By William May
（Japan Amateur Wrestling Federation, Public Information Committee：wmay52@hotmail.com）
KAI TAKES 2ND INT'L GOLD AT YARYGIN INT'L
KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 29) - Yuri Kai defeated fellow world bronze medalist Aleksandra Kohut (UKR) in the final to claim the women's 51kg crown on the first day of the Ivan Yarygin International tourney. Kai was forced to come from behind to defeat Kohut and win her second international title. With the victory, Kai qualifies for the FILA Golden Grand Prix Final this summer in Baku, Azerbaijan.
On her way to the final, Kai defeated the European champion, the 48kg Asia champion, and avenged a loss to Tatyana Bakatyuk (KAZ), who defeated Kai in last summer's GGP final.
Meanwhile, Kei Yamana took a bronze medal at 59kg while Mami Shinkai had to settle for a fifth place at 67kg in the women's competition.
In the men's competition, All-Japan runner-up Hidenori Taoka defeated champion Yasuhiro Inaba for a bronze medal at 55kg after both wrestlers lost to European champion Nariman Israpilov (RUS).
Japan's other three entries on the first day, including former world bronze medalist Kazuhiko Ikematsu, however, were eliminated early.
Results of bouts involving Japan's entries (Note - tourney results given in Russian, full names not available in all cases):
Men's freestyle
55kg - INABA, Yasuhiro (5th, 36 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. Mikhail Ivanov (RUS), 2-0 (1-0=2:08, 2-0)
Inaba takes the first period from the clinch, then scores a pair of go behind points in the second against the junior world bronze medalist.
R3 - Altinbek Alimbaev (KGZ),2-0 (2-0, 6-0=0:53)
Inaba scores with a duck-under takedown to the back to cap a one-sided bout against the former Asia cadet champion.
R4 - lost to Nariman Israpilov (RUS), 0-2 (2-2x=big, 0-2)
Inaba gives up the first period after an early scramble scored 1-2-1 for the European champion, and the second on a takedown and force-out.
r1 - df. -- Surun (RUS), 2-0 (5-2, 3-1)
Inaba opens with an inside trip for three points to take the first period, and counters a takedown attempt for two in the second.
F3 - lost to Hidenori Taoka (JPN), 1-2 (0-1=2:04, 2-1, 2-3)
Taoka scores with a gut wrench in the final seconds of the third period to avenge a loss in the All-Japan finals at December.
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55kg - TAOKA, Hidenori (3rd, 36 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. Vladislav Andreev (BLR), 2-1 (1-0=2:05, 1-3, 1x-1)
Taoka takes the first period on a force-out from the clinch, and the third period on a takedown at the buzzer against the European bronze medalist.
R3 - df. Namig Sevdimov (AZE), 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
Taoka edges the world No. 5 with a late takedown in the first period and a force-out in the second.
R4 - df. Mergen Sanaa (RUS), 2-1 (1-0=2:04, 2-4, 8-0=1:31)
Taoka breaks open a 1-1 match by controlling his opponent's attempts at counter throws for a series of nearfalls in the third period.
SF - lost to Nariman Israpilov (RUS), 1-2 (4-10=1:55, 6-2, 0-6=0:53)
Taoka is countered for three points in the third period and then gives up a three-point takedown to end the scoring fest.
F3 - df. Yasuhiro Inaba (JPN), 2-1 (1-0=2:04, 1-2, 3-2)
(See above)
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66kg - IKEMATSU, Kazuhiko (did not place, 34 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. --- (RUS), 2-1 (4-0, 3-4, 2-0)
Ikematsu stepped over his opponent's attempted cradle for two points just before the end of regulation in the third period.
R3 - lost to Ikhtiyor Navruzov (UZB), 0-2 (1-1x, 2-4)
Ikematsu dropped the first period on a last-second force-out and got stopped on his back with a front headlock and turn in the final 10 seconds of the second.
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66kg - SATO, Tsukasa (dnp, 34 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - lost to Ikhtiyor Navruzov (UZB), 0-2 (2-3, 2-3)
Sato gives up go-behind points late in both periods.
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74kg - NAGASHIMA, Kazuyuki (dnp, 25 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - lost to -- Variev (RUS), 0-2 (1-2, 1-3)
Nagashima tries to come back in the final 15 seconds of the first period with a takedown and ankle turn but runs out of time. In the second, Nagashima is dropped for three points and cannot make up the difference.
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74kg - TAKAHASHI, Ryuta (dnp, 25 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - lost to Geduev (RUS), 1-2 (1-0=2:12, 0-1, 0-4)
Takahashi takes the first period from the clinch, but was countered to his back late in the third period.
Women's freestyle
51kg - KAI, Yuri (1st, 19 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. Ekaterina Krasnova (RUS), 2-0 (3-1, 2-0)
Kai falls behind the European champion early in the first period but answers with a late arm throw, then takes the second with a takedown and go-behind.
R3 - df. Tsogtbazar Enkhjargal (MGL), 2-1 (1-0=2:02, 0-6=1:45, 1x-1=last)
Kai shakes off a technical in the second period and scores a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the third to triumph over the two-time Olympian.
SF - df. Tatyana Bakatyuk (KAZ), 2-0 (3-0=2:06, 4-2)
Kai wins in the clinch after a challenge in the first period, then seals the triumph over the Asia champion with a headlock in the second.
F1 - Aleksandra Kohut (UKR), 2-1 (0-1, 3x-3=last, 2-1)
Kai, down 0-3 in the second, scores a takedown and gut wrench in the final 10 seconds to take the period and force a third where she also needs a late point to win.
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59kg - YAMANA, Kei (3rd, 18 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - df. --- (RUS), 2-0 (3-0, 1-0)
Yamana scores a three-point tackle in the first, and makes a one-point takedown stand for the win in the second.
R3 - lost to Natalia Smirnova (RUS), 0-2 (0-1=2:13, 0-5)
Yamana is forced out in the clinch in the first period and gives up exposure points in the second to fall to the European bronze medalist.
r1 - df. Elena Kulikova (RUS), 2-0 (1-0, 5-1)
Yamana scores with a double-leg takedown in the first period and a headlock in the second against the European junior champion.
F3 - df. -- Drlgenro (RUS), 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
Yamana takes the first period with a single-leg takedown and the second with a double-leg and lift for the bronze medal.
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67kg - SHINKAI, Mami (5th, 11 entries)
R1 - bye
R2 - lost to Odonchimeg Badrakh (MGL) by fall, 2P=0:55 (0-3=2:07, F0-4)
Shinkai is thrown to her back with an upper armlock and throw by the world bronze medal winner and held for the fall.
r1 - df. --- (UZB), 2-0 (1-0, 6-0=1:31)
Shinkai opens with a single-leg in the first period, then closes on the mat with a pair of turns for the technical.
F3 - lost to Elena Shalygina (KAZ), 0-2, (0-1, 0-1)
Shinkai gives up an ankle-pick in the first period and another point in the second to Olympic bronze medalist.
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