Japanese Women's Olympics Wrestling (2021)

Perhaps we shouldn't discuss wrestling in a travel and history forum, but it's impossible to watch these Tokyo Olympics without admiring the Japanese wrestlers. At this level, there are two wrestling types: freestyle and Greco-Roman. The women's side competes only in freestyle, and the Japanese women are the best in the world.

Think I'm exaggerating? The only freestyle wrestler--male or female--with four Olympic gold medals is Japan's Kaori ICHO. (Cuba's Mijaín López just won a fourth gold medal but in Greco-Roman, not freestyle.) The only reason ICHO isn't currently competing for a fifth gold medal is because Risako KAWAI beat her to claim Japan's 57 kg spot. Who's Risako-san? She's Japan's 27 year-old team captain. Yesterday, she beat a former USA Olympics gold medalist to reach the finals in Tokyo. She will likely win her second Olympics gold medal tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Risako-san's sister, Yukako KAWAI, has already earned Japan's first "Tokyo2021" wrestling gold after vanquishing 2019's world wrestling champion. (The Olympics occur every four years, but each year a world tournament is held.)

I call this photo, "The Fanboy & the Master Wrestler"

Speaking of world wrestling tournaments, 30 of them have taken place since 1987. The Japanese women have won 23 titles, including two streaks of six consecutive titles, with only Russia and China earning more than one. During that timeframe, in contrast to other countries, Japanese wrestlers have faced zero doping charges. Not only are the Japanese women clean wrestlers, they also wrestle clean--I've seen no eye gouges (cough, Russia, cough); no attempts to sprain fingers; and no attempts to deliberately cause injury (cough, USA's Mark Schultz, USA's Cary Kolat); and no unsportsmanlike behavior (cough, USA's Terry Brands). 

The only comparator to Japan's wrestling program might be John Wooden's UCLA basketball teams, and even they--without Coach Wooden's knowledge--had an illegal booster.

I also found a way to ease my financial stress, and I met Sam Gilbert at the same time... He never did anything [criminally] illegal; all he did was ignore the NCAA's economic restrictions about helping athletes... Sam steered clear of John Wooden, and Mr. Wooden gave him the same wide berth... once the money thing got worked out, I never gave another thought to leaving UCLA. -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giant Steps (1983), hardcover, pps. 155-56 

Coach Wooden's UCLA teams won ten NCAA championships in twelve years, including seven in a row. Sounds more impressive than winning 23 out of 30 world titles--until you consider all of Wooden's 29 years. Including any result above fourth place, Coach Wooden--perhaps the world's greatest amateur basketball coach--would gain a score of 13/29 against Japan's 23/30. Even if you can't do math, you know it's not close. The Japanese women are over 40% better than their closest comparator--and that's after giving Coach Wooden a favorable spread. 

What if we compare the Los Angeles Lakers' record from 1987 to the amateur Japanese wrestlers? The Lakers, including conference championships, would score 11/34, below John Wooden's record. Let's give the Lakers better odds by evaluating their most successful 31 years, from 1979 until 2009. Allowing the Lakers points for runner-up status, the Lakers would score 16/31 against Japan's 23/30. Again, not even close. Shifting coasts, the New York Yankees call themselves the world's most successful sports franchise, but you'd have to go back to 1921 to give them enough time to surpass the Japanese women; additionally, no one could call the Yankees, with their sign-stealing and doping, clean. To summarize, the Japanese women's wrestling program has to be the most successful sports program in the 20th and 21st centuries. Yet, you've probably never heard of Japanese women wrestlers or your first image involves outlandish costumes and high-flying rope jumps. Shame on you, shame on your journalists, and shame on your media. 

While you've been watching whatever godforsaken athlete you consider gifted, a small, dedicated group of Japanese women has been quietly redefining success. Now, on their home court, they finally have a chance to show the world their talent. Pay attention. You may never see such greatness again in your life.  

© Matthew Mehdi Rafat (2021)