Kotaro Kiyooka (清岡幸大郎, Kiyooka Kotaro, born 12 April 2001) is a Japanese freestyle wrestler who competes in the 65 kilogram class.[1] He represented Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he became the reigning Olympic champion.[2] He qualified by reaching the finals at the 2024 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament and by winning the Olympic National trials, where he defeated World and Olympic champion Takuto Otoguro.[3]
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| Native name | 清岡幸大郎 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 April 2001 (age 23) Kōchi Prefecture, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 166 cm (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight class | 65 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Freestyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Nippon Sport Science University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Kenichi Yumoto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic finals |  (2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early life
editKiyooka was born in Kōchi Prefecture, where he started wrestling at an early age. He attended Kochi Minami High School.[4] During his teenage years, he won medals at multiple Japan National tournaments in different age-groups. [5]
Career
edit2018–2020
editWhile still a high school student, Kiyooka placed fifth at the Emperor's Cup in 2018, and third in 2019 in the 57 kilogram class.[6] After graduating, he started attending the Nippon Sport Science University in 2020 and reached fifth place at the Emperor's Cup that year in the 61 kilogram class.[7]
2021–2022
editIn 2021, Kiyooka reached second place at the Meiji Cup and fifth at the Emperor's Cup. [8][9] In 2022, he moved up to the 65 kilogram class, reaching third place at the Meiji Cup and the Emperor's Cup.[10][11]
2023
editCompeting outside Japan for the first time in his career, Kiyooka won the championship at the Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov Tournament, defeating returning champion Islam Dudaev, Olympian Agustín Destribats and U23 World finalist Mikyay Naim.[12]
He then qualified for the U23 World Championships by winning the trials, before a seventh-place finish at the Meiji Cup.[13] At the U23 World Championships, Kiyooka reached ninth place. [14]
At the Emperor's Cup, Kiyooka stunned World and returning Olympic champion Takuto Otoguro to reach the finals before claiming the championship, qualifying for the 2024 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament.[2]
2024
editAt the qualifier, he defeated U23 European finalist Abdulmazhid Kudiev, Olympian Yun Jun-sik and Yuan Shaohua to reach the Olympic quota. He thus represented Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics. [15]
In June, Kiyooka entered the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament, where after a first-round loss to three-time World champion Haji Aliyev, he rebounded with victories over reigning World champion Ismail Musukaev, NCAA finalist and fellow Olympian Austin Gomez, and Abbas Ebrahimzade, winning gold.[16]
In August, Kiyooka made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[17] On the first day, he opened up with a technical fall over Maxim Saculțan from Moldova, followed by hard-fought victories over returning World finalist Sebastian Rivera from Puerto Rico and Asian Games champion Tömör-Ochiryn Tulga from Mongolia, cruising to the finals and securing a medal.[18] In the gold-medal bout, he defeated World champion Rahman Amouzad from Iran, becoming the Olympic champion at the age of 23.[19]
Throughout October and November, Kiyooka competed in the Bundesliga, in Germany, for club KSC Hösbach.[20] He recorded a 4–1 record for them, shifting between the 66, 71 and 75 kilogram weight classes.[21]
Freestyle record
edit
References
edit- ^ "清岡幸大郎 | JWF Wrestlers Database : 日本レスリング協会 選手＆大会データベース". db.japan-wrestling.jp. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ a b "Takuto Otoguro lost the 65kg semifinal 6-6 at the All-Japan". uww.org. 2023-12-23. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka wins men's 65-kg freestyle wrestling gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::【全国少年少女選手権】AACCが９階級で優勝、森川海舟が７連覇 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::櫻井つぐみ（高知・野市３）が３連覇、佐藤匡記（東京・稲付３）が沼尻杯を受賞…沼尻直杯全国中学生選手権最終日 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::2019年天皇杯全日本選手権 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::【2020年全日本大学選手権・特集】全試合5点以上の得点能力、大学王者に続いての日本一に輝く…男子フリースタイル61㎏級・小川航大（日体大） |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::2021年明治杯全日本選抜選手権・世界選手権代表選考プレーオフ 成績 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "2021年天皇杯全日本選手権". Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::2022年明治杯全日本選抜選手権 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::大学1年生の小野正之助（佐賀・山梨学院大）と吉田アラシ（千葉・日大）が優勝…2022年栃木国体・第2日（成年男子フリースタイル） |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::Japan Wrestling Federation News ― March 2023 (Kolov-Petrov Tournament/Asian Championships team/Susaki/Dosho/Sasahara) |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::2023年U23世界選手権・日本代表選考会 |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::青柳善の輔（山梨学院大）が決勝進出、2選手が敗者復活戦…2023年U23世界選手権・第2日（2） |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::Japan Wrestling Federation News ― April 2024 (Asian Olympic Qualifier/Asian Championships) |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "Japan Wrestling Federation – 日本レスリング協会公式サイト – JWF :::Japan Wrestling Federation News ― June 2024 (Budapest Ranking Series/Asian U17) |". www.japan-wrestling.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ Taylor, Alan (2024-08-10). "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka Celebrates a Win". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Olympics: Japan's Sakura Motoki wins women's wrestling 62-kg gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka wins men's 65-kg freestyle wrestling gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
- ^ "Bundesliga-Kader 2024-25". KSC GERMANIA VIKINGS HÖSBACH (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ "Hösbachs neuverpflichteter Japaner Kiyooka schraubt sich bei Olympia zu Gold". www.main-echo.de (in German). 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
External links
edit- Kōtarō Kiyooka at the International Wrestling Database
