To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

By William May
（Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public Information Committee
：wmay52@hotmail.com）

TAKUSHOKU SPOILS WASEDA DREAM, WINS COLLEGE CROWN





　　TOKYO (May 20) - Takushoku University won its second East Japan collegiate wrestling crown in three years with a 4-3 victory over Waseda University which was seeking its first championship in 57 years. The much-anticipated final at Komazawa Gymnasium went down to the 120-kg match where Takushoku head coach Shigeki Nishiguchi inserted 84-kg national champion Takao Isokawa.

　　Isokawa defeated Waseda first-year student Takuya Ito 2-0 to give Takushoku the championship while denying the alma mater of Ichiro Hatta, the late father of wrestling in Japan, a storybook finish to the tournament. Waseda, which last won the championship in 1948, had defeated defending champion Nippon Sports Science University (4-3) for the first time in 35 years the previous day to win its pool and advance to the final.

　　NSSU rebounded with a 5-2 win over Nihon University for third place, while Yamanashi Gakuin defeated Aoyama Gakuin 5-2 for fifth place. It was the first time in 40 years of wrestling in the championship meet that Aoyama Gakuin has finished as high as sixth place.

　　Meanwhile, Keio University edged Rikkyo University 4-3 to win its third straight second division title, but was unable to advance to the 16-team first division.

RITSUMEIKAN WINS 8TH STRAIGHT WEST JAPAN COLLEGE CROWN


　　OSAKA (May 14-15) - Ritsumeikan University of Kyoto defeated Tokuyama University 6-1 and claimed its eighth straight title in the semiannual West Japan collegiate wrestling championship.

　　Nihon Bunri University of Oita defeated Nagoya's Chukyo Gakuin 5-2 for third place in West Japan's first division. In the second division, Tenri University racked up six wins without a loss for the title, followed by Kinki University (5-1) and Kansai University (4-2).

JAPAN NAMES FEMALE SQUAD FOR UNIVERSIADE


　　TOKYO (MAY 11) - The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) formally named its squad for the female wrestling event at the World University Games in Turkey this summer.

　　The Japan Wrestling Federation made its recommendations to the JOC last month. The JOC contacted the JWF on May 11 to confirm the squad for the student games in Izmir, Turkey. ・We're aiming to win at each weight class or at least to bring home five gold medals,・women's national team head coach Kazuhito Sakae said.

　　The wrestling competition is scheduled for August 13-17.

Japanese representatives are:
48 kg - Yuri Funatsu, Toyo University
51 kg - Yuri Kai, Chukyo Women's University
55 kg - Saori Yoshida, CWU graduate
59 kg - Ayako Shoda, Toyo
63 kg - Kaori Icho, CWU
67 kg - Mami Shinkai, CWU
72 kg - Ayako Murashima, CWU graduate

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