Japan's wrestlers feeling the heat ahead of Beijing

AFP, July, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's fabulous four in women's wrestling have no illusions that their collection of 19 Olympic and world championship gold medals can be a tempting target for increasingly determined opponents.

Saori Yoshida, who defends her 55kg title at the Beijing Olympics, suffered her first defeat in 120 matches last January in a great shock to the quartet for whom wrestling is a family tradition.

"Foreigners had never come out attacking. But now they are beginning to make the first moves by themselves," said Yoshida, 25, who started wrestling at the age of three under her father, a former national amateur champion.

Team coach Kazuhito Sakae said: "Yoshida's defeat has changed the atmosphere of training. They work harder and study more seriously."...