TOKYO (March 31) – Risako Kawai edged newly crowned national champion Kanako Murata to claim the 55kg crown in the junior division of the Japan Queens Cup wrestling tournament.
Kawai, third in last December's national championships, avenged a semifinal loss by fall to Murata in the All-Japan meet with a 2-1 triumph in the JQC final at 55kg.
Kawai, moving up a category after weight control difficulties at 51kg, was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament and took the inside track for a berth on the Japanese team for the junior world meet in August.
Another senior national champion Hikari Sugawara fell in the 51kg final, losing to 2011 champion Yu Miyahara by disqualification. Sugawara, who defeated Miyahara in the All-Japan final, was disqualified after repeatedly blocking Miyahara's leg attacks with hands to her opponent's face.
Meanwhile, All-Japan champions Eri Tosaka (48kg) and Sara Dosho (67kg) were able to add JQC crowns to their collection of first-place prizes.
Mie high school student Rina Okuno upset last year's junior world champion Rie Matsumoto, converting on a pair of clinches, for the title at 44kg.
Kawai, Tosaka and Dosho gave the Shigakkan University club three individual titles, while Abe Gakuin high school in Tokyo crown two with Miyahara and Rino Abe at 72kg. Miyahara, however, leaves Abe Gakuin and the JOC Elite Academy in April to enter Toyo University.
The other two titles went to wrestlers from International Pacific Rim University — 2010 Asia cadet champion Nachi Masuda (59kg) and Fusano Mochizuki (63kg).
Championship finals – junior division
44kg – Rina Okuno (Hisai HS, Mie) df. Rie Matsumoto (Shigakkan Univ), 2-0 (3-0=2:03, 3-0=2:02)
48kg – Eri Tosaka (Shi) df. Yuka Yago (Nihon Univ) 2-1 (5-0, 2x-2, 5-0)
51kg – Yu Miyahara (Abe Gakuin, Tokyo) df. Hikari Sugawara (Shi) by disqualification, 2P=0:43 (3-6, 2C-0)
55kg – Risako Kawai (Shi) df. Kanako Murata (NU), 2-1 (1-1x=last, 1-0, 3-0=2:04)
59kg – Nachi Masuda (Int'l Pacific Rim Univ) df. Kiwa Sakae (Shi), 2-0 (1-0, 3-1)
63kg – Fusano Mochizuki (IPU) df. Yurika Ichikawa (Aichi Shukutoku Univ), 2-0 (3-0, 5-0)
67kg – Sara Dosho (Shi) df. Sayaka Kobayashi (IPU) by TF, 2-0 (7-0=1:45, 7-0=1:14)
72kg – Rino Abe (Abe Gakuin) df. Suzumi Makishima (Nishiora HS, Gunma) by fall, 2P=0:56 (6-0=1:53, F6-0)
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