TASHKENT (March 13) - Results of preliminary pool bouts involving Japanese wrestlers at the 2nd Olympic qualification tournament for greco-roman wrestling at the Yunus Abad Sports Center in Tashkent
(Note: The top four wrestlers earn berths in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens):
55 kg (19 entries)
TOYOTA, Masatoshi (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Dept.)
1R - bye
2R - df. Venelin Venkov (BUL), 7-3
Toyota scored seven unanswered points, including one on a lift and midair cartwheel, in the first period and then held off Venkov, twice a runner-up in the junior European championships.
3R - df. Kamol Kholmatov (UZB), 4-2
Toyota needed overtime to down the stubborn Uzbek wrestler and move
into the quarterfinals -- one win away from a ticket to Athens.
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66 kg (25 entries)
IMURO, Masaki (Japan Self Defense Forces)
1R - bye
2R - df. Rocco Fabio Spano (ITA) by TF, 11-0, time unavailable
3R - lost to Daniaz Kobonov (KGZ)
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84 kg (20 entries)
MATSUMOTO, Shingo (Ichimiya Transport)
1R - df. Bjoern Holk (GER), 7-1
Matsumoto countered a reverse waistlock for two points on his way to a 7-1 over Holk.
2R - df. Li Daxin (CHN), 5-1
Matsumoto forced Li out of bounds for one point and then converted on his par terre chance with a gut wrench and low reverse waistlock and turn. The 2002 Asian Games gold medalist advances to the quarterfinals for a chance at qualifying for the Athens Olympics.
3R - bye
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96 kg (22 entries)
KATO, Kenzo (Japan Self Defense Forces)
1R - bye
2R - df. Shodi Bakhramov (TJK) by fall, time unavailable
Kato caught Bakhramov with a pair of headlocks and locked up the second one for a pin.
3R - lost to Marek Svec (CZE)
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120 kg (20 entries)
SUZUKI, Katsuaki (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Dept.)
1R - df. Nikolas Liulamaga (ASA) by TF, 11-0, time unavailable
Suzuki converted on a passivity call with a gut wrench and near fall bonus point and repeated the process until he rolled up enough points for the technical fall.
2R - bye
3R - lost to Rafael Barreno (VEN)
