To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world
                    

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


JAPAN WINS 5, NISHIMAKI OW AT AUSTRIAN LADIES OPEN




GOETZIS, Austria (June 13) - Reigning world champion Mio Nishimaki breezed through the field at 63kg as Japan crowned champions in five weight categories at the 11th Austrian Ladies Open in Goetzis, Austria (right). Nishimaki, who won the world title in Tokyo last October, defeated World Cup champion Justine Bouchard of Canada in the 63kg final to complete a solid day of wrestling in which she outscored her opponents 43-2. The two points against her were from a 2-2 exchange on a gut wrench.

Along with Nishimaki, who was named the outstanding wrestler of the tourney, Makiko Sakamoto (48kg), Yuri Kai (51kg), Chikako Matsukawa (55kg) and Mami Shinkai (72kg) also claimed titles for Japan.

Meanwhile, Ayano Suzuki (48kg) took a silver medal while Yurika Ito (59kg) and Asuka Sano (72kg) won bronze as all eight of Japan’s entries claimed a chunk of the tournament hardware.

Japan won the team title with 57 points, followed by Canada (51) and Germany (47). A total of 86 wrestlers from 19 countries wrestled in the event that served as a qualification tourney for the Golden Grand Prix final in Baku in July.


Individual results:

48kg - SAKAMOTO, Makiko (1st, 16 entries)

R1 - df. Filiz Cikirikci (TUR) by fall, 1P=1:12 (F4-0)
Sakamoto hits a pair of high-crotch takedowns and converts the second for body press and fall.

R2 - df. Fani Psatha (GRE), 2-0 (2-0, 2-0)
Sakamoto picks away at the former European silver medal winner for one-point takedowns for a steady, workmanlike win.

SF - df. Christina Croitoru (ROU) by fall, 2P=0:39 (3-0, F3-0)
Sakamoto missed out on a fall in the first period, but came back in the second for a clean double-leg to the back for the fall.

F1 - df. Ayano Suzuki (JPN), 2-0 (4-1, 1-0)
Sakamoto was effective with her short arm drag to behind for three points in the first period, and for the lone point in the second to secure victory over her younger compatriot.

--------------------------------------------------------

48kg - SUZUKI, Ayano (2nd, 16 entries)

R1 - df. Katia Gallo (FRA) by fall, 1P=0:49, (F5-0)
Japan’s lead-off batter Suzuki attacks with single-legs twice and lands on top of a pair of counter attempts, and holds for the fall.

R2 - df. Julita Omilusik (POL), 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
Suzuki scores on a pair of single-leg attacks and holds on against Poland’s powerful No. 2.

SF - df. Ashley McKilligan (CAN), 2- (1-0, 4-0)
Suzuki took the first period on a lone takedown, then took the second on a counter and single-leg with exposure.

F1 - lost to Makiko Sakamoto (JPN), 0-2 (1-4, 0-1)
(See above)

--------------------------------------------------------

51kg - KAI, Yuri (1st, 12 entries)

R1 - df. Francine de Paola (ITA) by fall, 1P=0:30 (F3-0)
Kai attacks with double leg and moves to body press for fall against the European bronze medalist.

R2 - df. Sofia Mattsson (SWE), 2-0 (1-0, 1x-1)
Kai took the first period with a low sweep single, then hits it again in the last 10 seconds of the second to secure a win against the former junior world champion.

SF - df. Dilek Atakol (TUR) by TF, 2-0 (6-0=1:36, 6-0=0:58)
Kai dominates with crisp leg attacks and timely tilts to wrap up a technical fall.

F1 - df. Gen Haley (CAN), 2-0 (2-0, 3-0)
Kai scored four of her five points against the taller, lankier Haley off the double-leg attack for her first triumph in international competition.

--------------------------------------------------------

55kg - MATSUKAWA, Chikako (1st, 13 entries)

R1 - df. Dorina Peter (AUT) by fall, 2P=0:21 (6-0=0:59, F4-0)
Matsukawa rolls to technical in the first period with a series of high gut wrenches, then seals the win with a half-nelson to fall.

R2 - df. Sylwia Bilenska (POL) by fall, 1P=1:56 (F6-1)
Matsukawa pressured the former Euro No. 3, countering a late takedown attempt for a fall.

SF - df. Gudrun Hoeie (NOR), 2-0 (2-1, 3-0)
Matsukawa wrestles cautiously against the four-time former world champion and takes the go-behind points for a hard-fought win against the reinvigorated veteran.

