MACON, France (September 2) – A typhoon swept through Le Spot arena on Friday as Japan’s four entries on the final day of women’s wrestling all won gold medals while lifting the Japanese squad to the team title at the Junior World Wrestling Championships.

Defending champions Miho IGARASHI (48kg) and Masako FURUICHI (72kg) grabbed their second and third championship titles, respectively, while Mayu MUKAIDA (55kg) and Ayana GEMPEI (63kg) made a success of their first trip to junior championships.

But, more than winning, the Japanese quartet dominated -- winning 13 of their 18 bouts by technical fall and outscoring the opposition 186-13.

Japanese head coach Shoko YOSHIMURA (JPN) said she could not remember a display of wrestling like Friday’s performance and she hesitated trying to explain it.

Asked the secret of Japan’s success in women’s wrestling, the five-time former world champion deadpanned “It’s a secret.” Then, she added “The girls love wrestling. They practice hard and they work hard.”

“Also, the (Japan Wrestling) Federation, from President (Tomiaki) Fukuda on down, have created a family-like feeling among everyone involved in (Japanese) wrestling,” Yoshimura added.

All the hard work and family feelings were on display Friday evening as Igarashi hit three double-leg takedowns in the 48kg final on her way to a 12-0 technical fall over European junior champion Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS).

Mukaida, who won the gold medal at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, capped a dominating performance over 2015 world bronze medal winner Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) with a double-leg takedown in the second period for an 11-0 triumph at 3:23 of the 55kg final.

Three-time Asian junior champion Gempei took advantage of her first visit to the big show with four takedowns and a 10-0 win over Nadezhda DRAGUNOVA (BLR) in the 63kg final. The silver medal for Dragunova was her first in international competition.

In the finale of the women’s competition, two-time junior world champ at 67kg Furuichi moved up to try her hand at 72kg and used a pair of gut wrenches to build an 8-0 lead in the evening’s finale against Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS). 

Furuichi, who won the Klippan Open in February with a win over 2014 senior world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER), closed the evening’s competition with a single-leg takedown for a 10-0 win at 3:26.

Japan’s four wins, combined with a pair of titles won by Miyu NAKAMURA (44kg) and Yuzuru KUMANO (59kg) on Thursday, lifted Japan from a tie for fifth place to the team title with 61 points.

China, which had four wrestlers in the bronze medal finals on Friday, finished in second place with 54 points while first-day leader Ukraine slipped to third place with 46 – one point ahead of fourth-place Russia. 

Wrestling at the championships continues Saturday with the first day of action in freestyle in the 50kg, 60kg, 74kg and 96kg weight categories.

Results

Women’s Wrestling

48kg (20 entries)
Gold – Miho IGARASHI (JPN) df. Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) by TF, 12-0, 2:31

Bronze – Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. XIE Ya (CHN), 4-2 
Bronze – Jade DUFOUR (CAN) df. Evelin SOSA (ARG) by Fall, 5:01 (4-1)

Semifinals – Miho IGARASHI (JPN) df. Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) by Fall, 3:25 (9-2) 
Semifinals – Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) df. Evelin SOSA (ARG) by TF, 10-0, 2:54

55kg (22 entries)
Gold – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 3:23 

Bronze – Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) df. Debora LAWNITZAK (GER) by TF, 12-0, 2:33 
Bronze – Olena KREMZER (UKR) df. PAN Tinglin (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 1:11

Semifinals – Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) df. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 8-6
Semifinals – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. PAN Tinglin (CHN) by TF, 13-0, 2:53 

63kg (17 entries)
Gold – Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Nadezhda DRAGUNOVA (BLR) by TF, 10-0, 5:09

Bronze – YAN Hongli (CHN) df. Devi POOJA (IND) by TF, 13-0, 2:25 
Bronze – Maya NELSON (USA) df. Maria KUZNETCOVA (RUS), 9-4

Semifinals – Nadezhda DRAGUNOVA (BLR) df. YAN Hongli (CHN), 8-3 
Semifinals – Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Maria KUZNETCOVA (RUS), 6-2

72kg (17 entries)
Gold – Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 3:26

Bronze – Evgneia ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR) df. Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN) by TF, 12-2, 6:00 
Bronze – YAN Chuchu (CHN) df. Anastasia SHUSTOVA (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 1:50

Semifinals – Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Evgneia ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR) by Fall, 2:58 (9-0)
Semifinals – Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) df. Anastasia SHUSTOVA (UKR), 8-4

Team Standings, Women’s Wrestling (Top Six)
1. Japan, 61 points (6 gold medals, 0 silver, 0 bronze) 
2. China, 54 (0-2-3)
3. Ukraine, 46 (0-1-3)
4. Russia, 45 (1-2-1)
5. Kazakhstan, 35 (0-2-0) 
6. United States, 32 (0-0-3)