The 2023 World Wrestling Championships are right around the corner, scheduled from September 16 to 24 in Belgrade, Serbia. One athlete who’s already creating quite a buzz is Yui Susaki, a Japanese freestyle wrestler. Let’s take a closer look at her remarkable journey.
Yui Susaki, hailing from Japan, made a name for herself by clinching the gold medal in the women’s 50 kg category at the 2020 Summer Olympics, an extraordinary achievement given that she didn’t concede a single point throughout the competition.
Susaki’s wrestling prowess is truly remarkable. Her undefeated streak in bouts dates back to 2010, with only three losses to Yuki Irie in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Her success can be attributed in part to her dedicated coach, Shoko Yoshimura, a five-time world champion, who has been guiding her since she was just 13 years old.
Yui Susaki makes a mark:
Known for her technical finesse, Susaki achieved gold at the Paris World Wrestling Championships in 2017 in the 48 kg category and continued her dominance by winning gold at the Budapest World Wrestling Championships in 2018 in the 50 kg category. She carried this winning streak into the 2022 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where she secured yet another gold medal.
Susaki’s journey includes victories at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin in 2017 and the Klippan Lady Open in Klippan, Sweden, in 2018, where she notably defeated Maria Stadnik. She also faced the number one seed for the 2021 Olympics, emerging victorious with a commanding 10-1 score, showcasing her unrivaled prowess in the 50 kg class.
Her achievements earned her the honor as the flagbearer for the Japanese delegation at the 2021 Summer Olympics, alongside basketball player Rui Hachimura.
It’s not just wrestling that Susaki excels in; she’s also pursuing her studies at Waseda University’s Sport Science faculty. With the 2023 World Wrestling Championships on the horizon, wrestling enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating another remarkable performance from Yui Susaki.