Asian Games 2026 Wrestling Day 3 Highlights: Susaki, Sujeet, Zare Win Gold

NAGOYA, Japan (October 2) -- Wrestling enters day three at the Asian Games 2026 with five weight classes. Women's Wrestling will be in 50kg and 76kg while Freestyle will be in 65kg, 86kg and 125kg

13:32: The inability to finish off a takedown proves fatal for Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who squanders chance after chance in conceding a 3-3 loss on criteria to Asian champion SUJEET (IND) in their 65kg semifinal. After Kiyooka takes a 2-0 lead into the second period on an activity point and stepout, Sujeet gets behind for a takedown to go ahead. From there, Kiyooka gets in twice on a leg, but can’t finish either off. On the first, he drives Sujeet to the edge, where the Indian hits a last-moment counter and the two sail out together. Upon challenge, it is ruled that Kiyooka hit down a millisecond sooner, giving Sujeet the stepout. In the final 30 seconds with Kiyooka scraping for an opening, he gets one—only to again be limited to a stepout. There would be no more chances.

13:45: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) with three points on Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ) and he holds his 3-0 lead to win the semifinals at 86kg

13:35: World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) survives a scare in the 125kg semifinal against Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ). Kassimbek was trying to hold his 3-1 lead and Zare was happy to, taking the match into the final 30 seconds. He tried to find an opening and managed it only in the final 10 seconds. He scores a takedown literally in the final five seconds to win 3-3 on criteria.

13:32: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) gives the host country another finalist with another impressive performance. Ishiguro starts off his freestyle 86kg semifinal with Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) with a driving takedown over the edge. Ishiguro then gets in on another takedown, which Olonbayar attempts to counterlift. But Ishiguro stops it and, for an instant, appears to secure a fall. The action continues and Ishiguro gains the takedown, then adds a gut wrench to lead 6-0. He saves his best for last, catching Olonbayar with a low double-leg takedown that he instantly follows with a lace lock for a 10-0 win in 2:40.

13:30: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) got a takedown and went through the leg lace against Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) to lead 8-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Kim managed to avoid giving the two points for the technical superiority. However, Kudiev scores two stepouts to complete the win. A lost challenge adds one more point to his score as he wins 11-0

13:18: SUJEET (IND), the Asian champion, books his spot in the semifinal against Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKOA (JPN), after a 10-0 win over Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) at 65kg. He began with an arm throw before scoring exposure points twice. Two go-behinds as well to complete the win.

13:10: BUHEEERDUN (CHN) catches Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in a headlock and pins him after being down 7-0! Sharipov slams the mat as the fall is confirmed and he misses out on a place in the 125kg final

13:04: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) revive their rivalry at women’s 76kg that had been on hold during Kagami’s post-Paris hiatus with a high-profile clash in the semifinals. Medet Kyzy, the silver medalist at the 2025 worlds and this year’s Asian Championships, gains an activity point, then adds a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. Kagami, spurred on by the partisan crowd, gets a single leg in the air, but settles for a stepout. She doesn’t compromise on her next scoring move—getting in deep on a double-leg takedown, she lifts Medet Kyzy clean off her feet and dumps her to the mat for 4, then hangs on for a well-earned 5-3 win and a shot at her first Asian Games gold.

13:04: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), showing the power and confidence that led him to a world silver medal at freestyle 86kg, totally dominates Noman ZAKA (PAK) to advance to the semifinals. After four consecutive stepouts, Ishiguro finishes off a takedown, then finishes the match with a gut wrench for a 10-0 win in 2:23.

13:00: End of Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) quest for a final as Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) hands him a 12-1 loss at 65kg A visibly lean Akmataliev never looked in the contest as Kim scored takedowns and turns with ease to enter the semifinals

12:57: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) is on fire! The four-time world champion sweeps in for a single against Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) in their women’s 50kg semifinal, switches to double and gains the takedown. Without missing a beat, she puts a leg in and goes up top for a cross-face. After some resistance, Susaki secures the fall. It took all of 38 seconds.

