Klippan Ladies

Adar, Gray and Wiebe Set to Collide in Klippan

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 - 14:41 By Eric Olanowski

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KLIPPAN, Sweden (February 14) -- Wrestlers from 20 countries will head to Klippan, Sweden to compete in United World Wrestling’s first women’s wrestling ranking series event of the season, the Klippan Lady Open.

Three previous world champions and two Olympic medalists are set to collide this weekend at the Klippan Lady Open. Erica WIEBE (CAN), Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Adeline GRAY (USA) are among the elite wrestlers competing in the 76kg weight class.

Erica WIEBE (CAN), 2016 Olympic champion, returns to international competition after taking an extended period of time off. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), returning world champion looks to reign supreme over the 76kg weight category, but three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) is looking to reclaim the top spot that she held from 2014 until the Olympic Games when Wiebe took the crown.

Other wrestlers to pay attention to will be Olympic bronze medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), Aline FOCKEN (GER), a 2017 world finalist and Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) the U23 world champion.

At 50kg, Yui SUSAKI (JPN), 2017 world champion and returning Klippan champion will have three top contenders to fight off. Chasing Susaki will be Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the two-time world and Olympic silver medalist, U23 world champion, Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and Alina Emilia VUC (ROM), 2017 world silver medalist.

The 53kg weight class is littered with age-level talent chasing Olympian Nina HEMMER (GER).

The three youngsters who are looking to make their presence known on the senior-level are Nanami IRIE (JPN), junior world champion, Beatrice Andrea ANA (ROM), cadet world runner-up and Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), a U23 world bronze medalist.

Competing for the gold at 55kg will be a pair of Russian’s in Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), a 2018 Yarygin finalist and Nina MENKENOVA (RUS), the U23 world bronze medalist who is looking to win her first senior-level tournament since the 2016 Torneo Citta a Sassari.

The remaining contender at 55kg is 2017 cadet world runner-up, Sena NAHAMOTO (JPN).

Vying for the top spot at 57kg is the top-tier trio of 2017 junior world champion Sae NANJO (JPN), Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 2016 world silver medalist and 2017 European champion and Tetyana KIT (UKR).

A pair of Russian Ivan Yarygin bronze medalists in Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) and Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) are leading the charge at 59kg.

The other potential gold medalist at 59kg is 2017 European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR). 

Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 2017 world bronze medalist will look to put a stop to 62kg tournament favorite, 2017 world finalist Yulia TKACH’s (UKR) quest to win her second Klippan Lady Open title.

Tkach won her last Klippan Lady Open in 2015.

At 65kg, it’ll be the threesome of Henna JOHANSSON (SWE), two-time Olympian, Petra OLLI (FIN), 2015 world silver medalist and U23 world runner-up Braxton STONE CAN who will be looking to stop Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS), the 2018 Ivan Yarygin runner-up from winning back-to-back titles.

Last month, tournament favorite Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) became the first American to win Yarygin titles.

If Mensah-Stock wants to continue her winning ways and claim the 68kg Klippan Lady Open title, she’ll have to go through two Olympians in Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Buse TOSUN (TUR). 

Rounding out the tournament, the two favorites at 72kg are Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Olympic bronze medalist and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), U23 world runner-up.

SCHEDULE 
Saturday - All weights 
Session 1 - 1:00pm (local time)
Session 2 - 5:00pm (local time) 
Sunday - All weights 
Session 3 - 10:00am (local time)
Session 4 - 2:00pm (local time) 

#WrestleBudapest

Maroulis golden in Budapest; India wins two Ranking Series golds

Friday, July 18, 2025 - 23:55 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- Three pins, zero points given and only 10 minutes spend on the mat for four bouts.

Helen MAROULIS (USA) did not show any signs of a one-year break from international wrestling and won the 57kg gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series on Friday.

The three-time Olympic medal had not wrestled since winning the bronze-medal at the Paris Games but when she stepped on the mat in Budapest, it felt as if Maroulis was never off it.

Maroulis was the lone gold medalist from the United States among the five World Championships team members competing on Friday. India captured two of the five gold medals on offer in Women's Wrestling as ANTIM (IND) won her second straight Ranking Series gold at 53kg while Asian U20 champion HARSHITA (IND) rose above her level to beat three-time world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) at 72kg.

Hosts Hungary also managed to get a gold, its third-ever in Women's Wrestling at Ranking Series events, as Erika BOGNAR (HUN) defeated Elena BRUGGER (GER) in the 59kg final. Turkiye won the 50kg gold medal through Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR).

