Armwrestling Worlds 2026: Japan Win Five Golds on Senior Left-Hand Day in Tsuchiura
Hosts Japan won five of 14 senior left-hand golds at the IFA World Armwrestling Championships, while Malaysia's Ali NJ finished 17th at 105kg.
Home advantage showed at the IFA World Armwrestling Championships in Tsuchiura, Japan. On Saturday, 26 September, the senior left-hand competition was held, and Japanese athletes won five of the 14 senior gold medals on offer. Malaysia's Ali NJ got his campaign under way in the men's 105kg class.
Japan dominate on home soil
The International Federation of Armwrestling (IFA) published the results on its website. Japan's senior left-hand champions were:
- Men's 57kg: Hideaki Chiba, with Kodai Miyano making it a Japanese one-two
- Men's 70kg: Yuhei Shimamoto
- Women's 52kg: Yoko Yamada
- Women's 70kg: Minori Nakamatsu, with Yuka Kinouchi taking silver for another Japanese one-two
- Women's +78kg: Natsumi Soeda, again ahead of a Japanese silver medallist, Kaori Abe
Japan also won plenty of silver and bronze medals across the other classes.
Senior men's left-hand winners
- 63kg: Ali Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
- 78kg: Samuel Knowler (Canada)
- 86kg: Mason Droesse (Canada)
- 95kg: Iskren Zdravkov (Bulgaria)
- 105kg: Adrian Zgorzynski (Poland), ahead of Christos Papadopoulos (Greece) and Kazushige Sawada (Japan)
- +105kg: Matti Marjomaa (Finland), ahead of Japan's Yuichi Nakayama and New Zealand's Malachai Jansen
Senior women's left-hand winners
- 57kg: Erika Ketola (Finland)
- 63kg: Lierin Wilson (United States)
- 78kg: Bohdana Blyzniuk (Ukraine)
Canada and Finland both finished the senior left-hand day with two gold medals each. India's Aloka Doley won bronze in the women's 70kg, a medal of note for Asian fans.
Malaysia's Ali NJ
Ali NJ finished 17th in the senior men's left-hand 105kg class, which was won by Poland's Zgorzynski. He is also entered in the senior men's right-hand 105kg on Sunday, so he has another chance to improve on that result.
How the week has run
The championships run from 22 to 28 September, with the Japan Arm Wrestling Association as the official organising partner. According to the IFA programme:
- 24 September: Opening ceremony and left-hand junior and masters competition
- 25 September: Right-hand junior and masters competition
- 26 September: Left-hand senior and para (disabled) competition
- 27 September: Right-hand senior and para competition
The para competition includes standing and sitting categories, grouped by impairment type. The IFA says doping control is carried out throughout the event, and there is no limit on the number of athletes a nation can enter in each category.
Why armwrestling is catching on
Armwrestling has grown quickly in recent years, helped by viral pro matches online. The IFA Worlds offers a traditional, federation-run version of the sport with junior, masters, senior and para divisions, and its tiered structure gives developing nations like Malaysia a pathway to the world stage.
Key takeaways
- Japan won five of the 14 senior left-hand golds in Tsuchiura on 26 September.
- Canada and Finland won two senior left-hand golds each.
- Malaysia's Ali NJ finished 17th in the men's left-hand 105kg and competes in right-hand 105kg on 27 September.
- The senior and para right-hand finals close the championships on Sunday.
FAQ
Where are the 2026 World Armwrestling Championships held? They are being held in Tsuchiura, Japan, from 22 to 28 September, organised by the IFA with the Japan Arm Wrestling Association.
How did Malaysia do in the left-hand event? Ali NJ finished 17th in the senior men's left-hand 105kg class.
When are the right-hand senior finals? They take place on Sunday, 27 September.
Sources: International Federation of Armwrestling (IFA)