JAPAN FALLS TO MONGOLIA ON 1ST DAY OF WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

ULAN BATOR (March 2-3) – Defending champion Japan raced out to a 3-0 lead against Mongolia, but could not secure the decisive fourth win and fell 3-4 to the host team on the first day of the women's wrestling World Cup meet.

Against Mongolia, Japan's first three wrestlers, All-Japan runners-up Yukie Irie, Yu Miyahara and Chiho Hamada, lifted Japan to within one win of a trip to the championship final.

Spearheaded by Olympic bronze medalist Battsetseg Soronzonbold (MGL), however, Mongolia stormed back with four straight wins for its first-ever berth in the women's World Cup final.

The loss left Japan in second place in Pool B.  Japan will face the United States for third place on the final day of the tourney.

Earlier, Japan defeated India and Canada by identical 5-2 scores, with Irie, Hamada, Yurika Ito (63kg) and Hiroe Suzuki (72kg) notching wins in both dual meets.

Pool A

R1 – China df. Belarus, 7-0; United States df. Kazakhstan, 7-0

R2 – China df. United States, 5-2; Belarus df. Kazakhstan, 5-2

R3 – China df. Kazakhstan, 6-1, United States df. Belarus, 7-0

Final rankings: China (3 wins, 0 losses), United States (2-1), Belarus (1-2), Kazakhstan (0-3)

Pool B

R1 – Japan df. India, 5-2; Mongolia df. Canada, 4-3

R2 – Japan df. Canada, 5-2; Mongolia df. India, 5-2

R3 – Mongolia df. Japan, 4-3; India df. Canada, 4-3

Final rankings: Mongolia (3-0), Japan (2-1), India (1-2), Canada (0-3)

Results of dual meets involving Japan:

R1 – Japan df. India, 5-2

48kg – Yuki Irie df. Priyanka Singh (IND) by TF, 2-0 (7-0=0:52, 6-0=1:06)

51kg – Yu Miyahara df. Vinesh Vinesh (IND), 2-0 (1-0, 5-0)

55kg – Chiho Hamada df. Babita Kumari (IND), 2-1 (4-2, 1-3, 4-0)

59kg – Kiwa Sakae lost to Geeta Geeta (IND), 0-2 (0-1, 0-5)

63kg – Yurika Ito df. Anita Anita (IND), 2-0 (6-0=0:46, 2-1)

67kg – Chiaki Iijima lost to Kaur Navjot (IND), 2-1 (0-1, 1x-1=last, 0-1)

72kg – Hiroe Suzuki df. Jyoti Jyoti (IND), 2-0 (3-0, 7-0=1:39)

R2 – Japan df. Canada, 5-2

48kg – Yuki Irie df. Jasmine Mian (CAN) by fall, 1P=1:44 (F7-0)

51kg – Yu Miyahara lost to Jessica MacDonald (CAN), 1-2 (1-0, 1-2, 0-3=2:03)

55kg – Chiho Hamada df. Brittanee Laverdure (CAN), 2-0 (1-0, 1x-1=last)

59kg – Kiwa Sakae lost to Michelle Fazzari (CAN), 0-2 (0-1=2:06, 1-2)

63kg – Yurika Ito df. Justine Bouchard (CAN), 2-0 (1-0, 7-0=1:40)

67kg – Chiaki Iijima df. Megan Buydens (CAN), 2-1 (1-3, 2-0, 2-1)

72kg – Hiroe Suzuki df. Leah Callahan (CAN), 2-0 (2-1, 3-0)

R3 – Japan lost to Mongolia, 3-4

48kg – Yuki Irie df. Engkhjargal Tsogtbazar (MGL), 2-0 (7-0=1:00, 4-2)

51kg – Yu Miyahara df. Davaachimeg Erkhembayar (MGL) by fall, 2P=0:34 (2-0, F3-0)

55kg – Chiho Hamada df. Byambatseren Sundev (MGL), 2-1 (3-6, 1-0=2:03, 1-0)

59kg – Kiwa Sakae lost to Munkhtuya Tungalag (MGL) by fall, 1P=0:48 (F0-3)

63kg – Yurika Ito lost to Battsetseg Soronzonbold (MGL) by fall, 1P=0:45 (F1-2)

67kg – Chiaki Iijima df. Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (MGL), 0-2 (0-1=2:10, 0-1)

72kg – Hiroe Suzuki lost to Odonchimeg Badrakh (MGL), 0-2 (1-2, 1-4)

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