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.
----
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)
----
United States 6, Ukraine 1
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Pool B
Canada 4, China 3
Canada 5, Russia 2