To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

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

TOMIOKA, NARUSE STOPPED IN QF’S AT JR WORLD C’SHIPS








BEIJING (August 22) - Tatsuya Tomioka and Kazuhiko Naruse, both of Nippon Sports Science University, advanced to the quarterfinals, but were unable to secure a medal at the junior wrestling world championships. Tomioka was stopped in the quarterfinals at 55 kg by Kazakhstan’s Askhat Kudaibergenov, a silver medalist at last year’s junior world championships in Guatemala. Tomioka was knocked out of the competition and had to settle for 10th place when Kudaibergenov fell in the semifinals to China’s Wan Feilong.

At 66 kg, Naruse fell in the quarters to hometown favorite Zheng Pan and was relegated to ninth place when Zheng lost in the semifinals. Japan’s other two entries on the final day of the greco-roman competition Masaaki Yano (84 kg) and Shinichi Hirakawa (120) lost their first bouts of the tourney and did not have the chance to advance.

The Japanese greco-roman squad finished in a tie for 16th place at nine points with Croatia. Russia won the team title with two individual champions and 49 points, followed by Kazakhstan (45) and Iran (39).

European junior champion Soslan Farniev capped Russia’s come-from-behind triumph with a 0-3, 1-1, 2-0 win over Riza Kayaalp of Turkey in the 120 kg final to add the world title to his 2007 collection. Earlier, Ruslan Belkharoaev, a 2006 junior world bronze medalist, put Russia in position for the team title by defeating Aibek Yeksekhanov of Kazakhstan 1-1, 1-1 in the 66-kg final.

In other gold medal matches, Aleksandr Kostadinov of Bulgaria, another bronze medalist in Guatemala, edged Wan Feilong of China 1-1, 2-3, 2-2 at 55 kg and Amir Aliakbari became Iran’s second champion of the tourney by defeating Armenia’s Artur Shahinyan 0-5, 2-1, 1-1.

Results of bouts involving Japanese entries:

Greco-roman
55 kg - Tatsuya Tomioka, NSSU (10th, 23 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. Vladimir Tsaryuk (ISR), 2-0 (3-0, 4-0)
R3 - lost to Askhat Kudaibergenov (KAZ), 1-2 (6-0, 0-2, 0-6)

66 kg - Kazuhiko Naruse, NSSU (9th, 31 entries)
R1 - df. James Lord (AUS), 2-0 (3-0, 7-0)
R2 - df. Danijel Janecic (CRO), 2-1 (1x-1, 2-0, 1x-1)
R3 - lost to Zheng Pan (CHN), 0-2 (0-4, 1-2)

84 kg - Masaaki Yano, Senshu (28th, 31 entries)
R1 - lost to Yerbol Raiymbekov (KAZ), 0-2 (0-6, 0-4)

120 kg - Shinichi Hirakawa, Senshu (15th, 21 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - lost to Vitali Sivakov (BLR), 0-2 (1-2, 1-2)