12:50: Paris Olympic women’s 76kg champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) waves to a group of fans holding banners of her name as she approaches the mat for her first international match since her triumph in Paris against Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB). Kagami shows no rust, scoring an opening takedown, then two combination takedown-gut wrenches for a 10-0 win in 2:20.

12:46: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) is into the Freestyle 65kg seminfinals with a 3-0 victory over a defensive Junsik YUN (KOR). Kiyooka gets an activity point in each period. With 30 seconds left, he gets in on a single and picks up the leg by the foot. With the clock ticking down, he settles for a stepout.

12:22: Son hyang KIM (PRK), the Asian silver medalist, with a takedown in the second period to beat Paris bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) 4-0 and enter the semifinals at 50kg 

12:18: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) gives no chance to Varadisa HIDAYAT (INA) and finishes 76kg bout with a four-pointer and a 10-0 win and enter the semifinals at the Asian Games

12:15: Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) hangs on for a 2-0 victory over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg. No technical points scored but Jalolov had no way to break Kim's defense

12:10: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) with a takedown and four gut-wrenches to beat Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) to enter the 125kg semifinals. Zare will face the winner of Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) and Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)

12:05: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) needs just 44 seconds to book her place in the women’s 50kg semifinals with a 10-0 whitewashing of Samnang DIT (CAM). Susaki comes out with a 4-point takedown and, after failing to secure a cradle, goes to the gut wrench. Three quick rolls and that’s a wrap.

12:00: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) with a comeback win over Ankh Erdene ALTANGEREL (MGL) at 65kg. Altangerel built a 6-0 before Akmataliev hit a four-pointer and as he was trying to pin Altangerel, the Mongolian committed a defensive foul. When the bout began in par terre, Akmataliev scored a turn and defended his lead to win 8-7

11:50: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) catches Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) in a leg lace and scores most of his points to beat the Kazakhstan wrestler and enter the 65kg quarterfinals.

11:43: Paris Olympics champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) gains a single-leg takedown against OU Xuexian (CHN) in their first-round bout at freestyle 65kg, then twists him every which way to apparently end the bout 10-0. But the final exposure is wiped out on challenge, keeping Ou alive. Trailing 8-0 in the second, the Chinese takes advantage of the reprieve, scoring a stepout and then a takedown. Kiyooka, however, holds firm, gains a stepout of his own and walks off a 9-3 winner.

11:40: A perfect wake up call for SUJEET (IND) as Sayed Omar ZAZAI (AFG) gets three points on him early in the 65kg bout. But Sujeet settles down and gets on board with a stepout. He then score a four-pointer, a go-behind and exposure to lead 9-3. He completes a 13-3 win over Zazai.

11:36: In one of the feature early bouts of the morning session, the freestyle 86kg clash between world silver medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) and 2024 Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) starts with a spree of stepouts, with the Japanese scoring four of the five. Dauletbekov’s counter lift on Ishiguro’s third one comes a hair too late. In the second period, Ishiguro gives up a penalty point, but that is the extent of the scoring and he is safely through 4-2. 

11:10: World silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) gets one out of the way as she beats PRIYA (IND) in the opening bout at 76kg. Priya made it 2-1 in the second period but Medet Kyzy worked hard on a takedown to lead 4-1. Priya went for the big throw at the end but Medet Kyzy fell on top and got the pin

11:00: World bronze medalist Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) sweeps aside Gwanuk KIM (KOR) 11-0 in the preliminary round match at freestyle 125kg, the first step of a collision course toward a potential rematch of the Asian Championships final with champion Amir ZARE (IRI).

10:55: World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) kicks off his defense of the 125kg gold medal at the Asian Games with an 10-0 win over Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) after a stepout clinic.

10:45: Tokyo Olympics champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) gets her campaign for a first Asian Games gold to go with her four Asian titles off to a hot start, knocking off DIPANSHI (IND) 11-0 to advance to the women’s 50kg quarterfinals.

10:30: The Asian Games wrestling will see five weight classes in action today, three Freestyle and two in Women's Wrestling.