NEW YORK (September 14) - Results of matches involving the Japanese wrestlers after the semifinals and bronze medal finals of the freestyle wrestling world championships at Madison Square Garden (Places for Tanabe Obata and Sakamoto are still unofficial):
Men’s freestyle
66 kg - IKEMATSU, Kazuhiko (3rd place, 40 entries)
1R - bye
2R - df. Cory O’Brien, Australia by fall, 1:47 (8-0)
3R - df. Bayanjav Batzorig, Mongolia 4-0
QF - df. Nikolaos Loizidis, Greece 6-2
SF - lost to Irbek Farniev, Russia 1-10
F3 - df. Serguei Rondon, Cuba 6-5
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51 kg - ICHO, Chiharu (Finalist, 18 entries)
1R - bye
2R - df. Emese Szabo, Hungary by fall, 1:55 (4-0)
3R - df. Alexandra Demmel, Germany by TF 11-0, 5:41
SF - df. Alena Kareisha, Belarus by TF 10-0, 4:22
F1 - v. Natalia Karamchakova, Russia
(Note: Icho took command with a takedown, gut wrench and ankle lace and then cruised to a technical fall victory. Icho advances to the championship finals for a second straight year and will face European champion Karamchakova of Russia.)
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55 kg - YOSHIDA, Saori (Finalist, 29 entries)
1R - bye
2R - df. Olga Serbina, Belarus by TF 10-0, 4:16
3R - df. Kitti Godo, Hungary by fall, 0:38 (3-0)
Q1 - df. Monika Michalik, Poland by fall, 0:20 (0-4)
QF - df. Jennifer Ryz, Canada by TF 10-0, 2:51
SF - df. Natalia Golts, Russia 3-2
F1 - v. Tina George, U.S.
(Note: European champion Golts did an effective job in countering Yoshida’s takedown attempts and took the first point. The defending champion, however, was too strong physically and forged a 3-2 victory in the second period. Yoshida will meet Tina George for the gold medal for a second straight year.)
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59 kg - YAMAMOTO, Seiko (Finalist, 14 entries)
1R - df. Huang Yu-ning, Chinese Taipei by fall, 1:09 (9-0)
2R - bye
3R - df. Emily Richardson, Canada 10-1
SF - df. Marianna Sastin, Hungary 8-2
F1 - v. Natalia Ivashko, Russia
(Note: Yamamoto dominated on the mat to break open a 1-1 tie and sweep into the finals in search of her fourth world championship title.)
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63 kg - ICHO, Kaori (Finalist, 27 entries)
1R - bye
2R - df. Agoro Papavasileiou, Greece by fall, 1:45 (10-0)
3R - df. Christiana Renee LeGrand, France 4-0
QF - df. Volha Khilko, Belarus by fall, 3:37 (7-0)
SF - df. Lyudmila Golovchenko, Ukraine 4-0
F1 - v. Sara McMann, U.S.
(Note: Icho was measured in her attacks, taking a 2-0 lead at the intermission and adding a takedown and a go-behind point in the second period. In the finals, Icho will attempt to avenge a loss to McMann this past winter in Sweden.)
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72 kg - HAMAGUCHI, Kyoko (Finalist, 23 entries)
1R - df. Svetlana Sayenko, Ukraine 3-0
2R - df. Sonika Kalirman, India by fall, 1:43 (9-1)
3R - bye
QF - df. Edyta Witkowska, Poland 4-0
SF - df. Stanka Zlateva Hristova, Bulgaria 4-2
F1 - v. Toccara Montgomery, U.S.
(Note: Hamaguchi had difficulty getting in on her takedown attempts, but began pulling Hristova down and going around behind for a 3-0 lead in the first period. The four-time world champion appeared to cruising to an easy win when she was flipped over during a takedown attempt for two points. Hamaguchi held on, however, to avoid any further damage. Hamaguchi will face hometown favorite and Pan American champion Toccara Montgomery for the gold medal.)
