ATHENS (August 27) - Results of bouts involving Japanese entries in the first session of the freestyle wrestling competition August 24-26 at Ano Liossia Olympic Hall:
55 kg (22 entries, 7 pools) - TANABE, Chikara
Pool D
1R - df. Namig Abdullayev (AZE), 5-2
With a win over the defending Olympic champion at the German Grand Prix in June, Tanabe wrestled aggressively from the outset and tallied three points on a pair of first period ankle laces. Abdullayev got on board with a takedown to open the second period, but Tanabe answered with a takedown of his own with another ankle lace. Abdullayev scored one more takedown before the final buzzer.
2R - df. Yogeshwar Dutt (IND), 4-3
Tanabe rolled to a 4-0 lead in the first period with a pair of go-behind points and exposure, and then held off Dutt's comeback efforts in the second period to advance to the quarterfinal round.
3R - bye
QF - v Bayaraa Naranbaatar (MGL)
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66 kg (21 entries, 7 pools) - IKEMATSU, Kazuhiko
Pool A
1R - bye
2R - df. Fred Jessey (NGR) by fall, 1:07 (3-1)
World bronze medalist Ikematsu threw Jessey to his back with a front headlock and outer thigh trap and pressed for the pin.
3R - v Baek Jin-Kuk (KOR)
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84 kg (22 entries, 7 pools) - YOKOYAMA, Hidekazu
Pool A
1R - bye
2R - lost to Majid Khodaei (IRI), 8-1
Japanese veteran Yokoyama battled Khodaei to a 1-1 standoff in the first period. In the second period, however, Yokoyama surrendered three points in a scramble at the edge of the mat and then gave up two more points in a crotch lift from the par terre position as the 2002 world bronze medalist broke the match open.
3R - v Anuj Kumar (IND)
