#WrestleBelgrade

Adar Pins Olympic Champ Wiebe, Moldova Advances 3 to Finals

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 - 18:04 By Andrew Hipps

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Semifinal Highlights

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 15) -- World champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) punched her ticket to the 76kg final of the Individual World Cup with a fall over Olympic champion Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN).

Adar, a two-time world finalist and four-time European champion, trailed 1-0 after the opening period of her semifinal against Wiebe. Early in the second period, Wiebe fired off a shot and Adar scored an exposure before pinning the Canadian star's shoulders on the mat to earn the fall. 

The 29-year-old Adar was one of four wrestlers from Turkey competing in Tuesday's semifinals, but the lone Turkish wrestler to reach the finals. She will face Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), who advanced with a 6-4 semifinal win over Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Focken led 4-1 after one period. Medet Kyzy battled back in the second period and made the score 4-4 late while still trailing on criteria. Focken responded with a takedown to seal the victory. 

Moldova had a strong semifinal round, going 3-for-3, with finalists coming in the first three weight categories contested Tuesday. All three of Moldova's semifinal victories came over Turkey. Advancing to the finals for Moldova were Anastasia NICHITA (57kg), Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (59kg) and Irina RINGACI (65kg).

Anastasia NICHITA (57kg) was one of three semifinal winners for Moldova (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Nichita, a 2020 European champion, found herself in an early 4-0 hole after getting thrown to her back by Mehlika OZTURK (TUR). But Nichita battled back, scoring seven unanswered points to lead 7-4 at the break. Ozturk cut the deficit to 7-5 in the second period before Nichita picked up four straight takedowns on her way to a 15-5 technical superiority. She will face ANSHU (IND), who earned her spot in the 57kg finals with a fall over Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS).

Cherdivara Esanu reached the 59kg final by shutting out Elif YANIK (TUR), 4-0. Cherdivara scored a takedown in each of the two periods, with the final one coming with six seconds remaining in the match. 

Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) reached the 59kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Russia's lone semifinal winner Tuesday was Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) at 59kg. She trailed for most of her semifinal match against Elif YANIK (TUR). Down 2-0 after giving up both points off passivity, Lipatova fired off a shot with just under a minute remaining and scored a takedown to take the criteria lead and eventually earn the victory. 

Moldova's third semifinal winner was Irina RINGACI (65kg). Facing Asli DEMIR (TUR) in the 65kg semifinal, Ringaci fell behind 4-2 before throwing the Turkish wrestler to her back and nearly securing a fall as the first period came to a close. She carried that momentum into the second period, outscoring Demir 10-0 in the second period to earn the 14-4 technical superiority.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) cruised to a 13-8 win at 65kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) topped European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) 13-8 in a semifinal match at 65kg. Rizhko broke open the match early in the second period after a scoring with a four-point move to go up by six after an unsuccessful challenge by Bulgaria. Rizhko built her lead to nine before Hristova picked up two late takedowns to make the score respectable. 

At 68kg, 21-year-old Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), a 2019 junior world silver medalist, edged 2013 world champion Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) 7-6 to reach the championship match. Berezhna made it interesting late, scoring a two-point exposure with 30 seconds left to make the score 6-6, but Zhumanazarova held on for the narrow victory. 

Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) reached the 68kg final by earning a fall over Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). Velieva started fast, scoring a four-point takedown early to go up 4-0. The score remained that way until the second period when Hanzlickova took a shot and exposed Velieva before earning the fall.

Women's Wrestling Semifinal Results

57kg
Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) by VFA, 7-4
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) by VSU1, 15-5

59kg
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) df. Elif YANIK (TUR) by VPO, 4-0
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) df. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) by VPO1, 2-2

65kg
Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Asli DEMIR (TUR) by VSU1, 14-4
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL) by VPO1, 13-8

68kg
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) by VFA, 2-4
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) by VPO1, 6-6

76kg
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) by VPO1, 6-4
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) by VFA, 2-1
 

#WrestleAthens

Turner back on top with second U17 title; India wins 2 golds

Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 20:30 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 31) -- There have been dominant runs in Women's Wrestling at the World U17 Championships history and now Morgan TURNER (USA) has joined that list as well.

After winning the world title in 2023, Turner had to be satisfied with a bronze medal in 2024. However, that bronze made Turner more determined to end her U17 age-group career on high.

Wrestling at the U17 Worlds for the third time, Turner won her second world title at this age-group. She won the 49kg gold medal in Athens, Greece on Thursday, giving United States the first gold of the tournament.

"I definitely wanted to come back harder coming from bronze last year," Turner said. So my goal was to win it. I just preparing eventually, physically and emotionally. The bronze shadowed over the gold. So I had to come back and I had to get gold. I love it."

