CHUKYO GAKUIN WINS 2ND STRAIGHT WEST JAPAN COLLEGE CROWN

SAKAI, Osaka (May 18-19) – Chukyo Gakuin came from two wins down to a 4-3 victory over upstart Fukuoka University to win its second straight west Japan collegiate wrestling championship.

Chukyo Gakuin, which won the autumn title last year, got wins from captain Taketo Yokoi at 96kg and Kojiro Tsuda at 60kg, to give the Gifu school its second overall west Japan crown.

Fukuoka, stunned by the death in April of former head coach and 1969 world champion Tadamichi Tanaka, finished the autumn tourney last year in seventh place, but made a run for the title on the strength of some stellar first-year recruits.

Fukuoka finished the preliminary rounds tied with last year's spring champion Tokuyama University at two wins and a loss each.  Fukuoka advanced to the championship final with more falls than Tokuyama in the preliminaries.

In the dual for third place, Tokuyama defeated Kansai University, 5-2.

In the second division, Kyushu Kyoritsu University defeated Doshisha University for its first division title, and then edged Momoyama Gakuin for a place in the first division this coming fall.