Susaki Snatches Fifth World Gold at Expense of History-Chasing India

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 28) -- Although the most bitter defeat of her career came at the hands of an Indian opponent, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) developed a soft spot for the country while participating in its pro league last winter.

That sentiment, however, wasn’t enough to keep Susaki from being one of two wrestlers to deny India a first-ever women’s gold at a senior World Championships on Wednesday, while claiming the fifth world title of her sterling career.

Susaki, appearing at the worlds for the first time since 2023, was at her dominant best in defeating NEELAM (IND) by fall in the first period of the 50kg final as the first four women’s titles were determined on the fifth day of the tournament in Astana.

“I was able to come back to the World Championships stage for the first time in three years, and I am totally happy to become a world champion again after three years,” Susaki said.

Later, two-time European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) spoiled India’s second chance at a first-ever women’s world gold when she eked out a victory over teenager KAJAL (IND) at 76kg.

In other finals, 2025 world bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) established herself as the new and undisputed top gun at 57kg, while Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) moved up to the top of the 65kg medal podium after taking the silver last year.

After winning the gold medal at 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Susaki memorably saw her dream of an Olympic repeat in Paris shattered when she was dealt a stunning opening-round loss by Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) -- the first international defeat of her career.

Susaki returned to Japan with a bronze medal and renewed determination to regain the Olympic gold. After a short hiatus, she won her first national title in three years in December 2025 before doing her stint in India.

“I participated in the India’s pro league and I regard Indians as companions,” she said. “So I have no traumatic thoughts when it comes to facing Indians. They really supported me very warmly.”

She made her return to the international stage at the Asian Championships in Bishkek in April, where she stormed to her third career title without conceding a point, then repeated the process at the recent Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

"After the Asian Games, all I could think of was to definitely become a five-time world champion,” Susaki said. “To be able to achieve this goal, I’m really happy.”

In Wednesday’s final, Susaki was relentless against Neelam, whom she had beaten 11-0 in the quarterfinals in Bishkek. After scoring a stepout, Susaki gained a single-leg takedown, secured an arm bar and levered Neelam over before securing the fall in 2:15.

“I think I’ve really grown in my ability to capitalize on a single opportunity, so it’s great that I was able to turn that one chance into a solid result,” Susaki said.

Susaki leaves no doubt of her ultimate goal and her determination to accomplish it.

“My goal is to regain the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics and I’ll do everything I need to do every step of the way,” she said.

In the 76kg final, Alpyeyeva preempted what would certainly have been national celebrations in India when she scored a takedown and exposure in the final 20 seconds, then held on for an 8-6 victory over Kajal.

Kajal, who along with Neelam were just the second and third Indian women to ever make a senior world final, twice held the lead on criteria before giving up points to Alpyeyeva, whose gold was her first medal in five trips to the senior worlds.

Trailing 2-2 on criteria in the second period, Alpyeyeva scored a double-leg takedown, only for Kajal to respond by tripping the Ukrainian for a takedown. But Alpyeyeva came back with another double-leg takedown, to which she added a 2-point exposure.

The four point lead became vital when Kajal came back with a takedown with :06 left, but ran out of time trying for a turn that would have given her the win.

“I was trying to hold the lead and even if she attacked, I would have countered it,” Kajal said. “But she did wrestle well in the last 30 seconds. If I had given only the takedown I would cover it, but gave exposure as well.”

Kajal represents an up-and-coming generation of Indian women who in recent years have made their mark on the age-group level. Kajal, herself was the 2025 world U20 champion at 72kg, said you can expect to see her again.

“Before coming here, I was a little worried about wrestling at the senior World Championships, but it’s not that difficult,” Kajal said. “I can beat them all. They aren't some superhumans.”

The only Indian who had previously advanced to a world final was ANSHU (IND), who ended up with the silver medal at 57kg in 2021.

Hong Continues Golden Run

At 57kg, Hong continued a golden run that followed her Bronze Age, putting on a takedown clinic to defeat unheralded Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) 10-0. Hong scored five takedowns with the exact same move a low sweeping single to the right -- four in the first period and the last one just 31 seconds into the second.

“I feel that I performed very well in this competition,” Hong said. “I was decisive in executing my moves throughout every match.”

Over a 13-month span, the 23-year-old Hong had to settle for consecutive bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2025 Asian and World Championships. Since then, she has struck nothing but gold.

First came a title at the Asian Championships in April, followed by a victory at the Budapest Ranking Series in July. Then earlier this month, she won the gold at the Asian Games with a victory in the final over Il Sam SON (PRK), who had handed Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) her first-ever international loss in the semifinals.

“Looking back, I think my mindset has shifted significantly since the Asian Championships earlier this year,” Hong said. “I’ve learned to accept whatever might happen, whether I win or lose, and focus instead on how I perform on the mat.” 

Like Son in Nagoya, Nagamoto might have done Hong a favor in Astana by knocking off defending champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) in the semifinals.

Ironically, Nagamoto was on Japan’s team to Astana only because Fujinami, the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who has moved up to 57kg, opted to only compete at the Asian Games.

