Icho packs off Jing for golden hat-trick
Source: Agencies |
August 10, 2012, Friday
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KAORI Icho became the first woman to win three Olympic wrestling titles on Wednesday while her teammate Hitomi Obara also claimed gold as Japan cemented its dominance of the women's sport within 30 triumphant minutes at the London Games.
The packed arena turned into a roaring sea of red and white Japanese flags after seven-time world champion Icho swept aside China's Jing Ruixue in the final of the second heaviest 63-kilogram class in freestyle wrestling.
Her weeping compatriot Obara held her head in her hands and fell to her knees after coming from behind to beat Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnyk in Wednesday's other final, the 48kg division.
Japan has ruled the mat since women first began competing in Olympic wrestling in Athens in 2004, winning six out of a possible 10 golds.
It was expected to add at least one more gold on the second and final day of the women's competition yesterday when two-time gold medal winner Saori Yoshida defends her 55kg title.
After a flawless display, Icho, 28, said it was too soon to say if she would go for a fourth gold in Brazil in 2016.
"The last three Olympics have just run past so fast, probably the fourth will arrive fast too," she said. "But I have no idea at this moment."
Icho stayed remarkably composed despite becoming one of Japan's greatest Olympians. Asked repeatedly how it felt to win the hat-trick, she calmly replied: "I am very happy."
She never looked like losing. Her opponent injured her eye in an earlier bout and scraped through her semifinal.
The packed arena turned into a roaring sea of red and white Japanese flags after seven-time world champion Icho swept aside China's Jing Ruixue in the final of the second heaviest 63-kilogram class in freestyle wrestling.
Her weeping compatriot Obara held her head in her hands and fell to her knees after coming from behind to beat Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnyk in Wednesday's other final, the 48kg division.
Japan has ruled the mat since women first began competing in Olympic wrestling in Athens in 2004, winning six out of a possible 10 golds.
It was expected to add at least one more gold on the second and final day of the women's competition yesterday when two-time gold medal winner Saori Yoshida defends her 55kg title.
After a flawless display, Icho, 28, said it was too soon to say if she would go for a fourth gold in Brazil in 2016.
"The last three Olympics have just run past so fast, probably the fourth will arrive fast too," she said. "But I have no idea at this moment."
Icho stayed remarkably composed despite becoming one of Japan's greatest Olympians. Asked repeatedly how it felt to win the hat-trick, she calmly replied: "I am very happy."
She never looked like losing. Her opponent injured her eye in an earlier bout and scraped through her semifinal.
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