Japan's Icho ___capture famous___ wrestling gold ___win

LONDON _________ Kaori Icho's cold, tense stare never tainted as she wiped out adversary after helpless opponent. It was only when Icho sealed her third directly Olympic gold medal that she showed the world how relieved she was to have done it again. Cho won the women's 63-kilogram freestyle division Wednesday at the London Games, becoming the first Japanese woman to capture the same event in three straights Olympics. Cho beat Ruixue Jing of China 3-0, 2-0, extending her appealing streak to 72 matches.

When it was above, a beaming Icho pumped her fist to the large dependent of Japanese fans who chanted her name during the final. Her threatening gaze was gone, replaced by smiles, waves and the obligatory medal display to the crowd."I feel I have big liability in fighting at the Olympic Games," Icho said. "I burst into happiness just after I finished fighting. Thanks to the people who supported me, they helped me win."Hisami Obara made it a sweep for Japan, winning her first Olympic gold award in women's 48-kilogram freestyle wrestling by rallying to beat Mariya Stadnyk of Azerbaijan 0-4, 1-0, 2-0.

Canada's Carol Huynh of Canada and American Clarissa Chun won bronze, with Chun giving the U.S. its first wrestling medal of the London Games. As for Icho, she and Russian legend Alexander Karelin are  only wrestlers to win three straight golds in a specific weight class.She didn't look like the massive Karelin in her bright white shoes and a glow blue singlet featuring a glowing golden tiger. But after allowing Canadian Martine Dugrenier to score a point in the opener, Icho exerted her will on the ground.

Sweden's Henna Johansson came out to face Icho in the quarterfinals with a wide-eyed look on her countenance. It was as though Johansson was trying to convince herself it was just another match.It wasn't. The expressionless Icho thumped her 1-0, 4-0 to move on to the semifinals against Mongolia's Battsetseg Soronzonbold.Soronzonbold was imposing on Wednesday, even slamming an early adversary to the mat from her shoulders. But Icho had no trouble at all with her, winning 1-0, 4-0 as if it was a light teaching session.

She simply beat China's Jing Ruixue to total a hat-trick of gold’s after success in Beijing in 2008 and Athens in 2004, when women first compete in Olympic wrestling. Cho, wearing a bright red leotard emblazoned with a roaring tiger's head, waved to the hundreds of Japanese supporters in the packed wrestling arena. A seven-time world winner, Icho had been the clear favorite to retain her heading in the second heaviest Olympic weight class.

Wrestling events including Freestyle Wrestling competition from 5 August to 12 August 2012 London 2012. Olympic Wrestling Freestyle Tickets are available at Sport Ticket Exchange.