China's Wang Jiao (blue) fights with Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi during their women's 72kg freestyle semi-final wrestling match at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium in Beijing on August 17, 2008. [Agencies]

The 20-year-old Asian champion outpointed her more experienced Japanese opponent, pinning her in the second two-minute period of their semi-final bout to win automatically and delight the crowd.

Wang, who holds the junior world title, will meet raging favourite Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria, who had little trouble accounting for Poland's Agnieszka Wieszczek in the other semi-final.

World champion Kaori Icho of Japan will meet Russia's Alena Kartashova in the final of the women's 63-kg division.