Japan’s Takuto Otoguro and Yui Susaki each grab gold in freestyle wrestling

Japan’s Takuto Otoguro defeated Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan 5-4 in a thrilling men’s freestyle wrestling 65 kg final on Saturday at Makuhari Messe to capture the first gold of the Tokyo Games for the country’s male wrestling team. Later in women’s 50 kg, Yui Susaki scored a decisive 10-0 victory over China’s Sun Yanan to continue the gold rush for Japan’s female wrestlers.

Breaking a 2-2 tie with a takedown late in the final period, the 22-year-old Otoguro withstood a furious last-ditch victory bid from Aliyev, a three-time world champion who took 57-kg bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Otoguro, the 2018 world champion, salvaged what had been a difficult home Games for Japan’s male freestyle wrestlers, who were without a medal until Otoguro’s victory.

“The pressure was enormous. After the Olympics began, other athletes started winning gold. During the games, we didn’t win any medals in (men’s) freestyle and it was my turn,” Otoguro said.

“It was a tough tournament but everybody around me was united, helping me to win. I’m very happy.”

Otoguro’s win is the first Olympic freestyle title for a Japanese man since Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu achieved the feat at 66 kg in London in 2012.

Otoguro’s older brother Keisuke competed at the Tokyo Games in the men’s 74-kg freestyle, but his loss to Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Kaisanov on Thursday ended their hopes of becoming Japan’s latest gold-medal winning siblings.

“My brother lost (the other day) and both of us winning gold didn’t come true. So I gave it my all to win this for my brother as well,” a tearful Otoguro said.

Otoguro was first on the board in the final, catching his opponent’s leg and executing a two-point takedown barely a minute into the bout. But Aliyev responded in kind at the end of the period for a 2-2 deadlock at the interval.

With less than a minute remaining, Otoguro looked to lock up Aliyev on the mat but could not establish control, leading German referee Jeffrey Spiegel to separate the pair.

Restarting with 31 seconds on the clock, Otoguro went on the attack and took Aliyev to the mat for a 4-2 lead with 14 seconds remaining. Otoguro picked up two cautions in the tense final moments but fended off Aliyev at the death.

The win by Susaki, who was one of Japan’s flagbearers at the opening ceremonies, put an exclamation point on a dominant week for Japan’s female wrestlers.

Earlier in the week, sisters Yukako and Risako Kawai won the 62-kg and 57-kg titles, respectively, and Mayu Mukaida’s topped the podium at 53 kg.