#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships women's wrestling storylines

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

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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.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Weights to watch at Ulaanbaatar Open 2025

Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - 10:14 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 27) -- Among all the names entered for the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series, a few will be involved in mini-battles in the tournament which begins Thursday.

After the continental championships had a few interesting match-ups, the Ranking Series always has more contrasting matches with mix of continental styles and bouts that otherwise may not happen at continental or World Championships.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) has previously defeated Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At the Ulaanbaatar Open, here are three weight classes that are must-watch:

Women's Wrestling: 62kg [May 31, Saturday]

Current Asian champion, former world champions, former Asian champions and world medalists make up for the six-wrestler bracket at 62kg in Women's Wrestling.

MANISHA (IND), who impressed with a gold-winning performance at the Asian Championships in Amman, will be looking to rake up more Ranking Series points. She has a tough bracket in Ulaanbaatar with former world champions Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) and Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL). Mongolia has named a third wrestler in the weight class -- Saruul ERDENEBILEG (MGL).

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) and 2024 European U23 silver medalist Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) will also be part of the bracket and challenge the Asian wrestlers.

An all-Mongolian clash between Sukhee and Purevdorj will certainly give the local fans an exciting match-up. The winner will have the upper hand when the nation selects its team for the World Championships.

Sukhee has lost to Purevdorj before and finished seventh at the Asian Championships. But she also won a silver medal at 59kg at the World Championships last year.

For Manisha, it will be a big test against big throwing Mongolian wrestlers and Kasabieva, who will look to put behind her fifth-place finish at the European Championships in Bratislava. She has struggled against the Asian style but can use this tournament to improve her skills.

Koshkina did not win a medal at the U23 Europeans this year but Ulaanbaatar will be an important stop in her senior level journey.

Freestyle: 70kg [June 1, Sunday]

A world champion from four years ago is trying to find his way to the top in international wrestling. And his first stop is the Ulaanbaatar Open. Zagir SHAKHIEV (UWW), who won gold at 65kg in 2021 World Championships, hopes to restart his career with the Ranking Series and is entered at 70kg.

Shakhiev won the European Championships as well in 2021 before the Worlds but in 2022, he was pinned by Shamil MAMMEDOV (UWW) in the Yasar Dogu final and Shakhiev never made it to international tournament again.

Despite his talent, Shakhiev won't have it easy in Ulaanbaatar. Asian silver medalist at 70kg Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) is coming to improve his ranking. Rassadin has had a few good wins in past one year including one over Chermen VALIEV (ALB), the Olympic bronze and European champion. He also had the Asian gold in his hands but Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) scored late to snatch the medal.

The hosts have three wrestlers at this weight class but the most eager to compete against Shakhiev will be Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). At the 2021 World Championships, Tumur Ochir suffered a 4-4 loss to Shakhiev. The Mongolian contested the scoring but to no avail. He won the bronze medal.

Iran has two wrestlers at this weight class -- Mohammadali AMOUZAD (IRI) and Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI). Amouzad is the twin brother of Olympic silver medalist Rahman. If he can replicate the conditioning and underhook of his brother, Amouzad can well upset a few names.

Enes BASAR (TUR)Enes BASAR (TUR) was at the Paris Olympics at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman: 60kg [May 30, Friday]

Three young stars will be challenging a skillful Olympian at 60kg. Enes BASAR (TUR), who surprised most by qualifying for the Paris Olympics, is at 60kg for the Ulaanbaatar. Basar has a defense that frustrates his opponents and his experience will give him the edge in the Nelson bracket of 60kg.

Former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND), Asian U23 champion Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) and Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) will be the challengers to Basar in the weight class.

Suraj won historic age-group medals for India but has not been able to replicate the same at the senior level though he has been the best nationally for India. The Ranking Series will be a big test for him.

Kyrgyzstan two youngsters will be looking to make a mark in a weight class reserved for Olympic bronze medalist and world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ). Sulaimanov has won age-group medals in Asia but finished fifth at the Asian Championships recently. Zhaparov, an Asian U20 silver medalist, will be returning to international competition after three years.