# Saori Yoshida

Saori Yoshida (吉田 沙保里, Yoshida Saori, born 5 October 1982) is a Japanese former freestyle wrestler. Starting in 1998, she won almost every major competition, including three Olympic Games, four Asian Games, and 13 world championships, and became the most decorated athlete in freestyle wrestling history. As of 2016, Yoshida had only three senior career losses in international competitions, to Marcie Van Dusen (0–2) on 20 January 2008 at the Team World Cup series, Valeria Zholobova (1–2) on 27 May 2012 at the World Cup, and to Helen Maroulis (1–4) on 18 August 2016 at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Yoshida was the flagbearer for Japan at the 2006 Asian Games and at the 2012 Olympics. In 2007, she became the first female wrestler to be named Japanese Athlete of the Year, and in 2012 she received the People's Honour Award.

## Weight

Yoshida started competing internationally as a cadet, in 1998, in the 52 kg category. By 2002, when she moved to seniors, she competed in the 59 kg division. The same year, she lost 4 kg, and remained in the 55 kg category until 2014. She moved to the 53 kg class at the 2014 World Cup and World Championships as part of her preparation for the 2016 Olympics, where the traditional 48–55–63–75 kg scheme would be changed to 48–53–58–63–69–75 kg. However, two weeks after the World Championships she returned to the 55 kg category at the 2014 Asian Games, which kept the old weight divisions. Yoshida announced her retirement on Twitter in January 2019.

## Family and public life

Yoshida is the daughter of Eikatsu Yoshida, a former national champion and wrestling coach. She started training in wrestling aged 3, following her father and two elder brothers. Since 2011, she has been a face of the ALSOK security group and regularly appears in their commercials.
In December 2008, the wrestling singlet which Yoshida wore in the Olympic final bout earlier that year, was sold for 551,000 yen (ca. US$6,123) at an internet auction, and the money donated to the Japanese Red Cross society.
In 2013, when the International Olympic Committee named wrestling as a candidate for exclusion from the Games, she became an active part of the Japanese lobbying team that persuaded the IOC to retain wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In May 2014, Yoshida made a cameo appearance in the Japanese television drama Tokyo Metropolitan Guard Center, and later wished to resume acting after retiring from wrestling.

