Japan’s five-time world champion Kaori Icho retained her Olympic women’s wrestling 63kg title, while up-and-coming Wang Jiao kept the 72kg title for China at the Beijing Games yesterday.
The 24-year-old Icho, whose older sister Chiharu grabbed her second straight 48kg silver medal on Saturday, beat European champion Alena Kartashova of Russia in the final by taking the two periods 1-0 each.
The 63kg bronze medals went to Kazakhstan’s Yelena Shalygina and Randi Miller of the US.
PHOTO: AP
Wang, 20, the world junior champion, pinned reigning world senior champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria for a fall in the 72kg final.
The heavyweight title was won by compatriot Wang Xu at the Athens Games four years ago when women’s wrestling made its Olympic debut.
The bronze medals went to Japan’s Kyoko Hamaguchi and Agnieszka Wieszczek of Poland.
Japan dominated the four categories with two golds, one silver and one bronze.
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