Photo/Illutration Takuto Otoguro, top, competes against Azerbaijan's Haji Aliyev during the men’s freestyle 65kg wrestling final match at the Tokyo Olympics in Chiba on Aug. 7. (AP Photo)

CHIBA--Takuto Otoguro edged Azerbaijan's triple world champion Haji Aliyev 5-4 in the freestyle lightweight gold medal bout with a throw in the dying seconds and another point from a failed challenge by Aliyev's corner.

Aliyev defended well in the second period but Otoguro pounced with speed for the throw. The Japanese comically lost two penalty points trying to run away from the Azerbaijani to run the clock down but held on for victory.

"He was playing games, trying to waste time, escaping a lot. He was pushing the limits of wrestling rules at all times," Aliyev said.

"I had an operation on my eye recently and my opponent knew about this. He attacked my eye deliberately and scratched it."

Russian Gadzhimurad Rashidov beat Hungary's Iszmail Muszukajev 5-0 for the first bronze while India's Bajrang Punia was in complete control to beat Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov 8-0 for the second.

"I wanted the gold medal. I had a knee injury a month back, so I'm slightly happy that I'm at least going home with a bronze medal," Punia said.

Yui Susaki won the women's freestyle flyweight gold medal in emphatic fashion when she beat Sun Yanan 10-0 with a series of turns in the first period, leaving her Chinese opponent in utter shock at the ease with which she won the bout.

Susaki was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony and the 22-year-old wiped away tears of joy while holding up Japan's flag after an unlikely victory by technical superiority.

Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnik and American Sarah Hildebrandt claimed the bronze medals.

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