Cuba’s Potrille Upends Machuca; Five Nations Win Gold at YOG

Saturday, October 13, 2018 - 23:12 By Tim Foley

BUENOS AIRES (October 13) – The risers shook, and eardrums ached as Linda MACHUCA (ARG) made her walk to the mat Saturday night for her 73kg gold medal final. The local teen had gone 4-0 in early action and was wrestling for her nation’s first gold on the mats.

Fans at the Asian Pavilion were swaying, dancing, clapping, howling – a moment of pure joy and anticipation for all those in attendance.

But just as enthusiastic as the teens clapping their red thunder sticks, Cuba’s Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) was stoic. Taller than Machuca, Potrille glided across the field of play and climbed to the top of the mat. The wrestlers shook hands and as the whistle blew Portrille launched a double leg for four points, landed in a pinning position and put an end to Machuca’s storybook ending.

Though noticeably disappointed the Argentinian fans supported each wrestler as their name was announced, the hall filling with thunderous applause as Machuca left the mat, teary-eyed and head hanging. Machuca and Potrille’s final was the capstone to a night filled with emotion.

Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) raises her hands moments after pinning Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) in the 73kg finals (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

The evening’s first gold medal final featured Emily SHILSON (USA) taking on a scrappy Simran SIMRAN (IND). The American opened up a large lead, but conceded six points late in the match, but managed to escape with the 11-6 win.

Stern-faced, Shilson seemed disappointed with her performance and was reluctant to grab her nation’s flag to celebrate the victory. But she quickly relented and made the requisite lap around the mat - a fragile smile cracking through an otherwise resolute face of focus.

“I got sloppy at the end and didn’t wrestle as sharp as I wanted,” said Shilson when asked about her initial reaction. “It was a good experience though, because now I have things to go work on and I can clean up those mistakes and learn to stay on top.”

“And I’m having the best time here,” she added with a smile. With her win, Shilson became the United States’ first-ever YOG gold medalist in wrestling.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) celebrates after winning gold at 57kg over Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) by TF, 10-0 (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), whose fanbase dressed in gi blue tops adorned with a large flag of Japan on their back, had no problem showing happiness after winning her final. Ozaki dominated Hungary’s Anna Hella SZEL in final, working to a 10-0 technical superiority victory in the second period.

China’s Xinru ZHOU (CHN) was workman like in winning her nation’s first gold medal in wrestling. The rangy wrestler defeated Oksana CHUDYK (UKR) by TF, 10-0 in less than 30 seconds.

"This is the best moment of my life," said Emma MALMGREN (SWE) after winning the 49kg gold medal (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Sweden’s Emma MALMGREN (SWE) took the 49kg gold medal with a quick pin over Azerbaijan’s Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). The diminutive Swede erupted in emotion on the mat, realizing that she’d won gold in dominant fashion.

“It feels so good because everybody is a high-class wrestler who comes here with the same goal of winning Olympic gold,” said Malmgren. “I trained very herd and very tough. Wrestling is always about blood, sweat and tears, but I trained even harder and this was even more special.”

“This is the best moment of my life.”

Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 10am local/9am ET with men’s freestyle and continues at 5pm local/4pm ET with the finals.

Women’s Wrestling, 43kg

GOLD: Emily SHILSON (USA) df. Simran SIMRAN (IND), 11-6
BRONZE: Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) df. Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL), 7-6
FIFTH: Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA) df. Maria LEORDA (MDA), 4-0
SEVENTH: Sara Gouda Farouk MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Heloisa Elena MARTINEZ (BRA) by TF, 10-0
NINTH: Christianah Tolulope OGUNSANYA (NGR) v. Ella Mae DERRY (NZL) via FORFEIT

Women’s Freestyle, 49kg

GOLD: Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) by FALL
BRONZE: Natallia VARAKINA (BLR) df. Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR) by TF, 12-1
FIFTH: Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) df. Tiare Lynn Masako Dizon IKEI (USA), 3-0
SEVENTH: Maria Jose MOSQUERA ROJAS (VEN) df. Paulina Jean DUENAS (GUM) by TF, 10-0
NINTH: Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) df. Sopealai SIM (CAM), via forfeit

Women’s Freestyle, 57kg

GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 6-3
FIFTH: Andrea LOPEZ MARTINEZ (MEX) df. Mayra Alejandra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN), 7-0
SEVENTH: Hala Wael Imbabi AHMED (EGY) df. Mansi MANSI (IND) by FALL
NINTH: Kaetlyn Rae Okada QUINTANILLA (GUM) df. Lydia TOIDA (CMR), via forfeit

