ASTANA (March 19) – Rio WATARI posted three wins on the second day of the Asian qualifying tourney for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to give Japan its sixth entry for the women’s wrestling events in Rio de Janeiro this August.
Asian Games champion Watari defeated Yarygin Grand Prix winner Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 5-2, in the semifinals at 75kg to secure a berth in Rio 2016 and then stopped London 2012 bronze medalist Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) final of the qualifier.
Watari, who won the Asian Games at 63kg, won her first international attempt at 75kg and gave Japan a full slate of entries in women’s wrestling for the fourth Olympic Games in a row.
Meanwhile, Japan’s four entries in freestyle and greco-roman came up short in their bids to qualify for Rio 2016.
Shogo MAEDA (65kg) and Takeshi YAMAGUCHI (97kg) both lost before the semifinals at their respective weights in freestyle, but won a pair of bouts each in repechage to claim third place.
In greco-roman, Shohei YABIKU (75kg) and Arata SONODA (130kg) were unable to notch a win in the classic style and had to settle for fifth place and ninth place, respectively.
Results of bouts involving Japanese entries:
Freestyle
65kg – MAEDA, Shogo (3rd, 14 entries)
R1 – df. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ), 10-4
R2 – lost to YEERLANBIEKE Katal (CHN) by TF, 0-10, 3:00
r1 – df. Sodiqkhola ISMOILOV (TJK) by Fall, 2:02 (5-2)
F3 – df. Adam BATIROV (BRN) by Injury Default, 0:00
97kg – YAMAGUCHI, Takeshi (3rd, 10 entries)
R1 – lost to Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ), 1-1=last point
r1 – df. Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) by Injury Default, 0:00
F3 – df. Satyawart KADIAN (IND), 3-2
Greco-Roman
75kg – YABIKU, Shohei (5th, 9 entries)
R1 – bye
R2 – lost to Dilshod TURDIEV (UZB) by TF, 0-9, 2:31
F3 – lost to Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ), 0-3
130kg – SONODA, Arata (9th, entries)
R1 – bye
R2 – lost to Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) by Fall, 2:15 (0-6)
Women’s Wrestling
75kg – WATARI, Rio (1st, 7 entries)
R1 – df. PARK Chae-Rin (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 0:37
SF – df. Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 5-2
F1 – df. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ), 2-1
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