A spectacular four-point throw put Kenichiro Fumita into his second straight 60-kilogram Greco-Roman Olympic final on Monday, with the Japanese taking down a two-time world champion to get another chance at gold.
Facing Kyrgyzstan's Zholaman Sharshenbekov, Tokyo Games silver medalist Fumita went down a point in the first period, but set up the win early in the second when he arched his back and hurled his opponent over his shoulder, the throw bringing four points from the judge.
With his games life on the line at Champ-de-Mars Arena, Sharshenbekov went on the offensive and got the 28-year-old Fumita to the ground for two points, but ran out of time to do more damage as the bout finished 4-3 with the Japanese awarded the victory.
"I think the reason I was able to make the final again was because the wrestling gods were on my side, telling me to win the gold medal," Fumita said.
In the other semifinal, Cao Liguo from China got the win over Ri Se Ung of North Korea with a last-second throw.
The bout finished 3-3, but Cao was awarded the win as the last wrestler to score a technical point.
Fumita, the 2017 and 2019 world champion, will meet Cao on Tuesday.
"I'll do my best in the next match so that people will say that I am really strong," the Japanese said.
Earlier on Monday, Japan's Nonoka Ozaki was defeated 8-6 at the quarterfinal stage by Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan in the women's 68-kg division.
Ozaki is the world champion at 65 kg, a non-Olympic weight class, but stepped up to the 68-kg division for the Paris Games.
She will take on Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan of Mongolia in the repechage round on Tuesday in hopes of advancing to compete for bronze.
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