“I didn’t consider my opponent weak at all,” Hong said. “I prepared for the match as if I were facing a very formidable adversary.

“During my warm-up, I focused on specific technical aspects of this Japanese athlete, but my coach also reminded me to stick to my own game plan and give everything I had."

At 65kg, Kasabieva defeated former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA), 6-3, regaining the lead she had just lost in the final minute, then adding some insurance points to seal the deal and her second career world medal.

In the first period, Kasabieva just failed to beat the activity clock when she scored a takedown to take a 2-1 lead into the break. In the second period, Ringaci used a bit of creativity to go ahead. Shooting for a takedown, Ringaci grabbed the Russian’s wrist and a leg from the inside and twisted her over for 2 with her back to Kasabieva’s chest.

Kasabieva, however, was not to be denied. Finding an opening with :43 left, she got in deep on a double-leg takedown, lifted Ringaci into the air and deposited her to the mat for 2 as they went over the edge. When Ringaci attempted a late duck under, Kasabieva shut it down and pressed Ringaci backwards for her final two points.

Kasabieva’s victory avenged a loss in their only previous meeting, which was also in a world final. Ringaci beat the Russian 10-3 for the world U23 gold in 2024.

Maroulis Wins Ninth Career World Medal

Like a number of dethroned champions before her in Astana, Maroulis bounced back from defeat to take a bronze medal, grinding out a 5-2 win over Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) at 57kg.

Maroulis combined a takedown with three stepouts to come away with her ninth career world medal. Those were won over a 14-year span and include four golds, along with three Olympic medals (including a 2016 gold) squeezed in.

“It’s always good to get a medal, nothing is guaranteed,” the 35-year-old Maroulis said. “But it is bittersweet. One takedown mistake in the quarterfinals [against Nagamoto] cost me that match.”

Taking the other 57kg bronze was Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), who survived a barn-burner with Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) to notch a dramatic 12-11 win and claim her fourth career world bronze.

Kurachkina stormed out to a 6-0 lead in the first period, but Batkhuyag gradually chipped away at it in the second. A 4-point front headlock back roll by Kurachkina looked to seal the deal, but the Mongolian came back with a 4-pointer of her own.

In the final seconds with Kurachkina leading 11-10, Batkhuyag launched a throw attempt at the edge. The Mongolian was awarded a stepout that tied the score at 11-11 but left her behind on criteria. An unsuccessful challenge to have it changed to a 2-point move gave Kurachkina her final point.

At 50kg, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) needed just 37 seconds to add a second world bronze medal to her bulging collection of major bronzes when she stormed to a 10-0 victory over Oksana LIVACH (UKR).

Feng scored a takedown and reeled off four consecutive gut wrenches to deny Livach’s bid to add to a previous world bronze won in 2018.

This year, Feng picked up bronzes at both the Asian Championships and Asian Games, adding to Asian and world bronzes from 2023. For the record, she took a silver at the 2024 Asian Championships.

In the other 50kg match, Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), the other Asian Games bronze medalist, earned her first world medal with a 6-1 win over 2025 European bronze medalist Natallia VARAKINA (BLR).

Bayanova scored a first-period takedown then, after gifting Varakina a penalty point for a hair pull to open the second, notched a pair of takedowns to secure the win, much to the appreciation of the home crowd.

At 65kg, former Asian champion Yongxin FENG (CHN) became a first-time world medalist, cruising to an 11-0 victory over Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR). Feng jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period, then finished off the victory in the second with a 2-point counter lift, then reeled off a pair of gut wrenches to win in 4:01.

The other 65kg bronze went to Nana IKEHATA (JPN), who powered her way to a 9-0 win over Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) and her first senior world medal. Ikehata, the 2024 world U20 champ, came into Astana as this year’s Asian silver medalist and winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series.

At 76kg, Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) ended a string of come-from-behind victories by three-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), stuffing a late takedown attempt for a 2-point exposure to clinch a 4-1 victory and her second career world medal.

Dymond GUILFORD (USA), the 2022 world U23 silver medalist, claimed her first senior world medal by scoring a 4-point takedown in the first period en route to a 7-2 win over Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR).

Day 5 Results

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (20 entries)
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. NEELAM (IND) by Fall, 2:15 (5-0)

BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Natallia VARAKINA (BLR), 6-1
BRONZE: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) by TS, 10-0, :37

53kg (21 entries)
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) by TS, 10-0, 2:13
SF 2: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Jin ZHANG (CHN), 6-0

57kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) by TS, 10-0, 3:31

BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL), 12-10
BRONZE: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ), 5-2

62kg (20 entries)
SF 1: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), 2-1
SF 2: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 5-2

65kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) 6-3

BRONZE: Yongxin FENG (CHN) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) by TS, 11-0, 4:01
BRONZE: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), 9-0

68kg (21 entries)
SF 1: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL), 5-1
SF 2: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), 7-2

72kg (15 entries)
SF 1: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Precious BELL (USA) by Fall, 5:39 (11-0)
SF 2: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 4-2

76kg (20 entries)
GOLD: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. KAJAL (IND), 8-6

BRONZE: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 4-1
BRONZE: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 7-2