Turner, facing Yu KATAOKA (JPN) in the 49kg final, showed how to counter those Japanese low-single attacks. Every time Kataoka tried to go for them, Tuner would sit low and block with counterattacks.

Kataoka even tried getting behind but Turner held such good positions that she was able to counter and score, eventually winning 6-1. In four bouts, the final was the only one in which did not finish with technical superiority.

Now with two golds, Turner said that Thursday's gold proved that she has evolved as a wrestler and could perform moves other than the double-legs that she has been famous for.

"Two years ago was a lot a lot more nerves. I was on cloud nine. I was 14. I was super nervous," she said. "I feel like I need to grow as a wrestler. I left the double. I don't need to do a double all the time. I can shoot sweeps. I can do little singles. I can do cradles, I can do throws, I can do different things."

With her U17 career finished, Turner will now be focused on U20 and perhaps the senior level as well.

RACHANA (IND)RACHANA (IND) won the gold medal at 43kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mixed day for India

India, the defending team champions, had a mixed day in the field. It had four wrestlers in the finals but only two came back with gold medals.

Former world U17 silver medalist RACHNA (IND) held her own lead against Xin HUANG (CHN) and secured the gold medal at 43kg. She scored a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0 and Huang was called passive in the second to give one more point to Rachna.

Huang did get a couple of attacks going but was not able to finish. Rachana's gold was the first for India of the night.

Ashvini VISHNOI (IND)Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is now a world U17 champion at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) added the second as she defeated Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) at 65kg with a similar score and scoring actions. With the win, Vishnoi also denied Rakhimjonova a chance of history as she could have become the first-ever world champion for Uzbekistan in Women's Wrestling at any level.

Wenjin QIU (CHN)Wenjin QIU (CHN) defeated KAJAL (IND) in the 73kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Returning world U17 champion from 69kg KAJAL (IND), now at 73kg, suffered a loss to Wenjin QIU (CHN) in the final. This was Kajal's second loss in two months to Qiu who had defeated the Indian 10-0 in the Asian U17 Championships final in Vietnam.

Kajal began on an attacking note and raced to a 4-0 lead with two takedowns. However, in the second period, Qiu was able to counter better. Qiu scored a four-pointer and then exposure as she was looking to pin Kajal. After the sequence, Qiu led 6-5. 

Still, Kajal got Qiu locked from behind and was about to throw her for four points but the Chinese managed to block that and land Kajal in danger for two points, extending her lead to 8-5, which became the winning score for her.

The second loss for India came in the 57kg final after a bizarre sequence of events. MONI (IND), who won the Asian U17 gold over Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ), faced her again in the finals in Athens.

Moni scored the first takedown of the bout but Usmanova hit a headlock for four to lead 4-2. The scramble continued and Moni got a point for reversal. However, Usmanov got another exposure for two more points and led 6-3 as the referee asked the wrestlers to return to center.

Moni does a double arm lock throw for two points to cut the lead to 6-5 with just over a minute left in the bout. Moni, who perhaps thought that she was leading the bout, did not engage with Usmanova for the next 50 seconds. Even Usmanova, who was leading, did not bother to get into a tangle.

Ultimately, Moni went for the attack with only 10 seconds left but Usmanova was not letting her score with gold on line. With her 6-5 win, Usmanova became the first Women's Wrestling world champion for Kazakhstan in 13 years and avenged her loss to Moni from the Asian U17 Championships final.

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: RACHANA (IND) df. Xin HUANG (CHN), 3-0

BRONZE: Madison HEALEY (USA) df. Mareim ABDELAAL (EGY), via fall
BRONZE: Inzhu BAKKOZHA (KAZ) df. Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW), via fall

49kg
GOLD: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Yu KATAOKA (JPN), 6-1

BRONZE: Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW) df. Azema KALIDINOVA (KGZ), 6-6
BRONZE: Komal VERMA (IND) df. Anhelina BURKINA (UWW), 8-3

57kg
GOLD: Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) df. MONI (IND), 6-5

BRONZE: Sayuki TANADA (JPN) df. Sophie RITTER (ITA), 4-4
BRONZE: Alina BAROEVA (UWW) df. Marta MANKOWSKA (POL), 6-1

65kg
GOLD: Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) df. Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB), 3-0

BRONZE: Feenja HERMANN (GER) df. Alexandra MOISEI (MDA), 4-2
BRONZE: Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW) df. Anujin ERKHEMBAATAR (MGL), 9-2

73kg
GOLD: Wenjin QIU (CHN) df. KAJAL (IND), 8-5

BRONZE: Ella Jo POALILLO (USA) df. Anna GODELASHVILI (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Eylem ENGIN (TUR) df. Deborah GARCIA (MEX), 9-1