Saori Yoshida
Saori Yoshida (吉田 沙保里, Yoshida Saori, born 5 October 1982) is a Japanese former freestyle wrestler. Starting in 1998, she won almost every major competition,[4] including three Olympic Games, four Asian Games, and 13 world championships, and became the most decorated athlete in freestyle wrestling history.[5] As of 2016, Yoshida had only three senior career losses in international competitions, to Marcie Van Dusen (0–2) on 20 January 2008 at the Team World Cup series, Valeria Zholobova (1–2) on 27 May 2012 at the World Cup, and to Helen Maroulis (1–4) on 18 August 2016 at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.[6]
Yoshida was the flagbearer for Japan at the 2006 Asian Games[1] and at the 2012 Olympics.[7] In 2007, she became the first female wrestler to be named Japanese Athlete of the Year, and in 2012 she received the People's Honour Award.[1]
Weight
[edit]Yoshida started competing internationally as a cadet, in 1998, in the 52 kg category. By 2002, when she moved to seniors, she competed in the 59 kg division. The same year, she lost 4 kg, and remained in the 55 kg category until 2014. She moved to the 53 kg class at the 2014 World Cup and World Championships as part of her preparation for the 2016 Olympics,[8] where the traditional 48–55–63–75 kg scheme would be changed to 48–53–58–63–69–75 kg.[9] However, two weeks after the World Championships she returned to the 55 kg category at the 2014 Asian Games, which kept the old weight divisions.[4] Yoshida announced her retirement on Twitter in January 2019.[10]
Family and public life
[edit]Yoshida is the daughter of Eikatsu Yoshida, a former national champion and wrestling coach.[11][1] She started training in wrestling aged 3, following her father and two elder brothers.[12] Since 2011, she has been a face of the ALSOK security group and regularly appears in their commercials.[13]
In December 2008, the wrestling singlet which Yoshida wore in the Olympic final bout earlier that year, was sold for 551,000 yen (ca. US$6,123) at an internet auction, and the money donated to the Japanese Red Cross society.[3]
In 2013, when the International Olympic Committee named wrestling as a candidate for exclusion from the Games, she became an active part of the Japanese lobbying team that persuaded the IOC to retain wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[5]
In May 2014, Yoshida made a cameo appearance in the Japanese television drama Tokyo Metropolitan Guard Center, and later wished to resume acting after retiring from wrestling.[1]
Olympic Games/World Championship/Asian Games matches
[edit]Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 Olympic silver medalist at 53kg | |||||||
Loss | 89-1 | ![]() |
1-4 | August 18, 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | ![]() | |
Win | 89-0 | ![]() |
6-0 | ||||
Win | 88-0 | ![]() |
4-0 | ||||
Win | 87-0 | ![]() |
9-0 | ||||
2015 World champion at 53kg | |||||||
Win | 86-0 | ![]() |
2-1 | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 85-0 | ![]() |
5-2 | ||||
Win | 84-0 | ![]() |
11-0 | ||||
Win | 83-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 82-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
2014 Asian Games champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 81-0 | ![]() |
12-1 | September 28, 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | ![]() | |
Win | 80-0 | ![]() |
14-4 | ||||
Win | 79-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 78-0 | ![]() |
12-9 | ||||
2014 World champion at 53kg | |||||||
Win | 77-0 | ![]() |
6-0 | September 10, 2014 | 2014 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 76-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 75-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 74-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
2013 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 73-0 | ![]() |
5-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 72-0 | ![]() |
8-0 | ||||
Win | 71-0 | ![]() |
8-0 | ||||
Win | 70-0 | ![]() |
7-0 | ||||
Win | 69-0 | ![]() |
8-0 | ||||
2012 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 68-0 | ![]() |
Fall | September 28, 2012 | 2012 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 67-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 66-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 65-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
2012 Olympic champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 64-0 | ![]() |
3-0, 2-0 | 9 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | ![]() | |
Win | 63-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 2-0 | ||||
Win | 62-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 2-0 | ||||
Win | 61-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 1-0 | ||||
2011 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 60-0 | ![]() |
0-1, 2-2, 3-2 | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 59-0 | ![]() |
6-0, 6-0 | ||||
Win | 58-0 | ![]() |
5-0, 7-0 | ||||
Win | 57-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 56-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
2010 Asian Games champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 55-0 | ![]() |
5-0, 1-0 | November 26, 2010 | 2010 Asian Games | ![]() | |
Win | 54-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 53-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 7-0 | ||||
Win | 52-0 | ![]() |
4-0, 5-0 | ||||
2010 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 51-0 | ![]() |
2-0, 6-0 | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 50-0 | ![]() |
5-0, 3-0 | ||||
Win | 49-0 | ![]() |
3-0, 7-0 | ||||
Win | 48-0 | ![]() |
6-0, 6-0 | ||||
Win | 47-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
2009 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 46-0 | ![]() |
