Rio 2016 Runner-up Ota Avenges All-Japan Loss at Granma Cup-Cerro Pelado Int’l in Cuba
HAVANA (February 19-20) – Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medalist Shinobu OTA avenged a loss at the Japanese nationals in December with an 8-7 victory over rival Kenichiro FUMITA at the Granma Cup and Cerra Pelado International in Cuba.
Wrestling at 59kg in Greco-Roman, Ota notched a pair of wins against Cuban opponents before meeting Fumita in the championship final. Fumita, meanwhile, opened with a technical fall over two-time Pan American champion Javier DUMENIGO (CUB) in the quarterfinals.
World and Rio 2016 gold medalist Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) did not enter the competition hosted by the Cerro Pelado club in Havana.
On the second day of competition, Shogo TAKAHASHI, the runner-up at 71kg at the Schultz Memorial in January, bagged another silver medal at 66kg following a 7-8 loss to newcomer DONG Jinxin (CHN) in the final.
Results of bouts involving Japanese entries:
Greco-Roman
59kg – OTA, Shinobu (1st, 9 entries)
R1 – bye
R2 – df. Luis Alberto ORTA (CUB), 6-0
SF – df. Janier ALMENARES (CUB), 10-6
F1 – df. Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), 8-7
59kg – FUMITA, Kenichiro (2nd, 9 entries)
R1 – bye
R2 – df. Javier DUMENIGO (CUB) by TF, 12-3, time not recorded
SF – df. Damian SOLENZAL (CUB) by TF, 12-3, TNR
F1 – lost to Shinobu OTA (JPN), 7-8
66kg – TAKAHASHI, Shogo (2nd, 9 entries)
R1 – bye
R2 – df. Sean MORA (CUB), 5-1
SF – df. TIAN Qiye (CHN), 2-0
F1 – lost to DONG Jinxin (CHN), 7-8
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