To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

By William May
（Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public Information Committee
Kyodo World Services, senior sports writer：wmay52@hotmail.com）

SHODA WINS 2ND ALL-JAPAN TITLE AFTER 11-YEAR WAIT



TOKYO (December 21) ? Four-time world champion Ayako Shoda defeated world team member Kei Yamana to win the women's 59kg crown on the opening day of the All-Japan wrestling national championships. Wrestling at Yoyogi National Gymnasium No. 2, Shoda avenged a loss to Yamana in a world team wrestle-off last summer to win only the second All-Japan title of her career. She last won the 62kg crown in 1998. Also on the first day, 2008 world silver medalist Mami Shinkai won her first national championship crown at 67kg.

In men's freestyle, world team members Shinya Matsumoto and Takao Isokawa won at 84kg and 96kg, respectively, while national sports festival winner Takahiro Shimonaka upset world team representative Nobuyoshi Arakida for his first All-Japan triumph.

In greco-roman, Katsuya Kitamura successfully defended his 96kg crown, but Hirokazu Shinjo defeated defending champion Atsushi Nakamura for his third overall All-Japan championship.

Results of championship final and semifinal bouts:

Greco-roman

96kg ? 15 entries
F1 ? Katsuya Kitamura df. Yuji Yamamoto, 2-0 (5-0, 1-0)
SF ? Kitamura df. Kenji Fujimoto, 2-0 (4-0, 1-0)
SF ? Yamamoto df. Yasuhiro Mori, 2-0 (2-0, 1x-1)
(Kitamura wins 2nd straight, 2nd overall title)

120kg ? 9 entries
F1 ? Hirokazu Shinjo df. Atsushi Nakamura, 2-1 (0-1, 1-0, 2-0)
SF ? Shinjo df. Naoki Sawada, 2-0 (2-0, 1-0)
SF ? Nakamura df. Shinichi Hirakawa, 2-0 (3-0, 7-0=1:42)
(Shinjo wins 3rd title, first in two years)

Men's freestyle
84kg ? 16 entries
F1 ? Shinya Matsumoto df. Satoru Yamamoto, 2-0 (4-0, 1-0)
SF ? Matsumoto df. Seiji Suzuki, 2-1 (4-4x=big point, 6-0=1:07, 7-0=0:50)
SF ? Yamamoto df. Naoki Monma, 2-0 (1-0=2:02, 1-0)
(Matsumoto wins 2nd title, first in four years)

96kg ? 14 entries
F1 ? Takao Isokawa df. Kenzo Sakamoto, 2-0 (1-0=2:02, 1-0=2:16)
SF ? Isokawa df. Keiki Shimoyashiki, 2-0 (3-0, 3-0)
SF ? Sakamoto df. Takayuki Miyaji, 2-1 (0-1, 2-0, 3-0=2:08)
(Isokawa wins 1st title at 96kg, 2nd title overall, first in five years)

120kg ? 12 entries
F1 ? Takahiro Shimonaka df. Nobuyoshi Arakida, 2-0 (2-0, 2-1)
SF ? Arakida df. Masato Aisawa, 2-0 (3-0, 2-0)
SF ? Shimonaka df. Tsutomu Takabayashi, 2-0 (3-0, 6-0=1:05)
(Shimonaka wins 1st title)

Women's freestyle
59kg ? 13 entries
F1 ? Ayako Shoda df. Kei Yamana, 2-0 (2-0=2:13, 1-0=2:09)
SF ? Yamana df. Ayaka Sato, 2-0 (1-0, 4-1)
SF ? Shoda df. Yurika Ito, 2-0 (1x-1, 1-0=2:04)
(Shoda wins 1st title at 59kg, 2nd title overall, first in 11 years)

67kg ? 7 entries
F1 ? Mami Shinkai df. Chiaki Iijima, 2-0 (2-0, 5-0)
SF ? Shinkai df. Seika Yoshimoto by fall, 2P=1:14 (5-0, F4-0)
SF ? Iijima df. Chihiro Hashimoto, 2-1 (0-1, 1-0, 3-2)

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