Yui Susaki Aims for Four Consecutive Olympic Victories in Women’s 50 kg Wrestling
The absolute queen of Japan, who completely won the Tokyo Olympics, declared a gold medal after training alone in the "holy land" of Dagestan!
In early May, about three months before the Paris Olympics, Yui Susaki, the representative for women’s 50 kg wrestling, traveled alone to the southern Russian Republic of Dagestan. The queen expected to win another gold medal following the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, in a place unfamiliar to most Japanese, especially going to Russia, causing concern from her company, Kitz. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old had no doubts.
“For me, Dagestan is a holy land of wrestling. Olympic champions have been born here, and it’s strong in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), with fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov (35), who retired undefeated from UFC. Before the Olympics, I wanted to visit such a powerhouse of combat sports,” she said.
She decided on the pilgrimage just before, booking her flight three days before departure and hurriedly obtaining a visa. Above all, despite the dangers and the thought of going to an unusual place.
“Of course, I was scared, but more than that, I wanted to learn how to confront wrestling, mental strength, and fighting methods. Even though we do the same wrestling, Japan focuses on individual training and sparring, while in Dagestan, overall practice is centered around each type of tackle. It was incredibly stimulating.”
Susaki, who arrived in the country and visited a wrestling school for two weeks, reflected with a carefree smile, saying, “I found the secret of strength.”
“Everyone welcomed me kindly, but daily life was infused with a sense of constant battle. Some wrestlers even practiced against bears. It felt like I was instilled with the essence of wrestling, or maybe a spirit of hunger. As someone inherently from a warrior nation (laughs), it was a wonderful country where fighting is just a part of life.”
