Japan adds 3 golds to maintain a perfect recording in Tirana

Tirana, Albania (February 28) – Ami Ishii (JPN) cannot stop winning in Tirana.

Four months after winning the U23 and Senior World Championships in the Albanian capital, Ishii started her in 2025 with a ranking in Tirana.

While she won the World Cup at 72 kg, Ishii returned to the Olympic weight class of class 68 kg when she leaves memories back to Paris Olympic Games.

“It [Tirana] is a city of luck, “said Ishii.” In addition, 68 kg is at home for me. “

Ishii is now 12: 0 in Tirana and wins Golds at the U23 World Championships, Senior World Championships and Muhamet Malo Ranking-Serie and achieved six technical supervisor and three pens.

Her gold medal was one of three that Japan won and kept his perfect record of the wrestling of women in Tirana, which was the two they won on Thursday. Of the six golds offered so far, Japan has won five with a – 62 kg – to China. Japan did not enter 62 kg.

Ishii won the gold medal at 68 kg after U20 world champion Sakura Onishi (JPN) had given a golden senior debut at 59 kg. Miwa Morikakawa (JPN) was successful with 65 kg. Umi Ito (JPN) won 50 kg on Thursday, while Haruna Mayumara (JPN) won gold with 55 kg.

Ami Ishii (JPN) won the 68 -kg gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ishii looked in 68 kg in a sublime form and seemed as if it were to be intact, but Zelu Li (Chn) checked them in the final. Ishii managed to win 6-2, but was able to feel the pressure of the final.

“I think the enemy's level is pretty high as it is in the final,” said Ishii. “The pressure is the most fun in the final. There should be no pressure, but it was a close game, so I will practice a little more.”

She opened the gate with a double-leg takedown and continued to go to Li-knuckle, turned into such an attempt for a takedown. Li tried to accommodate lift, but Ishii was solid in her defense and led 4: 0. Li in the second period in the second period lowered 4: 2, but Ishii made it 6-2 with a similar takedown as the previous ones.

“My wrestling is different and I update my wrestling every day,” she said. “My wrestling differs completely from the last time I came to Tirana. Wrestling Japanese I improve my skills.”

After Ishii lost the Olympic Paris Olympic Games in the domestic playoff against Nonoka Ozaki (JPN), Ishii remains motivated to be at the Olympic cycle.

“My goal for 2025 is to win the 68 kg class at the World Championships,” she said. “My biggest goal for 2025 is likely to win a gold medal at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.”

Sakura Onishi (JPN) defeated Anastasiia Sidelnikova (UWW) in the 59 kg final with 10: 0.

Onishi was the first to secure the night of Japan's gold medal when she dominated the 59 kg weight class. In the final against Anastasiia Sidelnikova (UWW), Onishi scored the first takedown with a one -legged attack and returned by two more points. She added another takedown with her head outside before ending the fight with 4:16 on the clock.

This was the first senior tournament for the teenager, but remained unimpressed by the stage and the opponents.

“It was my first tournament and I was a bit nervous,” said Onishi. “But since I deserved the right to take part in the All-Japan championship in Japan, I decided to represent Japan and not worry about my age.”

Before she traveled to Tirana, Onishi was in a two -week training camp in China together with Morikawa. Both went to Kunming, the hometown of world champion Jia Long (CHN), to train in different styles.

Before that, Onishi would end her battles in the typical Japanese pens or legs, but she used the intestinal thunderstorm effectively in Tirana. Onishi said she selected the technology in China.

“The tip is something I always do,” she said. “I don't really pay attention to it, but this intestinal key is a technique that I recently learned when I went to China in a two -week camp and I was happy.”

In the four fights on Friday, Onishi, a training partner of the Olympic champion Akari Fujinami (JPN) at Nippon Sports Science University, put their opponents 45: 3 and prepared for the Asian championships.

“I think it was a really good tournament because I could see how much I improved, even if I only have a little bit of what I practice every day,” she said.

Miwa Morikawa (JPN) tries to turn Irina Ringaci (JPN) before Ringaci is pulled out of the final cited knee injury. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Miwa MorikaWa (JPN) added another gold, but she would have loved to avenge her loss against Irina Ringaci (MDA) in a better way. Ringaci was injured in the middle of the final while led 6: 3. Morikawa had just achieved a takedown when Ringaci left the match due to an injured knee. Until then, Ringaci had shown excellent movements and met two leg attacks and intestinal keys to which Morikawa had no answers.

The two had previously met in the first round of their group, which Ringaci won 6: 5 despite a solid comeback from Morikawa. This was her second meeting since the final of the 2021 World Cup, which Ringaci won.

Ringaci scored a takedown and turned 4: 0, and then a scramble meant that Ringaci landed up to take the lead 6-0. Morikawa was on board when she achieved an exposure and another leg height forced a takedown, which scored the score for Ringaci with a 5 -second lead with 6: 4. A double leg by Morikawa only led one step with six seconds on the clock. Japan asked this call and asked for two points, but Morikawa had no control over Ringaci during the stepout. Ringaci defended the 7: 5 lead to win the fight.

Lili (CHN) defeated the Olympic Paris bronze medalist Grace Bullen (NOR) in the 62 -kg semi -final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

With 62 kg, the world bronze medalist Lili (CHN) in Tirana completed a 5-member performance with a gold medal with 62 kg and defeated the former world champion Bilyana Dudova (BUL) 8: 4 in the final after defeating the Paris Olympic champion Grace Bull (Nor) in the seed.

Bullen was on the way to the final when she came across Lili in Semis and was involved in a tense match that she was. She opened the gate with a takedown and rotation before Lili scored a reversal and lace. The Chinese added another takedown and turned to do it 7-4. Bullen closed the gap to 7: 5 with a stepout, but she could not break the defense and lost 8-3.

In the final, Lili raced 8-0 against Bilyana Dudova (BUL) and it seemed as if she would soon complete the fight. However, Dudova met a double leg attack to win back four points. But Lili still managed to keep the lead with himself and defeated himself to claim the gold medal at 62 kg.

Results

59 kg
Gold: Sakura Onishi (JPN) DF. Anastasiia Sidelnikova (UWW), 10-0

Bronze: Solomiia Vynnyk (UKR) DF. Bediha weapon (Tur), 12-2

62 kg
Gold: Lili (Chn) Df. Bilyana Dudova (Bul), 8-4

Bronze: Adaugo Nwachukwu (USA) DF. Anne Nuernberger (GER), 11-0
Bronze: Grace bulls (still) df. Amina Tandelova (UWW) about Inj. Def.

65 kg
Gold: Miwa MorikaWa (JPN) Df. Irina Ringaci (Mda) about Inj. (3-6)

Bronze: INYNA KOLIADENKO (UKR) DF. Aleah Nickel (can), 10-0

68 kg
Gold: Ami Ishii (JPN) Df. Zelu Li (CHN), 6-2

Bronze: Elizaveta Petliakova (UWW) DF. Noémi Szabados (Hun), about Inj. Def.
Bronze: Kateryna Zelenykh (ROU) DF. Gerda Barth (Ger) over autumn (6-0)