Daijiro SONE df. Koto GOMI by Def.
BRONZE: Maito KAWANA df. Yu SHIOTANI, 8-1

World group playoff: Suzuki df. Gomi, 7-6

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA df. Isami HORIKITA, 6-3

BRONZE: Kodai SAKURABA df. Naoki KADODE, 3-2
BRONZE: Issei HONNA df. Ariya YOSHIDA, 12-9

87kg
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. So SAKABE, 5-4

BRONZE: Rondo KODAMA df. Takahiro INAMOTO by TS, 8-0, 2:24
BRONZE: Daisei ISOE df. Genki YAHAGI, 4-1

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI df. Rinka OGAWA by Fall, 3:33 (8-1)

BRONZE: Umi ITO df. Minoriho YONEHARA by TS, 13-2, 5:59
BRONZE: Haruna MORIKAWA df. Miyu NAKAMURA, 7-0

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 8-0

BRONZE: Sara NATAMI df. Rin KINOSHITA by Fall, 1:30 (2-0)
BRONZE: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Sae NOGUCHI, 9-4

62kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI df. Sakura ONISHI, 2-1

BRONZE: Sakura MOTOKI df. Yuzuka INAGAKI, 10-2