Kotaro Kiyooka

Kotaro Kiyooka
Kiyooka at Paris 2024 Summer Olympians and Paralympians Japan National Team parade event on November 30, 2024
Personal information
Native name清岡幸大郎
Born12 April 2001 (2001-04-12) (age 24)
Kōchi Prefecture, Japan
Height166 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Sport
Country Japan
SportWrestling
Weight class65 kg
EventFreestyle
ClubNippon Sport Science University
Coached byKenichi Yumoto
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals (2024)
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing Japan
Olympic Games
2024 Paris 65 kg
Grand Prix
2023 Sofia 65 kg
2024 Budapest 65 kg
Japan National Championships
2023 Tokyo 65 kg
2021 Tokyo 61 kg
2019 Tokyo 57 kg
2022 Tokyo 65 kg

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]

Early life

Kiyooka 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

2018–2020

While 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

In 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

Competing 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

At 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

References

  1. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 2024-06-29. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  2. ^ a b "Takuto Otoguro lost the 65kg semifinal 6-6 at the All-Japan". uww.org. 2023-12-23. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  3. ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka wins men's 65-kg freestyle wrestling gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ Taylor, Alan (2024-08-10). "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka Celebrates a Win". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  18. ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Olympics: Japan's Sakura Motoki wins women's wrestling 62-kg gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  19. ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Japan's Kotaro Kiyooka wins men's 65-kg freestyle wrestling gold". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  20. ^ "Bundesliga-Kader 2024-25". KSC GERMANIA VIKINGS HÖSBACH (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  21. ^ "Hösbachs neuverpflichteter Japaner Kiyooka schraubt sich bei Olympia zu Gold". www.main-echo.de (in German). 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
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