MAEDA ONE AND DONE AT YASAR DOGU INT’L

ANKARA, Turkey (February 9-11) – Newly crowned national champion Shogo Maeda had a short day at the Yasar Dogu international freestyle wrestling tournament after losing his first bout at 60kg.

Maeda, who finished fifth in the 2009 world championships, fell to 2010 world entry Reece Humphrey (USA), 1-2, in their second-round bout.  Maeda was eliminated from medal contention when Humphrey lost in the quarterfinals.

Japan is already qualified for this summer’s London Olympics at 60kg, via Kenichi Yumoto’s bronze medal effort at the 2011 world championships.  A special wrestle-off for the 60kg ticket to London is scheduled for March with Yumoto and Maeda possibly joined by a handful of other qualified candidates.

Maeda won the All-Japan national championship crown in December, denying Yumoto the chance to secure the London Olympic berth outright for himself.

Men’s freestyle

60kg – MAEDA, Shogo (26th, 33 entries)

R1 – bye

R2 – lost to Reece Humphrey (USA), 1-2 (1-0, 0-1, 0-6)

Maeda takes the first period with a takedown from the clinch and appears to have the second with a late force-out.  The point, however, goes to Humphrey when the officiating crew rules that Maeda stepped out of the circle first.  In the third period, Humphrey scores with a takedown and converts to a cross-ankle turn to rack up five quick exposure points for the technical fall.

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