2012.04.29

JAPANESE COME UP SHORT ON 2ND DAY OF WORLD QUALIFYING TOURNEY

TAIYUAN, China (April 28) – Masayuki Amano advanced to the quarterfinals of the first world qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympic Games, but came up short as three more Japanese wrestlers remain in the hunt for a ticket to London.

Amano, wrestling at 84kg on the first day of greco-roman competition, opened with wins over European bronze medalist Viktor Lorincz (HUN) and fifth-place finisher Laimutis Adomaitis (LTU). However, in the quarterfinals, Amano lost to Vladimir Gegeshidze (GEO) and was eliminated from medal contention when the 2010 world eighth-place winner lost in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, at 74kg, Tsukasa Tsurumaki started off with a win over Pan American bronze medalist Sixto Barrera Ochoa (PER) but came up short against eventual winner Emin Ahmadov (AZE), despite taking the first period in the second-round match. In the consolation round, Tsurumaki was eliminated by Peter Bacsi (HUN), a fifth-place finisher at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and an eventual qualifier for London.

In the final men’s freestyle category of 120kg, Nobuyoshi Arakida lost to reigning Asia champion Parviz Hadi (IRI) in a rematch of their meeting at the Asia championships in February. Arakida, who injured his left knee in his bout with Hadi, took an injury default in the consolation rounds.

Results of bouts involving Japanese wrestlers:

Men’s freestyle

120kg – ARAKIDA, Nobuyoshi (18th, 18 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – lost to Parviz Hadi (IRI), 0-2 (0-1, 0-6)

c1 – lost to Fatjo Baro (ALB) by injury default, 0:00

Greco-roman

74kg – TSURUMAKI, Tsukasa (11th, 27 entries)

R1 – df. Sixto Barrera Ochoa (PER), 2-0 (2-0, 1-0)

R2 – lost to Emin Ahmadov (AZE), 1-2 (2-1, 0-3, 0-5)

c1 – lost to Peter Bacsi (HUN), 0-2 (0-4, 0-1)

84kg – AMANO, Masayuki (8th, 26 entries)