Susaki Yui of Japan celebrates after winning the wrestling women's freestyle 50kg gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Chiba, Japan, Aug. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)
TOKYO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Home favorite Yui Susaki upset China's Sun Yanan in the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling final 10-0 to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.
Susaki, the two-time world championship gold medalist and also the flag bearer for the Japanese team at the Games' opening ceremony, got Sun on the mat early and finished the tussle in the first period.
"To win the gold medal, I prepared more for my opponent than ever before. I went into the match with a strong determination to win," said Susaki.
With the victory, Japan has become the most successful nation in the wrestling competition at their home games with seven medals, including five golds.
Sun, the bronze medalist of Rio Games, settled for the silver.
"I feel regret because I haven't performed as well tonight as in the previous rounds. I made a tiny mistake and paid dearly," she said.
Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan, who finished on the podium at each of the past three Games all in the 48 kg event, became the first athlete representing her country to collect more than three Olympic medals by sharing the bronze with American Sarah Ann Hilderbrandt.
Japan also won the men's freestyle 65kg title as Takuto Otoguro edged Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan 5-4 with a match-winning takedown in last 30 seconds.
"I could not believe that I became an Olympic champion. It was my dream, and I still can't believe that it's really come true," said Otoguro.
Gadzhimurad Rashidov from the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) defeated Iszmail Muszukajev of Hungary for one bronze medal while India's Bajrang Bajrang took the other.
In the men's freestyle 97kg final, the ROC's Abdulrashid Sadulaev defeated Kyle Frederick Snyder from the U.S. 6-3.
"I know this feeling because I became the Olympic champion five years ago. It was more difficult to defend than conquer, so it was much more difficult this time," said Sadulaev, who won the 86kg event at Rio 2016.
Reineris Salas Perez of Cuba and Italy's Abraham De Jesus Conyedo Ruano shared the bronze medal. Enditem
