India, Oct. 3 -- The last time Akari Fujinami had lost a wrestling match, tears had been shed.

"I can still picture myself after the match going to the toilet and crying by myself," she told United World Wrestling (UWW).

That defeat had come nine years ago, when a 13-year-old Fujinami lost in the final of the National Junior High School Championship in 2017. It proved to be a defeat that turned the tide for her.

From being a budding wrestler playing her sport "for fun", she became determined to perfect her craft and went on an astonishing nine-year winning spree.

That run ended on Saturday in the semi-final of the Asian Games at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre. Once again, there were tears. But not from Fujinami.

The Japanese wres...