2015.05.09

Suzuki Bags Gold for Japanese Women on Day Four of Asaia C’ships

DOHA (May 9) – Hiroe SUZUKI won Japan’s fourth gold medal in the final women’s events and Shinobu OTA along with Taichi OKA kicked off the Greco-Roman events with bronze medals on the fourth day of the Asian wrestling championships.

Suzuki, Asian champion in 2013 and a bronze medal winner last year, defeated former Asian junior bronze medalist Gulmarel YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) by technical fall in the semifinals and then edged 2013 silver medalist Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 3-1, for her second continental crown.

The victory assured Japan the team title in women’s wrestling with Japan and China dividing the eight gold medals evenly with four each. The Japanese, however, added a pair of silver and bronze medals.

In greco-roman, Hungarian Grand Prix winner Shinobu OTA notched a pair of technical falls at 59kg, but also lost by a tech fall to world bronze medal winner Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) in the semifinals and had to settle for a bronze medal.

Tasmuradov, meanwhile, defeated 2013 world champion YUN Won-Chol (PRK) in the featherweight final for his third straight Asian championship title.

Taichi OKA reached the medals podium the first time in his fifth trip to a continental meet, following a loss by fall to defending champion Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) with a 1-0 triumph over three-time Asian Games bronze medalist Yanarbek KENYEEV (KGZ) for his first medal in international competition.

Women’s wrestling

75kg – SUZUKI, Hiroe (Gold, 6 entries)

R1 – bye

SF – df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 3:31

F1 – Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 3-1

Final team rankings

1. Japan, 74 points (4 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)

2. China, 64 (4-0-2)

3, Kazakhstan, 61 (0-1-5)

4. India, 53 (0-1-3)

5. Mongolia, 46 (0-1-1)

6. DPR Korea, 34 (0-2-1)