U23 World C'ships

Demirhan Wins on Criteria, Japan Collects Six Gold Medals on the Weekend

Friday, November 24, 2017 - 22:26 By Taylor Miller

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BYDOGSZCZ, Poland – The women’s freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships wrapped up today with three different nations winning gold medals on Friday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) trailed at the break, 2-0, in the 48 kg finals against Senior Asian Championships gold medalist Ritu RITU (IND).

Senior World bronze medalist Demirhan took over the lead, 4-2, on a takedown and caution and two. Ritu scored a takedown in the final five seconds, but it was not enough as she lost on criteria, due to the caution, 4-4.

It was Demirhan’s fifth World medal and first gold.

At 69 kg, fellow 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won her third World gold at three different age-group levels, defeating Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2016 Cadet Asian champion, with a 4-0 shutout.

Japan picked up their fifth and sixth gold medals of the women’s tournament with Miho IGARASHI (JPN) winning at 53 kg and Yui SAKANO (JPN) claiming victory at 60 kg.

Igarashi defeated Qi Zhang with a 12-2 technical fall en route to her fourth World gold medal, while Sakano won her second World title with a 7-3 decision over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR).

Overall, Japan took home six gold medals, one silver medal and the team title.

The last leg of the U23 World Championships, men’s freestyle, begins Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. ET).

Finals results
48 kg
Gold - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) dec. Ritu RITU (IND), 4-4
Bronze - Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) dec. Rina OKUNO (JPN), 4-4
Bronze - Jiang ZHU (CHN) tech. fall Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL), 10-0

53 kg
Gold - Miho IGARASHI (JPN) tech. fall Qi ZHANG (CHN), 12-2
Bronze - Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) dec. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR), 2-1
Bronze - Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) dec. Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA), 7-6

60 kg
Gold - Yui SAKANO (JPN) dec. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 7-3
Bronze - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) dec. Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR), 8-3
Bronze - Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) dec. Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA), 13-11

69 kg
Gold - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) dec. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 4-0
Bronze - Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) fall Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), 4:40
Bronze - Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) dec. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 4-2

 

#BeachWrestling, #BeachWrestlingWorldSeries

With Dakar 2026 Approaching, UWW Ramps Up Beach Wrestling in Africa

Friday, July 25, 2025 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (July 25) -- With Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games less than 500 days away, United World Wrestling is committed to reinforcing wrestling's presence on the African continent.

As a result, for the first time an African city will host the Beach Wrestling World Series. Casablanca, Morocco will see the third leg of the Beach Wrestling World Series from September 6-7, 2025, at the picturesque Ain Diab beach.

There is more in store for Africa. The final of the Beach Wrestling World Series will be held in Alexandria, Egypt on October 18 and 19, 2025.

UWW is calling for participants. REGISTER HERE!

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

The World Series participants will be provided with top-class facilities including five-star hotel boarding, food in hotels and transportation to the competition venue. The conditions will therefore be exceptional for a Beach Wrestling event.

Prior to the World Series, the African Championships in U15, U17 and U20 age-groups will also be held in the same venue on September 4 and 5. All wrestlers who are 18 years or older from the African Championships can take part in the World Series as well.

This is not the first time UWW has stepped up its commitment to Beach Wrestling. Along with UWW Africa, UWW provided technical assistance to African wrestlers last year and has now decided to continue that for the U15 and U17 groups.

UWW reminds all countries that the participation in these tournaments is important as the same wrestlers can be considered with priority for the Youth Olympic Games while allotting the decided quotas for Dakar 2026.

UWW's vision is to develop the younger groups who will be part of the Youth Olympics in Dakar. And it was a step in that direction to start U15 competitions in Beach Wrestling from 2025.

Irina RINGACI (MDA)World champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) competes in Beach Wrestling in Porec, Croatia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of the outcomes of its continued efforts was the participation numbers in the U17 Pan-Am Beach Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro and the U17 Asian Beach Wrestling Championships in Vietnam this year.

The local organizing committee in Rio had to add one more ring to accommodate the participants during the event. At the Asian Championships, India, China, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and other nations participated with full teams.

Similarly, the wrestlers are encouraged to participate in the U17 and U20 World Beach Wrestling Championships in Katerini-Pieria, Greece on September 25 and 26.

Check out beachwrestling.org for all Beach Wrestling News!

UWW's decisions underscore its deep commitment to uplifting and expanding the sport of wrestling across Africa, particularly with the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar on the horizon.

For any queries, wrestlers, NFs or organizers can contact -- sports@uww.org.