Women’s Freestyle, 65kg

GOLD: Xinru ZHOU (CHN) v. Oksana CHUDYK (UKR) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Oyun Erdene TAMIR (MGL) v. Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR) by TF, 15-4
FIFTH: Viktoria VESSO (EST) df. Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU), 6-2
SEVENTH: Yetzis Camila RAMIREZ MARQUEZ (CUB) v. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
NINTH: Sandra Elena ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX) v. Natacha Véronique NABAINA (CMR)

Women’s Freestyle, 73kg

GOLD: Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) via FALL
BRONZE: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR), 8-0
FIFTH: Julia Hanna Ellinor FRIDLUND (SWE) v. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) by FALL
SEVENTH: Khadija JLASSI (TUN) df. Anika Elizabeth WHITE (CAN) via FALL
NINTH: Vahide Nur GOK (TUR) v. Ioana Penina Nicole Uputaua LUDGATE (ASA) via Forfeit

#WrestleZagreb

Chung puts Korea in World C'ships final

Saturday, September 20, 2025 - 16:49 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 20) -- Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) has long been the training partner of former world champion Hansyu RYU (KOR) at national camps in Korea as both hail from Busan and wrestled at the Kyungsung University.

Eight years after Ryu became a world champion in Paris, Korea's last gold at World Championships, Chung would try to emulate his role model after he made the 63kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Saturday.

In his previous two trips to the World Championships, Chung finished eight and 25th but has now assured himself at least a silver medal in 2025. This is also Korea's first medal since Min Seok KIM (KOR) won bronze in 2018.

Chung opened his campaign with a 7-1 victory over Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) before picking up a fall over Manato NAKAMURA (JPN). Tokyo bronze medalist Sergey EMELIN (UWW) was next but Chung defended from par terre and posted a 1-1 criteria win.

In the semifinals, Chung had Asian silver medalist Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) but he stepped up. Keshtkar got the first par terre position but was not able to score any points, going to the break leading 1-0.

The second period saw Chung go for the reverse throw for two points and Keshtkar was docked two points for a leg foul, giving a 5-1 lead to Chung. Keshtkar tried making a comeback and got a takedown to cut the lead to 5-3 but that was all he had as Chung claimed the victory in the semifinals.

But to win his country's first gold since 2017, Chung will have to go through Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) who looks unbeatable. A month after winning the gold medal at the U20 World Championships, the Uzbek star is now in the World Championships final with a dominant 8-0 win over Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA).

Khalmakhanov needed only 37 seconds to finish his semifinals against Erimenco as he used an over-under grip to slam him on the mat for two points. He continued the same sequence for two more points and lead 6-0. A trap arm gut was enough to get him two more points and the win.

Iran managed two more wrestlers in the final at the World Championships with Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) a win away from winning their first world titles at 67kg and 87kg respectively.

Esmaeili particularly looked in the form of his life as he blanked his 36-0 in four bouts with none going the full distance of the six minutes. He began with a 9-0 win over 2022 world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) before two 8-0 wins against Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) and Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 8-0.

In the semifinals, he used a five-point throw to beat Daniial AGAEV (UWW). Using a bodylock, he scored his first takedown and then turned Agaev for a 4-0 lead. He then got the par terre position and reverse lifted Agaev and slammed him for five points.

For the gold medal, he will have to get past Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JARAFOV (AZE), a returning silver medalist. Jafarov faced Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) in the semifinal and used a correct throw from par terre to beat the Kyrgyzstan wrestlers 3-1.

Mohamadi had a very contrasting semifinal against David LOSONCZI (HUN) at 87kg. He seemed to be sailing to victory with 5-1 lead and under a minute left but Losonczi locked his waist and threw him for a takedown for two points. Hungary challenged the call asking for four points but it was awarded only two on review and Hungary lost the challenge to give one more point to Mohamadi.

With a 6-3 win, Mohamadi, a silver medalist at 82kg from 2023, will now try to win the gold medal against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB).

Trusting his defense in the semifinal against Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), Komarov held on to his 1-1 criteria lead to win the bout. Komarov was the beneficiary of the new Greco-Roman rule which states that the criteria will remain with the wrestler who got the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Irrespective of what happens in the final on Sunday, Iran has already won the Greco-Roman team title. This is the first time in the country's history that Iran has won both Freestyle and Greco-Roman team title at the same World Championships.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) vs. Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), 5-3
SF 2: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) vs. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW), 10-0
SF 2: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) vs. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)

SF 1: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 6-3
SF 2: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), 1-1

Cuba’s Potrille Upends Machuca; Five Nations Win Gold at YOG

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Chung puts Korea in World C'ships final