## Olympic Games/World Championship/Asian Games matches

| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2016 Olympic silver medalist at 53kg |||||||
| Loss | 89-1 | Helen Maroulis | 1-4 | August 18, 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro |
| Win | 89-0 | Betzabeth Argüello | 6-0 | August 18, 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro |
| Win | 88-0 | Isabelle Sambou | 4-0 | August 18, 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro |
| Win | 87-0 | Nataliya Synyshyn | 9-0 | August 18, 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro |
| 2015 World champion at 53kg |||||||
| Win | 86-0 | Sofia Mattsson | 2-1 | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | Las Vegas, NV |
| Win | 85-0 | Jong Myong-suk | 5-2 | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | Las Vegas, NV |
| Win | 84-0 | Anzhela Dorogan | 11-0 | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | Las Vegas, NV |
| Win | 83-0 | Nguyễn Thị Lụa | 10-0 | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | Las Vegas, NV |
| Win | 82-0 | Nadine Tokar | Fall | September 10, 2015 | 2015 World Championship | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2014 Asian Games champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 81-0 | Sündeviin Byambatseren | 12-1 | September 28, 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | Inchon |
| Win | 80-0 | Babita Kumari | 14-4 | September 28, 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | Inchon |
| Win | 79-0 | Phạm Thị Loan | Fall | September 28, 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | Inchon |
| Win | 78-0 | Zhong Xuechun | 12-9 | September 28, 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | Inchon |
| 2014 World champion at 53kg |||||||
| Win | 77-0 | Sofia Mattsson | 6-0 | September 10, 2014 | 2014 World Championship | Tashkent |
| Win | 76-0 | Jillian Gallays | Fall | September 10, 2014 | 2014 World Championship | Tashkent |
| Win | 75-0 | Natalia Malysheva | 10-0 | September 10, 2014 | 2014 World Championship | Tashkent |
| Win | 74-0 | Pang Qianyu | Fall | September 10, 2014 | 2014 World Championship | Tashkent |
| 2013 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 73-0 | Sofia Mattsson | 5-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 72-0 | Iryna Husyak | 8-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 71-0 | Sündeviin Byambatseren | 8-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 70-0 | Valeria Koblova | 7-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 69-0 | Ana Maria Pavăl | 8-0 | September 19, 2013 | 2013 World Championship | Budapest |
| 2012 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 68-0 | Helen Maroulis | Fall | September 28, 2012 | 2012 World Championship | Strathcona County, AL |
| Win | 67-0 | Nataliya Synyshyn | Fall | September 28, 2012 | 2012 World Championship | Strathcona County, AL |
| Win | 66-0 | Geeta Phogat | Fall | September 28, 2012 | 2012 World Championship | Strathcona County, AL |
| Win | 65-0 | Akziya Dautbayeva | Fall | September 28, 2012 | 2012 World Championship | Strathcona County, AL |
| 2012 Olympic champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 64-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 3-0, 2-0 | 9 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London |
| Win | 63-0 | Valeria Zholobova | 1-0, 2-0 | 9 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London |
| Win | 62-0 | Yuliya Ratkevich | 1-0, 2-0 | 9 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London |
| Win | 61-0 | Kelsey Campbell | 1-0, 1-0 | 9 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London |
| 2011 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 60-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 0-1, 2-2, 3-2 | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | Istanbul |
| Win | 59-0 | Ida-Theres Nerell | 6-0, 6-0 | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | Istanbul |
| Win | 58-0 | Alma Valencia | 5-0, 7-0 | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | Istanbul |
| Win | 57-0 | Helen Maroulis | Fall | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | Istanbul |
| Win | 56-0 | Emriye Musta | Fall | September 15, 2011 | 2011 World Championship | Istanbul |
| 2010 Asian Games champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 55-0 | Zhang Lan | 5-0, 1-0 | November 26, 2010 | 2010 Asian Games | Guangzhou |
| Win | 54-0 | Pak Yon-hui | Fall | November 26, 2010 | 2010 Asian Games | Guangzhou |
| Win | 53-0 | Liliya Shakirova | 1-0, 7-0 | November 26, 2010 | 2010 Asian Games | Guangzhou |
| Win | 52-0 | Batbaataryn Nomin-Erdene | 4-0, 5-0 | November 26, 2010 | 2010 Asian Games | Guangzhou |
| 2010 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 51-0 | Yuliya Ratkevich | 2-0, 6-0 | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| Win | 50-0 | Maria Gurova | 5-0, 3-0 | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| Win | 49-0 | Tatiana Suarez | 3-0, 7-0 | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| Win | 48-0 | Tamara Kazaryan | 6-0, 6-0 | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| Win | 47-0 | Um Ji-eun | Fall | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| 2009 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 46-0 | Sona Ahmadli | 3-0, 6-0 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | Herning |
| Win | 45-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 3-0, 3-2 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | Herning |
| Win | 44-0 | Ana Maria Pavăl | Fall | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | Herning |
| Win | 43-0 | Anna Gomis | 1-0, 2-1 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | Herning |
| Win | 42-0 | Maminirina Rafaliharisolo | 8-0, 7-0 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championship | Herning |
| 2008 Olympic champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 41-0 | Xu Li | Fall | August 16, 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing |
| Win | 40-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 2-0, 6-0 | August 16, 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing |
| Win | 39-0 | Natalia Golts | 2-1, 4-0 | August 16, 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing |
| Win | 38-0 | Ida-Theres Nerell | 3-1, 4-0 | August 16, 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing |
| 2007 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 37-0 | Ida-Theres Nerell | 8-0 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | Baku |
| Win | 36-0 | Alena Filipava | 7-0 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | Baku |
| Win | 35-0 | Jackeline Rentería Castillo | 7-4 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | Baku |
| Win | 34-0 | Joice Silva | 10-0 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | Baku |
| Win | 33-0 | Jessica Bechtel | 9-0 | September 21, 2007 | 2007 World Championship | Baku |
| 2006 Asian Games champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 32-0 | Olga Smirnova | 3-0, 6-0 | December 11, 2006 | 2006 Asian Games | Doha |
| Win | 31-0 | Su Lihui | 6-1, 2-0 | December 11, 2006 | 2006 Asian Games | Doha |
| Win | 30-0 | Alka Tomar | 1-0, 5-0 | December 11, 2006 | 2006 Asian Games | Doha |
| 2006 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 29-0 | Mariya Ivanova | 13-0 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | Guangzhou |
| Win | 28-0 | Ida-Theres Nerell | 10-3 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | Guangzhou |
| Win | 27-0 | Anna Gomis | 3-1 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | Guangzhou |
| Win | 26-0 | Natalya Golts | 8-0 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | Guangzhou |
| Win | 25-0 | Marcia Mendoza | 6-3 | September 29, 2006 | 2006 World Championship | Guangzhou |
| 2005 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 24-0 | Lihui Su | 6-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 23-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 4-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 22-0 | Ludmila Cristea | 6-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 21-0 | Ana Maria Paval | 4-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | Budapest |
| Win | 20-0 | Rathi Neha | 10-0 | September 28, 2005 | 2006 World Championship | Budapest |
| 2004 Olympic champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 19-0 | Tonya Verbeek | 5-0 | August 23, 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens |
| Win | 18-0 | Anna Gomis | 7-6 | August 23, 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens |
| Win | 17-0 | Diletta Giampiccolo | 10-0 | August 22, 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens |
| Win | 16-0 | Sun Dongmei | 11-0 | August 22, 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens |
| 2003 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 15-0 | Tina George | 5-2 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| Win | 14-0 | Natalya Golts | 3-2 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| Win | 13-0 | Jennifer Ryz | 10-0 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| Win | 12-0 | Monika Michalik | 4-0 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| Win | 11-0 | Kitti Godo | 3-0 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| Win | 10-0 | Olga Serbina | 10-0 | September 12, 2003 | 2003 World Championship | New York City, NY |
| 2002 World champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 9-0 | Tina George | 10-4 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | Chalkida |
| Win | 8-0 | Ida-Theres Nerell | 10-0 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | Chalkida |
| Win | 7-0 | Jennifer Ryz | 11-0 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | Chalkida |
| Win | 6-0 | Minerva Perez | 10-1 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | Chalkida |
| Win | 5-0 | Tatyana Lazareva | 3-0 | November 11, 2002 | 2002 World Championship | Chalkida |
| 2002 Asian Games champion at 55kg |||||||
| Win | 4-0 | Lee Na-lae | 11-1 | October 6, 2002 | 2002 Asian Games | Busan |
| Win | 3-0 | Alka Tomar | 10-0 | October 6, 2002 | 2002 Asian Games | Busan |
| Win | 2-0 | Naidangiin Otgonjargal | 7-0 | October 6, 2002 | 2002 Asian Games | Busan |
| Win | 1-0 | Sun Dongmei | 10-0 | October 6, 2002 | 2002 Asian Games | Busan |

## Championships and accomplishments

* Tokyo Sports
** Wrestling Special Award (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)