To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

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

JAPAN 2ND TO CHINA IN WOMEN'S WORLD CUP



　KRASNOYARSK, Russia (March 22-23) - Three-time defending champion Japan fell 6-1 to China in the championship final and was forced to settle for second place in the World Cup of women's wrestling.

　Japan, which steamrolled its way through the preliminary round, got a quick boost in the final when Yuri Kai upset 2005 world champion Ren Xuecheng at 48 kg. But, it was all downhill from there as the young Japanese squad lost six straight and Japan went home with the runner-up trophy for only the second time since the World Cup tourney was inaugurated in 2001.

　・We were unable to score once we got in on our leg attacks, but I think the young members of this team fought hard,・said Japan head coach Shigeo Kinase. ・We were able to see what the other countries are doing and I think this will help us in this year's world championships and Olympics,・Kinase added.

　The World Cup crown was the first for China, which finished second in 2001 and took third place in 2004. Third place in Krasnoyarsk went to host Russia with a 5-2 win over Belarus while the United States shut out Germany 7-0 in the dual for fifth place.

Individual Japanese results:

Championship final: China 6, Japan 1
48 - Yuri Kai (JPN) df. Ren Xuecheng, 2-0 (2-1, 5-0)
51 - Li Xiaomei (CHN) df. Ninako Hattori, 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
55 - Xu Li (CHN) df. Chikako Matsukawa, 2-1 (1-3, 3-2, 8-0)
59 - Sun Dongmei (CHN) df. Kei Yamana, 2-0 (5-0, 3-0)
63 - Jing Ruixue (CHN) df. Mio Nishimaki, 2-1 (0-1, 2-0, 1-0)
67 - Zhang Fengliu (CHN) df. Yoshiko Inoue, 2-0 (2-0, 1-0)
72 - Wang Xu (CHN) df. Mami Shinkai, 2-0 (6-0, 4-0)

Preliminary Pool: Japan 6, Belarus 1
48 - Yuri Kai (JPN) df. Marina Markevich by fall, 2p
51 - Ninako Hattori (JPN) df. Tatiana Grigoryeva, 2-0 (2-1, 3-0)
55 - Mariya Egorova (BLR) df. Chikako Matsukawa, 2-0 (6-0, 5-1)
59 - Kei Yamana (JPN) df. Tatiana Bokhan by fall, 1p
63 - Mio Nishimaki (JPN) df. Olga Khilko, 2-0 (3-0, 5-2)
67 - Yoshiko Inoue (JPN) df. Iryna Tsyrkevich, 2-0 (1-1, 2-0)
72 - Mami Shinkai (JPN) df. Vasilia Mazaliuk, 2-1 (0-1, 1-0, 1-1)

Japan 6, Germany 1
48 - Yuri Kai (JPN) df. Brigitte Wagner, 2-0 (2-0, 2-0)
51 - Ninako Hattori (JPN) df. Alexandra Engelhardt, 2-0 (1-0, 2-0)
55 - Chikako Matsukawa (JPN) df. Jessica Bechtel by fall, 2p
59 - Kei Yamana (JPN) df. Christine Knittel by fall, 1p
63 - Mio Nishimaki (JPN) df. Olga Khilko, 2-0 (6-0, 2-0)
67 - Yoshiko Inoue (JPN) df. Maria Mueller, 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
72 - Anita Schaetzle (GER) df. Mami Shinkai, 2-1 (5-0, 0-2, 1-0)