To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world
By William May
(Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public
Information Committee
:wmay52@hotmail.com)
SHODA DEFEATS YAMAMOTO FOR WORLD TEAM BERTH
TOKYO (June 5) - Reigning world champion Ayako Shoda defeated Seiko
Yamamoto 2-0 in a special world team wrestle-off to earn the final berth
on the Japanese women’s squad for this fall’s world championships in China.
Shoda, who won her second career world title last year in Budapest,
downed Yamamoto 2-1 off a fireman’s carry and 3-0 out of clinch to secure
the 59-kg slot on the women’s team. The wrestle-off, held during the men’s
world team trials at Komazawa Gymnasium, was set up when Shoda defeated
Yamamoto in the Japan Queen’s Cup meet in March.
Yamamoto, a four-time former world champion, won the national championship
title in December with a victory over Shoda. Shoda won the Asian championship
title at 63 kg in April and was a member of the Japanese team for last
month’s World Cup in Nagoya although she did not have a chance to wrestle.
Shoda indicated that this year’s world championships in Guangzhou will
be her last appearance at 59 kg since she plans to make a bid for the 2008
Japanese Olympic team at 63 kg. “I’m thinking of the world championships
in China as a warm-up to the Beijing Olympics. I’m confident that I can
win and I definitely want to repeat as world champion,” Shoda said.
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World Team Wrestle-off Result
Ayako Shoda df. Seiko Yamamoto, 2-0 (2-1, 3-0=2:04)