Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita claimed the first wrestling gold of the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, winning the men’s 60-kg Greco-Roman event over Cao Liguo of China, who settled for silver.
With the win, Fumita became the first Japanese to take gold in Greco-Roman wrestling since Atsuji Miyahara won the title in the 52-kg category at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.
Fumita leaves the Paris Games with a medal for the second consecutive Olympics. He claimed silver in Tokyo in 2021.
Zholaman Sharshenbekov of Kazakhstan and North Korean Ri Se Ung took bronze in the event.
In the women’s 68-kg final, Amit Elor of the Unites States won the gold, while Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan won silver.
Buse Tosun Cavusoglu of Turkey and Nonoka Ozaki of Japan took bronze.
But the big shock of the day for Japan came in the women’s 50-kg freestyle event, where defending champion Yui Susaki lost to India’s Vinesh Phogat in her first match. It was only the fourth loss of Susaki’s career and her first to a foreigner.
Yui Susaki following her loss in the women’s freestyle 50-kg event on Tuesday in Paris.
| Reuters
The Indian will lock horns with Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States in Wednesday’s gold medal bout, while Susaki will attempt to win bronze through the repechage bracket.
Also Tuesday, Cuban wrestling great Mijain Lopez became the first Olympian to win five golds in the same individual event by winning gold the men’s 130-kg Greco-Roman final, before immediately retiring.
The 41-year-old has not lost a match since his long-time rival Riza Kayaalp of Turkey beat him in the final of the 2015 World Championships.
Lopez’s 6-0 victory over silver medalist Yasmani Acosta of Chile at the Champ de Mars arena is still remarkable because the Cuban had not competed since winning his fourth gold in Tokyo three years ago.
Lopez pinned his former training partner Acosta in the first period and then added a takedown in the second to secure victory before removing his shoes and leaving them on the mat signalling his retirement.
“It’s a moment to demonstrate that someone has retired officially from the sport of wrestling and that also leaves a path wide open for the younger generation to continue inspiring others,” said Lopez.
“To achieve all of these results, one has to love their sport, love their job, and demonstrate to the world that with so little you can achieve great things,” he said of his career.
Mijain Lopez Nunez of Cuba (top) battles Chile’s Yasmani Acosta Fernandez in the gold-medal match of the men’s Greco-Roman 130-kg event.
| reuters
His celebration also included a takedown of one of his coaches and lifting the other.
Lopez touched the mat with his head, gleaming with beads of sweat, before taking off his shoes.
Cuba-born Acosta was left with mixed emotions.
“I wanted to win gold but at the same time, not so much because it’s Mijain, a legend in wrestling worldwide,” he said.
“We have known each other for a long time now. We did the trials together for this year’s Olympic Games.
“He has been giving me advice in every phase, so he’s everything, a rival, a friend, he’s a brother.”