Former world champion women's wrestler Seiko Yamamoto will retire from competition at the end of the month as she is busy preparing to marry Japanese national handball team player Hideaki Nagashima, wrestling coach Akira Suzuki said Friday.
Suzuki said Yamamoto made a request to bring an end to her career at the beginning of July, explaining she needed to give priority to preparing for her marriage.
The 25-year-old won the world championship title at 51 kg in 1999 before capturing the crown at 56 kg in 2000 and 2001.
Yamamoto won her fourth world title in 2003 at 59 kg but failed to secure a berth in the 55 kg weight class at the 2004 Athens Olympics when she lost a match to Saori Yoshida.
She also failed to secure a ticket to this fall's world championships in Guangzhou, China, at 59 kg after losing a playoff to reigning world champion Ayako Shoda.