YOSHIDA, ICHO KEEP ROLLING ON 4TH DAY OF SR WORLD C’SHIPS

BUDAPEST (September 19) – Saori YOSHIDA won her 11th straight world title at 55kg and Kaori ICHO won her eighth overall at 63kg  as it was business as usual in the Japanese camp on the fourth day of the senior wrestling world championships.

YOSHIDA and ICHO also have three Olympic Games gold medals to go with their multiple world championship titles.

YOSHIDA met Valerie KOBLOVA (RUS) in the second round and tagged the last woman to defeat her with a technical fall.  YOSHIDA also turned away European champion Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) in the final.

YOSHIDA won her 47th tournament in a row and extended her winning streak in those tournaments to 173.

ICHO, meanwhile, defeated an Asia junior champion, 2011 world champ, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, and a 2010 world champion to secure her eighth world title.

ICHO draws even with former teammate Hitomi OBARA-SAKAMOTO (JPN) for No.3 on the list of wrestlers with the most wrestling world championship title.  YOSHIDA is No.1 with 11 world titles while greco-roman legend Alexander KARELIN (RUS) is No.2 with nine.

Japan’s third entry for the day, Ayaka ITO stopped World University Games silver medalist Allison RAGAN (USA) in the quarterfinals, but had to settle for a fifth-place overall.

 Women’s freestyle

55kg – YOSHIDA, Saori (Gold, 28 entries)

R1 – df. Ana Maria PAVAL (ROU) by TF, 7-0=1:47

     YOSHIDA opens with a 3-point takedown, then counters twice against the 2012 European bronze medalist for the technical.

R2 – df. Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) by TF, 7-0=5:00

     YOSHIDA picks apart the Universiade champion with takedowns and takedown counters.

QF – df. Byambatseren SUNDEV (MGL) by TF, 3:17 (8-0)

     YOSHIDA scores four takedowns against the Yarygin Grand Prix runner-up, including a single-leg attack to the right side to open the second period.

SF – df. Iryna HUSYAK (UKR) by TF, 8-0=2:52

     YOSHIDA has the European bronze medalist on her back for nearfalls twice and the technical fall.

F1 – df. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE), 5-0

     YOSHIDA scores against the European champion with a snap down and spin in the first period, then shakes off a warning for passivity in the second with a force-out and then one more go-behind for the win.

59kg – ITO, Ayaka (5th, 25 entries)

R1 – df. Sayury CANON CARVAJAL (COL) by fall, 5:40 (10-3)

     ITO gives up a three-point takedown to the Pan American junior champion, but turns the tables for the fall.

R2 – df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ) by TF, 7-0=4:38

     ITO counters the Asian junior bronze medalist to open the scoring, then gets a go-behind on her way to the technical fall.

QF – df. Allison RAGAN (USA), 3-2

     ITO gets the first point off a penalty but the Universiade silver medalist comes back with a single-leg takedown for the lead.  Ito, however, answers with her own takedown and mades her 3-2 advantage stand for the win.

SF – lost to Marianna SASTIN (HUN) by fall, 0:50 (0-4)

     ITO is thrown to her back and held for the fall by the eventual winner and Hungary’s first world champion in women’s freestyle.

F3 – lost to Munkhtuya TUNGALAG (MGL) by fall, 3:58 (2-7)

    ITO blocks the Asian silver medalist’s throw attempt for two points, but gives up a fireman’s carry and is held for the fall.

63kg – ICHO, Kaori (Gold, 28 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – df. Yekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) by TF, 8-0=4:22

     ICHO gets a takedown off arm control and adds a point with a cross ankle turn to open the match, then gets the same single-leg to the left to open the second period and then takes a tilt for back exposure and the technical fall.

QF – df. XI Xiluozhuoma (CHN) by TF, 8-0=5:16

     ICHO scores a takedown late in the first period for a 3-0 lead against the 2011 world champion at 67kg.  To start the second, ICHO shoots straight ahead for three points and follows with another takedown for the technical.

SF – df. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) by TF, 10-3=2:26

    The two-time Olympic bronze medalist takes ICHO to her back to start the match, but the defending champion answers back quickly with her own takedown and back exposure.  In control again, ICHO scores a pair of takedowns and gut wrenchs for the technical.

F1 – df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) by TF, 7-0=3:53

    An opening flurry with the Olympic bronze medalist results in no points, but ICHO goes behind twice for a 4-0 lead at the intermission.  In the second, ICHO hits a double-leg and adds a cross-ankle turn to end the match.

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