KASUMIGAURA WINS 23RD HIGH SCHOOL FREESTYLE NAT’LS TITLE

SHIMABARA, Nagasaki (August 7-8) – Satoshi KAIZUKA edged Taiki YAMAGUCHI, 1-0, at 120kg to give Kasumigaura high school a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Inabe Sogo Gakuen in the final of the national high school wrestling championships’ team competition.

The triumph at Shimabara Fukko Arena was Kasumigaura’s 23rd overall in the national championship meet and, combined with the national invitational crown, gave the Ibaraki school a spring-summer double of major high school titles this year.

In the semifinals, Kasumigaura (Ibaraki) defeated Hiryu high school (Shizuoka), 4-3, while Inabe Sogo Gakuin (Mie) edged Saitama Sakae high school by the same score.

Kasumigaura’s Rei HIGUCHI (55kg) was named the outstanding wrestler of the team competition, becoming the first wrestler in a decade to win the OW award in both the individual and team events.

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