From: Tim Foley news@meltwaterpress.comSubject: Icho Becomes First Wrestler to Bag Fourth Gold, Leads Golden Sweep for Japan

Date: August 17, 2016 at 6:06 PMTo: lanny@wrestlingusa.com

Icho Becomes First Wrestler to Bag Fourth Gold, Leads Golden Sweep for Japanby William May // Photo: Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling

RIO DE JANEIRO (August 17) – Kaori ICHO (JPN) won the gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Wednesday to become the firstwrestler – male or female – to win a gold medal in four consecutive Olympic Games.

Icho worked her way behind her opponent, Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS), with only seconds to spare in the 58kg final for a 3-2 victoryand the gold medal at Carioca Arena 2.

Icho has won gold medals in each Olympic Games since the debut of women’s wrestling at Athens 2004 and has also won 10 worldchampionships titles from 2002 to 2015.

Kaori ICHO (JPN) grabs a photo of her recently deceased mother after winning her fourth Olympic title in Rio de JANEIRO (Photo: TonryRotundo)

Koblova, who lost to Icho in the 2014 world championship final in Tashkent by technical fall, presented a tight defense to the champ and slippedbehind for a takedown late in the first period for a 2-1 lead at the break.

The lead stood through most of the second period, until Koblova made a takedown attempt and Icho struggled to get around behind -- gainingcontrol only in the final seconds of the bout.

Asked later about the final takedown, Icho, whose mother passed away last year, replied “That last one was for my mother.” She then added, “Ican’t thank my family and friends enough as well as all of the people who supported me.”

Also on Wednesday evening, three-time world champion Eri TOSAKA (JPN) scored off a late single-leg attack in the closing seconds of the 48kgfinal for a 3-2 victory over Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and her first Olympic Games gold medal.

The final was a virtual replay of last year’s world championship final, as Tosaka overcame a two-point deficit with a late takedown to win at thebuzzer.

Sara DOSHO (JPN), the winner of bronze and silver medals at the last three world championships, snuck behind London 2012 and worldchampion Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) in the 69kg final with 30 seconds remaining for her first world-level title and the Olympic Games goldmedal.

Sara DOSHO (JPN)

In the bronze medal matches at 48kg, 2013 world champion SUN Yanan (CHN) launched Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) for points on her way to atechnical fall at 48kg. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) opened an early five-point lead and held on for a 7-6 victory, despite a four-point arm throw byPatricia BERMUDEZ (ARG).

Marwa AMRI (TUN)

At 58kg, with only seconds remaining in their bronze medal final, Marwa AMRI (TUN) dumped 2015 world bronze medalist Yulia RATKEVICH(AZE) to her back for four points and Tunisia’s first-ever Olympic Games medal in wrestling with a 6-3 victory.

Sakshi MALIK (IND) rallied for eight points in the second period, including the clincher in the closing seconds, for an 8-5 win over AisuluuTYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and India’s first-ever Olympic Games medal in women’s wrestling.

Sakshi MALIK (IND)

At 69kg, Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) came up with a big headlock on her way to a 7-4 win over Enas AHMAD (EGY) while 2012 world championJenny FRANSSON (SWE) won Sweden’s first Olympic Games medal in women’s wrestling with a 2-1 victory over Dorothy YEATS (CAN).

Women’s Wrestling 48kg (18 entries)

Gold Medal Final

Eri TOSAKA (JPN) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE), 3-2

Bronze Medal Finals

SUN Yanan (CHN) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 0:54Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) df. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG), 7-6

Semifinals

Eri TOSAKA (JPN) df. SUN Yanan (CHN), 8-3Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) by Fall, 2:21 (6-0)

Repechage

Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) df. Haley AUGELLO (USA), 3-2Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL), 6-3

Women’s Wrestling 58kg (20 entries)

Gold Medal Final

Kaori ICHO (JPN) df. Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS), 3-2

Bronze Medal Finals

Marwa AMRI (TUN) df. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE), 6-3Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-5

Semifinals

Kaori ICHO (JPN) df. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 2:20Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 4-1

Repechage

Marwa AMRI (TUN) df. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR), 3-2PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) df. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) by Fall, 2:13 (7-0)Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL), 12-3

Women’s Wrestling 69kg (18 entries)

Gold Medal Final

Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS), 2-2

Bronze Medal Finals

Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Enas AHMED (EGY), 7-4Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Dorothy YEATS (CAN), 2-1

Semifinals

Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Enas AHMED (EGY) by Fall, 1:17 (4-2)Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 7-2

Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 7-2

Repechage

Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL), 3-2Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR), 7-4Dorothy YEATS (CAN) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 3-2

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