RIO DE JANEIRO (August 17) – Kaori ICHO (JPN) advanced to the gold medal final at 58kg with three wins Wednesday, the first day of women’s wrestling events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Icho rolled up a 10-0 technical fall over Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) with a trapped arm gut wrench in the 58kg semifinal at Carioca Arena 2 and returns to the arena in the evening to try and become the first wrestler to win a gold medal in four straight Olympic Games.
The victory advanced Icho to the final against familiar foe Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS), who lost to Icho in the 2014 world championships final.
Koblova defeated Asia champion Aisuluu TYNEBEKOVA (KGZ) in the other semifinal, 4-1. Ratkevich and Tynybekova both drop into the bronze medal finals also scheduled for Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, Icho’s Japanese teammates, three-time world champion Eri TOSAKA (48kg) and triple world medalist Sara DOSHO (69kg), also advanced to the gold medal finals in their respective weight categories.
Tosaka secured a cross-ankle lock on 2013 world champion SUN Yanan (CHN) and rolled up an 8-3 victory one semifinal, while Dosho rallied with a spin-behind takedown and the four-point lateral drop for a 7-2 win over 2012 world champion Jenny FRANSSON (SWE).
In the gold medal finals, Tosaka squares off with top-ranked Maria STADNIK (AZE), who is seeking her first gold medal at the Olympic Games after a bronze medal at Beijing 2008 and a silver in London four years ago.
In the day’s finale, Dosho, who has won two bronze medals and a silver in the last three world meets, will take on London 2012 gold medalist and reigning world champion Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) for the gold medal.
Women’s Wrestling 48kg (18 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Eri TOSAKA (JPN) v Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner Rp A – SUN Yanan (CHN)
Winner Rp B – Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL)
Semifinals
Eri TOSAKA (JPN) df. SUN Yanan (CHN), 8-3
Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) by Fall, 2:21 (6-0)
Repechage
Rp A – Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) v Haley AUGELLO (USA)
Rp B – Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) v Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL)
Women’s Wrestling 58kg (20 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Kaori ICHO (JPN) v Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner Rp A v Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE)
Winner Rp C v Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Semifinals
Kaori ICHO (JPN) df. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 2:20
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) v Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Repechage
Rp A – Marwa AMRI (TUN) v Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Rp B – Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) v PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL)
Rp C – Winner B v Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Women’s Wrestling 69kg (18 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) v Sara DOSHO (JPN)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner Rp A v Enas AHMED (EGY)
Winner Rp C v Jenny FRANSSON (SWE)
Semifinals
Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Enas AHMED (EGY) by Fall, 1:17 (4-2)
Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 7-2
Repechage
Rp A – Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) v OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL)
Rp B – Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR) v Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Rp C – Winner Rp B – Dorothy YEATS (CAN)