F1 - df. Jillian Gallays (CAN) by fall 2P=0:24 (0-6=0:45, F3-0)
Matsukawa gave up a cross-ankle grip and a technical in the first period, but came back with a lateral drop and pressed for the fall in the second.

--------------------------------------------------------

59kg - ITO, Yurika (3rd, 14 entries)

R1 - df. Heidi Erdle (CAN), 2-0 (5-0, 4-0)
Ito kept her opponent off-balance and on the defensive with a mix of single-leg and double-leg attacks for a one-sided win.

R2 - lost to Johanna Mattsson (SWE), 1-2 (1x-1, 0-3, 1-1x)
In a battle between Asian and European champions, Mattsson scored with a double-leg midway through the third period and fought off Ito’s late takedown attempt for the win.

r1 - df. Andrea Simon (ROU) by fall, 2P=0:48 (4-4x=big, F4-0)
Ito gives up a fireman’s carry and nearfall in the first period and drops the stanza on big-point criteria. In the second period, Ito hits a double-leg right off the whistle and converts for the fall.

F3 - df. Yvonne Englich (GER), 2-0 (6-0=2:00, 2-0)
Ito dropped English with a nearside cradle and added a tilt, but had to fight off a late reverse grip and sit-through attempt for fall in the first period. Ito scored with a force-out early and stretched her lead late with a go-behind for the bronze medal.

--------------------------------------------------------

63kg - NISHIMAKI, Mio (1st, 11 entries)

R1 - df. Paulina Grabowska (POL) by fall, 2P=0:57 (2-0, F5-0)
Nishimaki opens up in the second period, spinning behind her opponent’s attack and working the arm bar for the fall.

R2 - df. Fabienne Wittenwiler (SUI), 2-0 (3-0, 6-0=0:27)
After three spin-behind points in the first period, Nishimaki opened up on the mate in the second for back exposure points and the technical.

SF - df. Tamara Wittenwiler (SUI) by TF, 2-0 (7-0=0:54, 10-2=1:34)
Nishimaki rolled up points on the mat -- and gave up a couple -- on her way to a technical fall. One of her chest-high gut wrenches was scored 2-2 by the officiating crew.

F1 - df. Justine Bouchard (CAN), 2-0 (5-0, 5-0)
Nishimaki had Bouchard on her back early in the first period but had to settle for a 5-0 score. In the second, Nishimaki took a double-leg takedown to the edge of the mat and scored three points as both wrestlers tumbled out of bounds. Nishimaki added a pair of go behind points to secure her victory.

--------------------------------------------------------

72kg - SANO, Asuka (3rd, 10 entries)

R1 - lost to Jenny Fransson (SWE), 1-2 (4-3, 1-1x, 2-3)
Fransson opens with a throw against the former judoka, but Sano comes back to take the first period with a double-leg and nearfall. Sano drops the second on a late force-out and cannot make up the difference in the third when Fransson counters a double-leg with a whipover for three.

r1 - df. Diana Mudrag (ROU) by fall, 2P=0:51 (3-0, F4-0)
Sano scores a late single-leg to take the first period, then converts a double-leg to back points and the fall in the second.

F3 - df. Katerina Burmistrova (UKR), 2-0 (1-0=2:30, 1-0)
Sano appeared to score with a double-leg takedown at the end of the first, but the officiating crew ordered the clinch. Burmistrova won the draw, but Sano defended for 30 seconds to take the first period. In the second, Sano scored with a double-leg midway the period and then held off the former world champion for the bronze medal.

--------------------------------------------------------

72kg - SHINKAI, Mami (1st, 10 entries)

R1 - bye

R2 - df. Raphaela Kopetschek (GER), 2-0 (3-0, 7-0=1:28)
Shinkai scored exposure twice in the second period to end for the win.

SF - df. Svetlana Sayenko (UKR), 2-0 (1-0, 1x-1)
Shinkai gets a force-out in the first period and then scores the only takedown of the match with a single-leg at 1:44 of the second period against European bronze medalist to win on last-point criteria.

F1 - df. Jenny Fransson (SWE) by fall, 2P=0:50 (1-0, 3-0)
Shinkai fought off a number of throw attempts by Fransson and slipped around behind for a point to take the first period. Then, in a second period scramble, Shinkai ended up on top and pressed for the fall for the win.