5 Things From the Junior World Championships – Day 4
Maya Nelson, 63 kg
After starting her day with a 10-0 tech-fall over Zarina Dauletkeldi (KAZ), Nelson ran into the Japanese representative, Ayana Gempei in the quarter-finals. The bad news for Nelson was she dropped an 8-3 decision to Gempei. The good news is that the Japanese wrestler made the finals to bring Nelson back into the repechage. There Nelson knocked out Asli Tugcu (TUR), 11-3 to earn her spot in the bronze medal match. In that match-up, against Maria Kuznetsova (RUS), Nelson opened the scoring two minutes in with a shot clock point. The lead was short lived, however, as the Russian responded with a takedown to lead 2-1 at the break. Nelson came out firing in the second, scoring four on the edge on a hop toss 20 seconds in. By a minute into the final frame, Nelson had pushed the lead to 7-2 after another takedown. Kuznetsova tried for a big throw in the last minute, but Nelson wisely bellied out, giving up a takedown to cut the lead to 7-4. Nelson added a takedown off a desperation attempt to take the bronze medal, 9-4!
Team USA Finishes 6th, Again
The difference between wrestling for a medal and not is so small at this level and Team USA re-learned that lesson again on Friday. McKayla Campbell had a 4-2 lead in the second period of her opening match, but fell 6-4. Her next opponent, had she won, would have been eventual gold medalist Miho Igarashi. Instead of making the repechage, Campbell was eliminated. All of the U.S. women were drawn into the side of the bracket with the Japanese representative on day four, meaning they had no margin for error. If they lost to anyone other than the Japanese wrestler, they were eliminated. Nelson reached the Japanese wrestler so she got a chance at a medal. Overall, three bronze medals and another sixth place finish is a solid performance for the Americans, especially with a returning medalist, Becka Leathers, having to bow out late due to illness.
Miho Igarashi (JPN) Goes Back-to-Back (to-Back)
For the second consecutive year, Igarashi won the Junior world gold medal at 48 kg. This was her third straight world championship overall after winning Cadet 46 kg in 2014. Miho has a bronze medal from 2013 to her credit as well. In most countries, a young wrestler seeing this level of success would either already be the Senior level representative or be ready to take over very soon. However, Japan is so good that it may be some time before we see Igarashi take the spot. Japan’s current representative, winner of the last three world championships and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Eri Tosaka, is only 23.
Masako Furuichi (JPN) Wins Sixth World Championship Title
After three straight Cadet world crowns at 65 kg from 2011 to 2013, Furuichi moved up to the Junior level and did the exact same thing, running off three more world titles, the first two at 67 kg and this last one at 72 kg. It doesn’t take an expert to figure out why Furuichi might be looking to bulk up. Japan won four gold medals and a silver in six women’s freestyle weight classes at the just completed Olympics. The one weight class they where they missed the podium? 75 kg. With 69 kg Olympic gold medalist Sara Dosho filling what seemed to be her optimal spot and getting ready to turn 22, Furuichi no doubt has designs on the 75 kg spot. After her performance here and others she has turned in at the age group level, don’t bet against her.
Japan Continues to Own Women’s Freestyle
After what, for them, could only be deemed a disappointing first day of competition in women’s freestyle that saw them tied for fourth with Team USA in the team standings, Japan blew away the field on day two, putting all four of their wrestlers into the gold medal matches. Miho Igarashi, Mayu Mukaida, Ayana Gempei and Masako Furuichi all won titles and Japan walked away with the team title, winning
