OLYMPICS/ Wrestling Sakura Motoki adds to Japan’s gold rush in Paris kuma no mori

REUTERS

August 11, 2024 at 11:30 JST

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Sakura Motoki with her gold medal in Paris on Aug. 10 (Kazuhiro Nagashima)

PARIS--Sakura Motoki won Japan’s sixth wrestling gold of the Paris Olympics on Saturday, underlining her country’s domination of the mat at the Champ de Mars Arena.

Her victory against Ukrainian Iryna Koliadenko in the 62-kg final extended Japan’s big lead in the wrestling medal table and improved on the five golds the Japanese won at their home Olympics three years ago.

Koliadenko scored an activity clock point but Motoki hit a low single followed by a two-point leg lace to lead 4-1 at the break.

In the second period, Motoki picked up a second turn for an 8-1 lead and followed it with another takedown and a leg lace to go 12-1 up and seal her victory by technical superiority.

Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan and Grace Bullen of Norway took bronze.

Uzbekistan’s Razambek Jamalov won the men's 74-kg, two years after contemplating retirement following a slew of surgeries that left him with a battered body.

Jamalov got an early takedown against Daichi Takatani and pinned the Japanese with 48 seconds left in the period to clinch the contest.

“I had some six or seven surgeries, including some major ones, throughout my career,” said the 26-year-old with bruises on his forehead and cuts on his nose and ear.

“About two years ago, I thought of finishing my career but here I am.

“Inside the operation theater, I was thinking ‘Can I continue?’ I was not sure. But my coach motivated me and my family supported me.”

“I will soon undergo another operation for my shoulder. Maybe I will stop training for a while and come back, as I have always done.”

Chermen Valiev’s bronze was Albania’s first Olympic medal. Kyle Dake of the United States claimed the other bronze.

Geno Petriashvili of Georgia staved off a late comeback by Iran’s Amir Hossein Zare to win the men’s 125-kg gold to go with his silver in Tokyo and bronze in Rio.

Petriashvili led 10-1 at the break, but Zare refused to throw in the towel and cut down the lead to 10-9 even though it was not enough in the end.

“It was very tense and in the final seconds, I was telling myself ‘Geno, please don’t give up, please don’t give up’,” Petriashvili said.

Rio champion Taha Akgul of Turkey goes into retirement after winning a bronze medal. Giorgi Meshvildishvil of Azerbaijan took the other bronze.