Japanese freestyle wrestler
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
Senior Freestyle Matches
Res.
Record
Opponent
Score
Date
Event
Location
Win
41–15
Ibrahim Guzan
TF 15–0
November 16, 2024
2024 KSC Hösbach – ASV Mainz 88 (66 kg)
Germany
Win
40–15
Vasile Diacon
9–2
November 9, 2024
2024 KSC Hösbach – SC Kleinostheim (75 kg)
Win
39–15
Saba Bolaghi
Fall
November 2, 2024
2024 KSC Hösbach – SC Kleinostheim (66 kg)
Win
38–15
Alexander Semisorow
TF 18–2
October 19, 2024
2024 ASV Mainz 88 – KSC Hösbach (71 kg)
Loss
37–15
Nachyn Kuular
8–8
October 12, 2024
2024 SC Kleinostheim – KSC Hösbach (71 kg)
2024 Summer Olympics at 65 kg
Win
37–14
Rahman Amouzad
10–3
August 11, 2024
2024 Summer Olympics
Paris, France
Win
36–14
Tömör-Ochiryn Tulga
5–1
August 10, 2024
Win
35–14
Sebastian Rivera
8–6
Win
34–14
Maxim Saculțan
TF 10–0
2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial at 65 kg
Win
33–14
Abbas Ebrahimzade
12–8
June 6, 2024
2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial
Budapest, Hungary
Win
32–14
Austin Gomez
12–6
Win
31–14
Ismail Musukaev
7–2
Loss
30–14
Haji Aliyev
2–5
2024 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament at 65 kg
Win
30–13
Yuan Shaohua
TF 11–0
April 19, 2024
2024 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Win
29–13
Yun Jun-sik
TF 10–0
Win
28–13
Abdulmazhid Kudiev
10–7
2023 Japan Nationals at 65 kg
Win
27–13
Masanosuke Ono
TF 11–0
December 21–24, 2023
2023 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Win
26–13
Takuto Otoguro
6 –6
Win
25–13
Kaiki Yamaguchi
2–1
Win
24–13
Yuto Miwa
11–3
Win
23–13
Toshihiro Hasegawa
TF 11–0
2023 U23 World Championships 9th at 65 kg
Loss
22–13
Omar Mourad
Fall
October 24, 2023
2023 U23 World Championships
Tirana, Albania
Win
22–12
Andranik Avetisyan
Fall
2023 Japan Nationals 7th at 65 kg
Loss
21–12
Kaiki Yamaguchi
1–2
June 15–18, 2023
2023 Japan National Championships – Meiji Cup
Tokyo, Japan
2023 JPN U23 World Team Trials at 65 kg
Win
21–11
Suwama Shotaro
3–0
April 22, 2023
2023 U23 World Championships Japan National Team Qualifier
Fujimi, Saitama
Win
20–11
Kanta Tokuriki
7–0
2023 Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov at 65 kg
Win
19–11
Islam Dudaev
7–6
March 3, 2023
2023 Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov Tournament
Sofia, Bulgaria
Win
18–11
Marwane Yezza
6–2
Win
17–11
Agustín Destribats
7–6
Win
16–11
Amir-Ali Asad
TF 11–0
Win
15–11
Mikyay Naim
TF 14–3
2022 Japan Nationals at 65 kg
Win
14–11
Yujiro Ueno
14–6
December 22–25, 2022
2022 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Loss
13–11
Ryoma Anraku
2–3
Win
13–10
Yuuma Tomiyama
9–2
2022 Japan Nationals at 65 kg
Win
12–10
Suwama Shotaro
TF 17–6
June 16–19, 2022
2022 Japan National Championships – Meiji Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Win
11–10
Aoyagi Yoshinosuke
4–2
Loss
10–10
Kaiki Yamaguchi
1–8
Win
10–9
Taiki Tsutsumi
3–0
2021 Japan Nationals 5th at 61 kg
Loss
9–9
Kodai Ogawa
4–4
December 16–19, 2021
2021 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Loss
9–8
Rei Higuchi
1–2
Win
9–7
Fukami Kotetsu
TF 10–0
2021 Japan Nationals at 61 kg
Loss
8–7
Toshihiro Hasegawa
1–6
May 27–30, 2021
2021 Japan National Championships – Meiji Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Win
8–6
Kodai Ogawa
7–4
Win
7–6
Wataru Tadano
TF 11–0
2020 Japan Nationals 5th at 61 kg
Loss
6–6
Toshihiro Hasegawa
TF 1–12
December 17–20, 2018
2020 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Loss
6–5
Kodai Ogawa
1–7
2019 Japan Nationals at 57 kg
Win
6–4
Taiki Arinobu
8–4
December 19–22, 2019
2019 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Loss
5–4
Yuki Takahashi
TF 1–11
Win
5–3
Iwasawa Kan
TF 12–1
Win
4–3
Daiki Araki
12–3
Win
3–3
Suwama Shotaro
4–1
2019 Japan Nationals 8th at 57 kg
Loss
2–3
Daiki Araki
3–4
June 13–16, 2019
2019 Japan National Championships – Meiji Cup
Tokyo, Japan
2018 Japan Nationals 5th at 57 kg
Loss
2–2
Daiki Araki
1–3
December 20–23, 2018
2018 Japan National Championships – Emperor's Cup
Tokyo, Japan
Loss
2–1
Yuki Takahashi
0–7
Win
2–0
Rikuto Arai
2 –2
Win
1–0
Taiki Arinobu
TF 12–2
References
External links
1904: 65.77 kg
1908: 66.5 kg
1920–1936: 67.5 kg
1948–1960: 67 kg
1964–1968: 70 kg
1972–1996: 68 kg
2000: 69 kg
2004–2012: 66 kg
2016–present: 65 kg