TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Takuto Otoguro outlasted Azerbaijan's Haji Aliyev in a thrilling men's 65-kilogram freestyle wrestling final Saturday at the Tokyo Olympics, holding on for a 5-4 victory as the bout went down to the wire.

       Breaking a 2-2 tie with a takedown late in the final period, the 22-year-old Otoguro withstood a furious last-ditch victory bid from Aliyev, a three-time world champion who took 57-kg bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

       With the win at Makuhari Messe Hall east of Tokyo, Yamanashi Prefecture native Otoguro earned the Olympic hosts their fourth wrestling gold medal, following sisters Yukako and Risako Kawai in the women's 62-kg and 57-kg divisions, respectively, and Mayu Mukaida at 53 kg.

       "The pressure was enormous. After the Olympics began, other athletes started winning gold. During the games, we didn't win any medals in (men's) freestyle and it was my turn," Otoguro said.

       "It was a tough tournament but everybody around me was united, helping me to win. I'm very happy."

       The 2018 world champion and two-time defending Asian champion, Otoguro is the first Japanese man to win an Olympic freestyle title since Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu achieved the feat at 66 kg in London in 2012.

       Otoguro's older brother Keisuke competed at the Tokyo Games in the men's 74-kg freestyle, but his loss to Kazakhstan's Daniyar Kaisanov on Thursday ended their hopes of becoming Japan's latest gold-medal winning siblings.

       "My brother lost (the other day) and both of us winning gold didn't come true. So I gave it my all to win this for my brother as well," a tearful Otoguro said.

       Otoguro was first on the board in the final, catching his opponent's leg and executing a two-point takedown barely a minute into the bout. But Aliyev responded in kind at the end of the period for a 2-2 deadlock at the interval.

       With less than a minute remaining, Otoguro looked to lock up Aliyev on the mat but could not establish control, leading German referee Jeffrey Spiegel to separate the pair.

       Restarting with 31 seconds on the clock, Otoguro went on the attack and took Aliyev to the mat for a 4-2 lead with 14 seconds remaining. Otoguro picked up two cautions in the tense final moments but fended off Aliyev at the death.

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