3-0, 6-0 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 45-0 | ![]() |
3-0, 3-2 | ||||
Win | 44-0 | ![]() |
Fall | ||||
Win | 43-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 2-1 | ||||
Win | 42-0 | ![]() |
8-0, 7-0 | ||||
2008 Olympic champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 41-0 | ![]() |
Fall | August 16, 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | ![]() | |
Win | 40-0 | ![]() |
2-0, 6-0 | ||||
Win | 39-0 | ![]() |
2-1, 4-0 | ||||
Win | 38-0 | ![]() |
3-1, 4-0 | ||||
2007 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 37-0 | ![]() |
8-0 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 36-0 | ![]() |
7-0 | ||||
Win | 35-0 | ![]() |
7-4 | ||||
Win | 34-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 33-0 | ![]() |
9-0 | ||||
2006 Asian Games champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 32-0 | ![]() |
3-0, 6-0 | December 11, 2006 | 2006 Asian Games | ![]() | |
Win | 31-0 | ![]() |
6-1, 2-0 | ||||
Win | 30-0 | ![]() |
1-0, 5-0 | ||||
2006 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 29-0 | ![]() |
13-0 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 28-0 | ![]() |
10-3 | ||||
Win | 27-0 | ![]() |
3-1 | ||||
Win | 26-0 | ![]() |
8-0 | ||||
Win | 25-0 | ![]() |
6-3 | ||||
2005 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 24-0 | ![]() |
6-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 23-0 | ![]() |
4-0 | ||||
Win | 22-0 | ![]() |
6-0 | ||||
Win | 21-0 | ![]() |
4-0 | ||||
Win | 20-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
2004 Olympic champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 19-0 | ![]() |
5-0 | August 23, 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | ![]() | |
Win | 18-0 | ![]() |
7-6 | ||||
Win | 17-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | August 22, 2004 | |||
Win | 16-0 | ![]() |
11-0 | ||||
2003 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 15-0 | ![]() |
5-2 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 14-0 | ![]() |
3-2 | ||||
Win | 13-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 12-0 | ![]() |
4-0 | ||||
Win | 11-0 | ![]() |
3-0 | ||||
Win | 10-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
2002 World champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 9-0 | ![]() |
10-4 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | ![]() | |
Win | 8-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 7-0 | ![]() |
11-0 | ||||
Win | 6-0 | ![]() |
10-1 | ||||
Win | 5-0 | ![]() |
3-0 | ||||
2002 Asian Games champion at 55kg | |||||||
Win | 4-0 | ![]() |
11-1 | October 6, 2002 | 2002 Asian Games | ![]() | |
Win | 3-0 | ![]() |
10-0 | ||||
Win | 2-0 | ![]() |
7-0 | ||||
Win | 1-0 | ![]() |
10-0 |
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- Tokyo Sports
- Wrestling Special Award (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)[14][15]
See also
[edit]- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
- List of multiple Olympic medalists in one event
- List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "YOSHIDA Saori". incheon2014ag.org. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014.
- ^ "Saori Yoshida". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "To Our Friends in Wrestling Around the world". japan-wrestling.org. 2008.
- ^ a b Yoshida, Saori (JPN). iat.uni-leipzig.de
- ^ a b Iwamoto, Shintaro (September 20, 2013) WRESTLING/ Yoshida captures 11th straight world championship Archived September 29, 2014, at archive.today. ajw.asahi.com.
- ^ Odeven, Ed (May 31, 2012). "Yoshida returns focus to Olympic three-peat after rare defeat". The Japan Times. p. 20. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012.
- ^ "OLYMPICS WRESTLING: 2-time gold medalist Yoshida eager to break 'flag-bearer jinx'". The Asahi Shimbun. August 4, 2012. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ^ Yoshida, Icho extend dominance. japantimes.co.jp. September 12, 2014
- ^ Qualification System – Games of the XXXI Olympiad – Rio 2016. FILA
- ^ Diamond, James (January 9, 2019). "Thirteen-time UWW world champion and triple Olympic gold medallist Yoshida retires". inside the games.
- ^ Japan Blanks Russia for Women's World Cup Crown. aipsmedia.com
- ^ Athletes > Saori Yoshida > Bio. 2008.nbcolympics.com
- ^ ALSOK Commercial Song. G!VOICE, Vol. 52, September 2012.
- ^ "東京スポーツ プロレス大賞:選考経過(2000~2009)". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- ^ "東京スポーツ プロレス大賞(2010~)". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved December 16, 2017.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Athlete Biography at beijing2008
- Japanese female sport wrestlers
- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Tsu, Mie
- Olympic wrestlers for Japan
- Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Wrestlers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Wrestlers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Wrestlers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for Japan
- Olympic silver medalists for Japan
- Olympic medalists in wrestling
- Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Asian Games medalists in wrestling
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- Wrestlers at the 2010 Asian Games
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- World Wrestling Championships medalists
- Asian Games gold medalists for Japan
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- People's Honour Award winners
- Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games
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- Summer World University Games medalists in wrestling
- FISU World University Games gold medalists for Japan
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