To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world

                    

By William May
(Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public Information Committee
wmay52@hotmail.com


JAPAN DEFEATS U.S. IN POOL A OF WOMEN'S WORLD CUP



   NAGOYA (May 20) - Defending champion Japan rolled over the United States 6-1 in Pool A on the opening day of the World Cup of women痴 wrestling, while Canada secured a berth in the championship final with an 4-3 upset win over China in Pool B.

   In the opening dual at Inaei Sports Center in Nagoya, reigning world champion Hitomi Sakamoto dumped Patricia Miranda on her back twice to Japan rolling with a 5-0, 5-0 over the Olympic bronze medalist at 51 kg. At 59 kg, former world champion Seiko Yamamoto had to come from behind to defeat Sally Roberts and avenge a World Cup loss in 2004 to the world bronze medalist.

   At 67 kg, Katie Downing, another world bronze medalist for the U.S., took both ends of a straight-sets victory 1-0, 1-0 for a win over Japanese high school student Yoshiko Inoue.

   At 48 kg, Olympic silver medalist Chiharu Icho, normally a defensive upper-body style of freestyle wrestler, got busy with four separate takedowns for a 3-0, 7-0 win. Olympic and world champion Saori Yoshida made quick work of newly crowned U.S. champion Sharon Jacobson with a pair of takedowns and then the fall at 1:26.

   In a renewal of the hottest rivalry in women's wrestling, Olympic gold medalist Kaori Icho spun around behind for a point out of the clinch and then again in regulation in the second period for a 1-0, 1-0 win over Sara
McMann.

   At 72 kg, Kyoko Hamaguchi scored late in the first period for a 1-0 first period win and then came out on top of a front headlock situation on her way to taking the second period 4-0.
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Dual meet results (Complete results of dual meets posted separately):
Pool A
Japan 6, United States 1
51 - Hitomi Sakamoto (JPN) df. Patricia Miranda (USA), 2-0 (5-0, 5-0)
59 - Seiko Yamamoto (JPN) df. Sally Roberts (USA), 2-1 (3-3x, 2-0, 6-0=1:51)
67 - Katie Downing (USA) df. Yoshiko Inoue (JPN), 2-0 (1-0, 1-0=2:19)
48 - Chiharu Icho (JPN) df. Stephanie Murata (USA), 2-0 (3-0, 7-0=1:29)
55 - Saori Yoshida (JPN) df. Sharon Jacobson (USA) by fall, 1P=1:26
63 - Kaori Icho (JPN) df. Sara McMann (USA), 2-0 (1-0=2:05, 1-0)
72 - Kyoko Hamaguchi (JPN) df. Kristie Marano (USA), 2-0 (1-0, 4-0)
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United States 6, Ukraine 1
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Pool B
Canada 4, China 3
Canada 5, Russia 2