Icho Tagged with First Loss since May 2007 at Yarygin GP

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 29-30) – Reigning world and Olympic Games champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) was staggered by a technical fall loss in the women’s 58kg finals of the Yarygin Grand Prix wrestling tournament.

Icho was stymied by Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) with timely counters to the world champion’s leg attacks as the 22-year-old challenger wrapped up the technical fall with a minute remaining in the 58kg final.

The loss was Icho’s first since forfeiting a preliminary match at the Asian championships in May 2007. It was also her first loss on the mat since March 2003 when she fell to Sara McMANN (USA) at the Klippan Open in Sweden.

Meanwhile, 2014 world champion Chihiro HAMADA (JPN) also lost at 53kg to 2009 European junior champion Lyubov SALNIKOVA (RUS) as the Japanese women’s squad completed the two-day tourney with one gold medal and four silver.  In earlier rounds, Hamada defeated 2014 European champion Maria GUROVA (RUS) and 2014 world silver medalist at 55kg Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS).

Japan’s lone gold medal was snared by defending champion Yuki IRIE (48kg) with a technical fall over 2014 Asian silver medalist Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) in the semifinals and a first-period fall over 2015 European under-23 champion Nadeshda FEDEROVA (RUS) in the final.

Results of bouts involving Japanese entries:

Women's wrestling

48kg – IRIE, Yuki (1st, 19 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – df. Nadezhda SARAZHAKOVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 1:39

R3 – df. Monkhtuya BATBAATAR (MGL), 13-4

SF – df. Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 4:03

F1 – df. Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) by Fall, 1:17 (4-0)

53kg – HAMADA, Chiho (2nd, 17 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – df. Mariya GUROVA (RUS), 8-4

R3 – df. Irina KISEL (KAZ), 3-1

SF – df. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 6-3

F1 – lost to Lyubov SALNIKOVA (RUS), 1-8

55kg – KIMURA, Anri (2nd, 17 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – df. Alina KAZIMOVA (RUS) by Fall, 4:36 (8-0)

R3 – df. Khadizhat MURTASALIEVA (RUS), 7-0

SF – df. Nomin-Erdene BATBAATAR (MGL), 7-2

F1 – lost to Nadezhda TRETYAKOVA (RUS), 2-6

58kg – ICHO, Kaori (2nd, 13 entries)

R1 – df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) by TF, 13-0, 4:34

R2 – df. Anna SHERBAKOVA (RUS) by TF, 12-1, 3:24

SF – df. Gantuya ENKBAT (MGL) by TF, 12-0, 3:00

F1 – lost to Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by TF, 0-10, 5:09

60kg – KAYAMA, Yoshimi (5th, 8 entries)

R1 – df. Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by Fall, 1:50

(6-1) SF – lost to Yuliya PRONTSEVICH (RUS), 2-3

F3 – lost to Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) by Fall, 6:00 (1-6)

63kg – ITO, Ayaka (2nd, 11 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – df. Darima SANZHEEVA (RUS), 5-4

SF – df. Zhargalma TSIRENOVA (RUS), 6-5

F1 – lost to Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS), 0-6

69kg – FURUICHI, Masako (10th, 12 entries)

R1 – lost to Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TF, 1-11, 2:35

75kg – KUDO, Kayoko (5th, 10 entries)

R1 – df. Kristina SHUMOVA (RUS), 7-4

R2 – df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 7-6

SF – lost to Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 3-5

F3 – lost to Alena AFANASYENA (RUS), 6-7

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