While there was a fourth gold for Icho, there was a first for India in any sport at these Olympics with Sakshi Malik collecting bronze in the same event at the Carioca Arena 2, the wrestling venue.
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Her position among the top rung of Olympic athletes of all time is indisputable, however, after becoming the first woman to win four individual gold medals at four consecutive Games. I know that she is looking down from heaven on me.
“I can’t thank my family and friends enough as well as all of the people who supported me”.
The Japanese star, whose 13-year unbeaten run was ended in January, looked on the verge of defeat in the final with Russia’s Valeria Koblova leading 2-1 in the final seconds of the six minute contest.
But Icho’s frantic late attempt to pull the iron out of the fire paid off when she countered her opponent to win 3-1 on points, giving her a gold medal from each Olympics since women’s wrestling was added to the Games in 2004. She had a winning streak of 189 matches in worldwide competition that just ended this past January.
“My opponent came in for a tackle (at the end) so I thought that was my last chance to score”, she said.
RIO DE JANEIRO-Kaori Icho gave herself a failing grade after her match against Russia’s Valeriia Koblova Zholobova on August 17.
“I didn’t feel under any pressure to win four in a row, but I think this was the first Olympics where I felt fear competing. My mum isn’t here and there are a lot of other things, but I think I won this medal through desire”.
The 32-year-old now resides in the prestigious company of Olympic greats like Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps, who topped the podium in individual events at four successive Games. Tosaka, down to her final shot, got a hold of Stadnik’s leg with five seconds left for a two-point takedown and an improbable win.
Over the years, Icho has been a linchpin for Japan’s dominant women’s wrestling team.
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69 KILOGRAMS: Sara Dosho beat fourth-ranked Natalia Vorobeva of Russian Federation 2-2 on criteria to give Japan a sweep of the gold medals on the first day of the women’s wrestling tournament. “It’s big and it’s heavy”.