Maroulis, who was coached by Paris Olympic champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), drew compatriot Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) in the first round. She had beaten Martinez at the Final X last month to make the World Championships team.

It took Maroulis some time to pick up pace but once she did, the bout was over in two minutes as she pinned Martinez using her signature arm-bar technique.

In the only match she failed to pin her opponent, Maroulis defeated Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW), 7-0, keeping her position as solid as possible. In the semifinals, Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) was pinned using the same arm-bar after an 11-0 lead to reach the final.

Neha SANGWAN (IND), world U20 bronze medalist and Mongolia Open winner, reached the other side of the bracket with good wins. She got the taste of elite wrestling when Maroulis foot-swept her on the mat and then secured the fall in just 31 seconds.

Maroulis did her punch in the air celebrations after the final and felt ready for the World Championships in September when she can win her fourth world title.

Twin golds for India

Antim and Harshita were the two gold medal winners for India, the only country to achieve two golds on Friday in Women's Wrestling.

Antim picked up from where she had left off in Ulaanbaatar and won three of her four bouts via technical superiority including a 10-0 opening round victory over Zeynep YETGIL (TUR). Antim had lost 10-0 to Yetgil in the first round of Paris Olympics and left the mat in tears.

But Budapest was entirely different as she did not even let Yetgil reach her legs, forget scoring points on her. In the semifinal, she blanked Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, and booked a place in final against Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW).

In Ulaanbaatar, Antim had beaten Malysheva twice, both via technical superiority. While the final did not go how she planned, Antim still beat Malysheva 7-4 to win the gold medal for India.

Malysheva was on the activity clock after avoided a few attacks from Antim who scored a takedown soon after the activity period to lead 3-0 in the final. But she got a misdirection takedown in the second period to cut the lead to 3-2.

Antim performance a slide to go-behind and score another takedown and stretch the lead to 5-2. An ankle pick made it 7-2 before a last-second takedown from Malysheva cut the lead to 7-4.

But Antim would the win, two months before the World Championships where she is already has a bronze medal.

Harshita was a little more dominant at 72kg as she won gold over Bakbergenova by blanking the Kazakhstan wrestlers 10-0 in the Round 5 bout as this weight class had five wrestlers.

She opened the day with a fall over Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) in the first round. Lecarpentier was not happy with the fall and pushed Harhista as the Indian was trying to stand up after the whistle. Lecarpentier was disqualified for her actions.

Harshita was unfazed by that incident and continued her progress, winning the next bout against Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), again via fall. She got a walkover by Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) in Round 4.

The Round 5 bout against Bakbergenova became a virtual final and Harshita was the underdog against the former Asian champion.

Bakbergenova was put on the activity clock and after getting the one point, Harshita scored a double-leg takedown to make it 3-0. In the second period, Harshita got Bakbergenova in trouble using a double-leg attack but the Kazakhstan wrestler throw her using chest-wrap. Harshita defended it well and kept control on Bakbergenova which ultimately got her four points.

In the same sequence, Harshita rolled Bakbergenova for two more points to lead 9-0. A stepout finished the bout 10-0.

Hosts Hungary celebrated the gold medal at 59kg after Bognar defeated Brugger 2-1 in the 59kg final, with all three points begin activity clock points. Brugger got a passivity against her t o give Bognar the lead. Brugger took a 1-1 criteria lead when Bognar was called passive and put on the activity clock.

There was third passivity it was Brugger who was put on an activity clock. She once again failed to score and Bognar took a 2-1 lead and the victory.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) needed a late counterattack against Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) to win 50kg gold medal.

RESULSTS

50kg
GOLD: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 9-6

BRONZE: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Erin GOLSTON (USA), 10-0
BRONZE: NEELAM (IND) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW), 6-3

53kg
GOLD: ANTIM (IND) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 7-4

BRONZE: Felicity TAYLOR (USA) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), 11-0
BRONZE: Seoyoung PARK (KOR) df. Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU), 5-0

57kg
GOLD:  Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. NEHA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 7-4
BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) df. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN), 10-3

59kg
GOLD: Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Elena BRUGGER (GER), 2-1

BRONZE: Nadzeya BULANAYA (UWW) df. Arian CARPIO (PHI), via fall
BRONZE: Abigail NETTE (USA) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 7-1

72kg
GOLD: HARSHITA (IND)
SIILVER: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Kseniia BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)