Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) notched three wins at 53kg on Thursday and needs only one more win to secure her fourth gold medal at the Olympic Games as the women’s wrestling events are set to come to a close at Rio 2016.
Yoshida, however, has to get by 2015 world champion at 55kg Helen MAROULIS (USA) in the 53kg final on Thursday evening to join compatriot Kaori ICHO (JPN) as the only winner of four gold medals in wrestling at the Olympic Games.
Maroulis muscled her way through the bottom half of the 53kg bracket with four wins, including a come-behind-victory over two-time world bronze medalist JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) and a win by fall in the semifinals over three-time world silver medalist Sofia MATTSSON (SWE).
Meanwhile, 38-year-old Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) secured her third Olympic Games medal by advancing to the finals at 75kg with a win by fall over Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) in the semifinals.
Manyurova took a silver medal for Russia at Athens 2004, where women’s wrestling made its Olympic Games debut, and then grabbed a bronze medal four years ago in London.
Manyurova’s opponent at Carioca Arena 2 will be Erica WIEBE (CAN), who defeated world bronze medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-0, on a low-single takedown in the semifinals.
Marzaliuk had earlier upset three-time world champ Adelina GRAY (USA), 4-1, in the quarterfinals.
Two rising stars in the women’s middleweight division emerged the gold medal finalists – world silver medalist Risako KAWAI (JPN) and European champion Maria MAMASHUK (BLR).
Kawai, 21, stopped another European champion Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 8-2, in the quarterfinals at 63kg, while Mamashuk, 23, edged 2012 world champion Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA), 3-2, in the semifinals.
Pirozhkova had earlier defeated reigning world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL), 10-7, in the quarterfinals.
Another casualty of the morning session was 2014 world champion and previously top-ranked Yulia TKACH (UKR), who was upset in the round of 16 by XU Rui (CHN), a 21-year-old former junior world bronze medalist.
Women’s Wrestling 53kg (19 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) v Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner Rp A v Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN)
Winner Rp C v Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)
Semifinals
Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN), 6-0
Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) by Fall, 5:23 (8-0)
Repechage
RpA – Natalia SINISHIN (AZE) v Isabelle SAMBOU (SEN)
RpB – Yulia KHAVALDHZY (UKR) v ZHONG Xuechun (CHN)
RpC – Winner Rp B v JONG Myong-Suk (PRK)
Women’s Wrestling 63kg (19 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) v Risako KAWAI (JPN)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner A v Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA)
Winner B v Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
Semifinals
Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) df. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA), 3-2
Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 2:10
Repechage
RpA – Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) v Henna JOHANSSON (SWE)
RpB – Monika MICHALIK (POL) v Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Women’s Wrestling 75kg (18 entries)
Gold Medal Final
Erica WIEBE (CAN) v Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ)
Bronze Medal Finals
Winner Rp A v Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Winner Rp B v Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
Semifinals
Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-0
Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) by Fall, 5:52 (6-8)
Repechage
Rp A – Maria SELMAIER (GER) v ZHANG Fengliu (CHN)
Rp B – Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) v LAURE ALI ANNABEL (CMR)
