To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world

                    

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


JAPAN WINS 4TH WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TITLE



  CLERMONT-FERRAND, France (May 20-21) - Defending champion Japan rolled to three easy victories, winning 19 of 21 individual bouts, to claim its fourth overall women's wrestling World Cup title. Makiko Sakamoto, Saori Yoshida and Kyoko Hamaguchi all scored falls as Japan romped 24-4 over 2003 World Cup champion United States in the opening
round of pool competition.

  Japan secured a berth in the championship final with a 23-2 win over Russia, winning all seven of the individual match-ups.In the gold medal final, Ayako Shoda and Kaori Icho capped a run of five straight wins with a pair of pins against Ukraine as Japan rolled to a 22-4 victory.


Pool A, Round 1
Japan 24, United States 4
48 - Makiko Sakamoto df. Sara Fulp Allen by fall, 5:50
51 - Chiharu Icho df. Stephanie Murata, 2-0
55 - Saori Yoshida df. Tina George by fall, 4:55
59 - Ayako Shoda df. Sally Roberts, 2-1
63 - Kaori Icho df. Kaci Lyle, 2-1
67 - Eri Sakamoto lost to Kristie Marano, 1-2
72 - Kyoko Hamaguchi df. Iris Smith by fall, 1:00
----
Pool 1, Round 3
Japan 23, Russia 2
48 Makiko Sakamoto df. Liliya Kaskarakova, 2-0
51 Chiharu Icho df. Natalia Smirnova, 2-0
55 Saori Yoshida df. Natalia Golts, 2-0
59 Ayako Shoda df. Viktoria Zagaynova, 2-0
63 Kaori Icho df. Anna Polovneva by fall, 3:10
67 Eri Sakamoto df. Anastasia Dezhneva, 2-1
72 Kyoko Hamaguchi df. Elena Perepelkina, 2-0
----
Championship final
Japan 22, Ukraine 4
48 Makiko Sakamoto df. Oleksandra Kohut, 2-0
51 Chiharu Icho df. Olga Levkovska, 2-0
55 Saori Yoshida df. Alena Komarova, 2-0
59 Ayako Shoda df. Natalia Synyshin by fall, 1:46
63 Kaori Icho df. Oksana Shalikova by fall, 1:53
67 Eri Sakamoto lost to Katerina Burmistrova, 0-2
72 Kyoko Hamaguchi df. Svitlana Sayenko, 2-0
----
Team results

Championship final
Japan 22, Ukraine 4

Third-place final
Russia 21, France 9

Fifth-place final
United States 19, Venezuela 7

Pool A
Japan 24, United States 4
Russia 16, United States 11
Japan 22, Russia 4

Pool B
Venezuela 19, Ukraine 19
Ukraine 16, France 13
France 22, Venezuela 10