Asian Championships women's wrestling storylines

Friday, March 31, 2023 - 08:23 By Taylor GREGORIO

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (March 31) -- Come April 9, the continental tournament season will be underway with the Asian Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Seeds, which will be released later next week, were determined by performances at the 2022 World Championships and this year’s two Ranking Series events. This tournament will also serve as seeding criteria for the 2023 World Championships in Serbia.

Plenty of stars fighting for the crown, including seven Olympic medalists and five past world champions, will be at the Asian Championships. All the action from Kazakhstan can be followed live on uww.org or on the UWW app.

Here are the storylines to keep an eye on in women's wrestling:

Bakbergenova twins seek repeat

In 2022, twin sisters Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) and Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) won the Asian championships, taking out big competition to top the podium. At 68kg, Madina took out then-reigning world champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the gold-medal bout.

For the 72kg title, Zhamila defeated newcomer Sumire NIIKURA (JPN), who went on to win bronze medals at the U20 and U23 World Championships later. This year, the Bakbergenovas return in hopes of doing it again. Zhamila, a two-time World silver medalist, seeks her third overall Senior Asian title, while Madina aims for the second.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) is one of the six returning Asian champions. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Six returning champions

In addition to the Bakbergenova sisters, four other 2022 Asian champions will be in Astana next weekend. Japan will bring three returning champs in Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) at 50kg, Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at 53kg and Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at 62kg. Yoshimoto and Fujinami each earned World gold in 2021, and Ozaki claimed Senior, U23 and U20 World gold last year.

Representing Kyrgyzstan, Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) is registered at 76kg. She won her first Asian title in 2022, fresh off a bronze-medal performance at the ’21 World Championships.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is a Tokyo Olympic silver medalist. (Photo: UWW / Ginnie Coleman)

Seven Olympic medalists highlight field

This year’s field features seven Olympic medalists across all weights with two silver medalists and five bronze winners.

Leading the group is Tokyo Olympics runner-up Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), who will compete at 62kg. Tynybekova has a loaded resume with 2019 and 2021 World titles, a 2017 world bronze and four Asian gold medals.

Also an Olympic runner-up is Qianyu PANG (CHN) at 55kg, who won her medal in Tokyo. A two-time World bronze medalist, Pang seeks her second-career Asian title. Her first came in 2016.

The Olympic bronze medalists expected to wrestle include Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) at 53kg, Zhumanazarova, Qian ZHOU (CHN) and Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) at 68kg and Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) at 76kg.

Weight to watch: 68kg

If you haven’t noticed yet, the 68kg weight is FULL of talent. A quick breakdown: Bakbergenova comes in as the returning continental champ; Shalygina and Zhumanazarova own Olympic bronze medals; and Feng ZHOU (CHN) and Ami ISHII (JPN) bring World medals to the field.

Feng has held the weight for China for several years and brings a wealth of experience to Astana. Her presence will keep the competition on their toes. She has a 2015 silver and a 2018 bronze at the World Championships.

If Bakbergenova is not entered, Kazakhstan will go with Shalygina, a 2008 Olympic medalist. She has three World medals from 2007, 2009 and 2010. She’s in the midst of a comeback to wrestling after taking an international hiatus from 2012-2022.

Rounding out the group, Zhumanazarova won gold at Oslo 2021, and Ishii claimed silver in her World Championships debut last September.

#WrestleZagreb

Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 16:24 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 14) -- For five minutes and 50 seconds in both the 74kg semifinals, there was little indication that the results will change. But 10 seconds were enough for Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) to change the outcome.

Valiev was down 4-2 against Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) but managed to elevate the latter's leg from an attack before tripping him on the edge for a two-point takedown, taking a 4-4 criteria lead with three seconds remaining.

Sidakov tried a desperate attack but gave up another takedown even in that short time as Valiev reached his first-ever World Championships final on debut in Zagreb, Croatia.

Takahashi was down 4-1 against Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but the Japanese scored a takedown and turned Salkazanov through a gut-wrench to lead 5-4. He still had 6 seconds to defend and he managed to do it with ease. Slovakia challenged for fleeing from Takahashi but that was lost which added an additional point to make it 6-4.

Valiev and Takahashi, both with clutch wins, will now clash in the 74kg final for the world title on Monday.

Three other weight classes were also in action on Sunday and the United States was the only country to put two wrestlers in the finals -- Levi HAINES (USA) at 79kg and Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg.

Haines, who stunned world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, scored a controlled 4-1 victory over Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) in the semifinals. Olonbayar got the first point via passivity of Haines but the U.S. wrestler scored a counter exposure for two points and take a 2-1 lead.

He scored a ankle pick for another two-point takedown and defended his 4-1 lead for the win and reach the final, a surprise in a tough 79kg bracket.

On Monday, he will try to stop Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) from becoming Greece's first-ever wrestling world champion in history. The European champion from Greece showed some of the most high-paced wrestling in the semifinal against world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) to win 8-3.

Nokhodi, was often stood squared-up, had no answered to Kougioumtsidis' constant attacks as the Greece wrestlers led 6-3 at the break. He scored a single-leg takedown in the second period and won 8-3.

Hidlay, who has switched levels in his career this year, reached the final at 92kg after destroying world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4, in the semifinals.

Nurmagomedov was in the match when the score was 5-4 with 2:23 left but Hidlay switch gears since, scoring a go-behind, a feet-to-back four-pointer and a takedown to finish with a technical superiority win.

He will face Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Gadzhimagomedov managed to hold off Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) for an 11-6. Firouzpour, who had multiple age-group world titles, kept shooting for Gadzhimagomedov's legs but the UWW wrestler kept countering those attack with lift exposures.

Gadzhimagomedov then sealed the win with stepout, handing him a 9-6 lead and a takedown finishing the match 11-6.

Harutyunyan pinned after Lee heroics

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) undoubtedly had the most impressive win of the morning session when he defeated Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) 14-3 in the quarterfinals.

The win put Harutyunyan as the favorite to advance to the final at 57kg. However, Asian champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) had different ideas. He hit a lateral drop on Harutyunyan in the semifinals and secured a fall to enter the final. Han is the first Freestyle wrestler from the DPR Korea to enter the final in 11 years.

Han will now try to become a world champion when he takes on Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in the 57kg final after the Kyrgyz wrestler took it to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), winning 8-0.

Abdullaev seemed to have burnt out from the earlier matches and had little fight left in him as Almaz Uulu scored points at his will in the semifinals including four stepouts.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) vs. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SF 2: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Levi HAINES (USA)

SF 1: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SF 2: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4
SF 2: Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 9-6

Asian Championships women's wrestling storylines

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Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final