To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world
By William May
（Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public
Information Committee
：wmay52@hotmail.com）
November wrestling news
SAKAMOTO SISTERS WIN AT NYAC OPEN
NEW YORK (November 18-19) - Sisters Hitomi and Makiko Sakamoto, looking
ahead to bids for next year's national team and eventually the 2008 Olympics,
won handily at the New York Athletic Club Holiday International. Hitomi
defeated two-time world runner-up Tina George 8-0, 4-0 in the final at
55 kg while younger sister Makiko was triumphant at 51 kg with a 2-1 win
over former world bronze medalist Jenny Wong.
Hitomi, the 51-kg world champion in 2005 and 2006, is expected to challenge
Saori Yoshida for the 55-kg spot on the Japanese national team next year
for a chance to wrestle at the 2008 Olympics. Makiko, a world bronze medalist
at 48 kg last year, is expected to drop to 48 again and square off with
current world champion Chiharu Icho.
Also for the Japanese select team, Seshito Shimizu won the men's 60-kg
freestyle title while Hiroshi Shimomura prevailed in greco-roman at the
same weight. Yasuyuki Tanioka fell to Shimomura in the greco-roman finals
for the silver medal at 60 kg while Takeshi Sugitani had to settle for
the silver at 55 kg in freestyle after defeating Djamal Dtarsultanov of
Russia in the semifinals.
Takumu Otsu added a bronze medal to the Japanese haul with a solid effort
at 55 kg in greco-roman.
FUJIMOTO REACHES QUARTERS OF TOUGH MONGOLIAN MEET
ERDENET, Mongolian (November 4-5) - Kenta Fujimoto of the Kinki University
wrestling club posted a pair of wins at the inaugural Mongolian President's
Cup meet for Japan's best showing, but could not advance beyond the quarterfinals.
Japan's other three entries in the meet all lost in their opening matches.
The competition featured a number of top wrestlers from Mongolia, Russia,
Korea and Cuba, which sent former world champion Rene Montero and Olympic
gold medalist Yandro Quintana.
TAKEUCHI WINS SPECIAL MEDAL AT FOLK FESTIVAL
ANTALYA, Turkey (November 4-5) - Last-minute entry Masanobu Takeuchi
proved to be a fan favorite and was awarded a special gold medal at the
folk wrestling festival held a day after the inaugural beach wrestling
world championships.
Takeuchi of Kokushikan University in Tokyo received his medal from FILA
President Raphael Martinetti.
The folk wrestling festival including exhibitions of Turkey's traditional
oil wrestling, as well as wrestling styles from Nigeria and India.
A day earlier Takeuchi earned an eighth place in the heavyweight division
of beach wrestling, despite failing to post a win, while collegiate teammate
Ken Numajiri scored a win in the lightweight division (under 85 kg) before
being eliminated.
FILA COACHES CLINIC HELD IN TOKYO
TOKYO (November 23-26) - FILA's advanced school for coaches of female
wrestling was held at the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences in Tokyo.
A total of 42 coaches from 11 countries and host Japan attended the four-day
seminar that featured discussions of coaching theory as well as practice
sessions on the mat and in the JISS weight room.
Instructors included FILA Vice President Mario Saletnig, FILA Bureay
members Harold Tunnemann and Stepan Kazarian as well as Japanese national
team director Hideaki Tomiyama and women's head coach Kazuhito Sakae.
ATHENS BRONZE MEDALIST INOUE RETURNS TO MATS
TOKYO (November 25-26) - Athens Olympics bronze medalist Kenji Inoue
returned to competition after a 17-month hiatus to win the 60-kg freestyle
crown at the national shakaijin open. Former 66-kg world bronze medalist
Kazuhiko Ikematsu, meanwhile, entered the meet for non-student seniors
at 74 kg, but had to settle for the silver medal.
In the greco-roman competition, wrestlers from the Japan Self-Defense
Forces team won five of the seven weight categories.
Individual winners:
Freestyle
55 kg - Ryuichi Adachi, Japan SDF
60 kg - Kenji Inoue, Japan SDF
66 kg - Motohiko Iwayama, Senshu Club
74 kg - Hiroki Kayamori, Niigata
84 kg - Ryuta Takahashi, Japan SDF
96 kg - Jun Aisawa, Toyo Suisan
120 kg - Masao Nakamoto, Hiroshima
Greco-roman
55 kg - Takuya Tei, Japan SDF
60 kg - Kazuki Iwaya, Japan SDF
66 kg - Yukihiro Ukita, Japan SDF
74 kg - Tsutomu Fujimura, Japan SDF
84 kg - Akihiko Ogawa, Nerima
96 kg - Yasuhiro Mori, Yokkaichi
ASIAN GAMES DELEGATION FORMALLY LAUNCHED
TOKYO (November 25) - Japan's delegation for the Asian Games in Doha,
Qatar was formally launched in ceremonies at the New Takanawa Prince Hotel
in Tokyo. The Japanese delegation will include 628 athletes and 279 officials
and support personnel.
Tomiaki Fukuda, president of the Japan Wrestling Federation, will serve
as the deputy chef de mission of the delegation. Olympic and world champ
wrestler Saori Yoshida will serve as the delegation's flag-bearer at the
opening ceremonies of the games on December 1.
TOKUYAMA REPEATS AS WEST JAPAN COLLEGIATE CHAMP
OSAKA (November 25-26) - Tokuyama University, which won its first title
in 11 years earlier this year, repeated as West Japan collegiate champion
in the semi-annual tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. Tokuyama
defeated Kyoto's Ritsumeikan 5-2 in the division one final to win its 15th
overall West Japan championship.
Nihon Bunri University edged Fukuoka University 4-3 for third place.Kinki
University won all six of its duals to claim the division two title.