Four Defending Champs Headed to Las Vegas Top Women’s World Rankings

By William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 5) – Four reigning world champions head to next month’s championships in Las Vegas at the top of the United World Wrestling rankings for women’s wrestling in August.

Eri TOSAKA (48kg), Saori YOSHIDA (53kg) and Kaori ICHO (58kg) from Japan along with American Adeline GRAY (75kg) all head into The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas in the same position they left Tashkent 11 months ago.

Japan’s fourth titlist in Tashkent, Chiho HAMADA (55kg), however, will not make the trip after slumping in the Japanese national team trials and slipping to No.5 in the rankings.

World bronze medal winner Helen MAROULIS (USA), who fell to Hamada in last year’s semifinals in Tashkent, takes over the top spot after winning six events this year, including the Grand Prix of Spain in early July. Maroulis was also the top individual at 55kg at the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Maria STADNYK (AZE), second-ranked at 48kg, bagged her third title of the year at the Poland Open in late July, while No.2 at 53kg Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) earned a silver medal in Madrid in her final competitive tune-up before making the trip to Las Vegas.

Asian Games gold medalist at 75kg, ZHOU Feng (CHN) was moved to No.2 at 69kg after victories at light heavyweight at the Asian championships and Grand Prix of Spain.  Zhou is sandwiched between London 2012 Olympic Games champion Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) and 2013 world champ Alina MAKHINYA (UKR).

In other developments in July, Yarygin Grand Prix winner BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) returned to the 58kg rankings at No.12 and OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) leapt from No.10 to fourth in the rankings at 69kg after wins at the Poland Open.

Canada’s Braxton STONE (63kg) and Dorothy YEATS (69kg) each vaulted seven places to No.10 and No.5 in their respective weight categories with wins at the Pan American Games. Justina DISTACIO (75kg), only seconds away from upsetting Gray in the gold medal final, also climbed to No.5 with the silver medal at heavyweight.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most recent or most notable result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings.

48kg – London 2012 Olympic Games silver medalist Maria STADNYK (AZE) wrapped up her third individual crown of the year at the Poland Open, and along with a perfect 4-0 performance in the World Cup has been undefeated since her semifinal loss at the 2014 world championships in Tashkent.
 
South American champion Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER) added a Pan American Games silver medal to her bronze medal at the Pan American championships to break into the rankings at No.18.

1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – European Games No.1 (2)
3. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Spanish Grand Prix No.1 (3)
4. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) – World Cup No.2 (4)
5. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Euro Games No.3 (5)
6. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) – Euro Games No.3 (6)
7. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) – Pan American Games No.1 (9)
8. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) – Dan Kolov No.1 (8)
9. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – Pan Am Games No.3 (10)
10. Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) – European U23s No.1 (7)
11. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) – Euro Games No.2 (12)
12. Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (11)
13. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Pan Am Games No.3 (13)
14. Natalya PULKOVSKA (UKR) – Poland Open No. 2 (17)
15. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Spanish GP No.3 (15)
16. Alina VUC (ROU) – Ion Corneanu No.2 (15)
17. KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) – Asia No.3 (14)
18. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER) – Pan Am Games No.2 (not ranked)
19. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (17)
20. Madalina LINGURARU (ROU) – Ion Corneanu No.3 (nr) 

53kg – Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) defeated world silver medalist Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) and teammate Roksana ZASINA (POL) to claim her first international title of 2015 at the Poland Open. Krawczyk, who has divided her time between 53kg and 55kg, climbs to No.5 in the rankings.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – Euro Games No.1 (2)
3. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Asia No.1 (3)
4. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Euro Games No.3 (6)
5. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Poland Open No.1 (8)
6. Karima SANCHEZ RAMIS (ESP) – Poland Open No.3 (7@55)
7. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – Klippan Open No.1 (5)
8. LI Hui (CHN) – Spanish GP No.1 (nr)
9. Roksana ZASINA (POL) – Euro Games No.2 (13)
10. Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE) – Euro Games No.1 (9)
11. Whitney CONDER (USA) – Pan Am Games No.1 (nr)
12. Olga KHOROSHAVSTEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (6)
13. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (7)
14. Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) – Pan Am Games No.2 (19)
15. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (16)
16. SUMIYA Erdennechimeg (MGL) – Poland Open No.5 (14)
17. PAK, Yong-Mi (PRK) – Asia No.2 (10)
18. Sayury CANON (COL) – Pan America No.1 (11)
19. Nanami IRIE (JPN) – Asia No.3 (20)
20. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) – Euro Games No.5 (15)

55kg – Helen MAROULIS (USA), undefeated since the world championship semifinals in Tashkent, takes over the No.1 position with news that Asia champion Anri KIMURA (JPN) will replace world champion Chiho HAMADA (JPN) as Japan’s entry at 55kg in Las Vegas.

1. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – Spanish GP No.1 (2)
2. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Euro Games No.3 (3)
3. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – Euro Games No.3 (5)
4. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – German GP No.1 (6)
5. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
6. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) – Euro U23s No.1 (4)
7. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (8)
8. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (11)
9. Tatyana KIT (UKR) – Euro Games No.5 (10)
10. DONG Jiahui (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (9)
11. Anri KIMURA (JPN) – Asia No.1 (12)
12. HAN Kum-Ok (PRK) – Asia No.2 (13)
13. Aishan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.3 (14)
14. Patricia LIUZZI (ITA) – Euro Jrs No.1 (15)
15. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) – Pan America No.1 (16)
16. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Paris GP No.3 (17)
17. Larisa SKOBLYUK (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (18)
18. Bediha GUN (TUR) – Euro Games No.7 (19)
19. Sonia BAUDIN (FRA) – Euro Jrs No.3 (20)
20. Simona PRICOB (ROU) – Ion Corneanu No.1 (nr)

58kg – Three wrestlers ranked at 58kg all won titles at the Poland Open – Marwa AMRI (TUN) at 55kg, Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) at 60kg and BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) at 58kg – suggesting a crowded and competitive weight category in Las Vegas.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – World Cup No.1 (2)
3. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) – Poland Open No.2 (3)
4. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Euro Games No.1 (4)
5. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – Euro Games No.3 (5)
6. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.1 (6)
7. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Spanish GP No.3 (7)
8. Grace BULLEN (NOR) – Poland Open No.3 (No.9)
9. Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) – Euro U23s No.1 (7)
10. Joice SILVA (BRA) – Pan Am Games No.1 (14)
11. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Ion Corneanu No.1 (12)
12. BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) – Poland Open No.1 (nr)
13. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (15)
14. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Poland Open No.3 (11)
15. Tatyana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) – Euro Games No.2 (10)
16. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (16)
17. Tatyana OMELCHENKO (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (10)
18. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (19)
19. Yaquelin ESTORNELL (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.2 (nr)
20. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) – Pan Am Games No.3 (20)

60kg – Oksana HERHEL (UKR) edged world champion SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL), 7-6, in the quarterfinals at the Poland Open on her way the silver medal and a bump to No.3 in the rankings.

1. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Euro Games No.3 (1)
2. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Euro Games No.2 (2)
3. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – Poland Open No.2 (5)
4. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – World No.1 (3)
5. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Euro U23s No.1 (4)
6. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (10)
7. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – World No.2 (9)
8. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – German GP No.3 (8)
9. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Klippan No.2 (7)
10. Natalya GOLTS (RUS) – Russian Open No.1 (6)
11. Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) – Euro U23s No.3 (13)
12. Jennifer PAGE (USA) – Pan America No.1 (16)
13. Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (12)
14. Veronika IVANOVA (BLR) – Euro Games No.3 (17)
15. Kanako MURATA (JPN) – Asia No.2 (11)
16. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – German GP No.2 (15)
17. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Euro U23s No.3 (19)
18. Giedre BLEKAITYTE (LTU) – German GP No.3 (18)
19. Rim AYARI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (20)
20. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) – Ion Corneanu No.1 (nr)

63kg – Braxton STONE (CAN) rallied past two-time Olympic Games bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) in the semifinals and stopped defending champion Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) for the Pan American Games title to spring to No.10 in the rankings.

1. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – Euro Games No.1 (1)
2. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – World No.1 (2)
3. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Poland Open No.1 (4)
4. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Euro Games No.3 (3)
5. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) – Medved Prizes No.1 (6)
6. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) – Asia No.1 (7)
7. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – Spanish GP No.1 (10)
8. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (5)
9. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – German GP No.2 (8)
10. Braxton STONE (CAN) – Pan Am Games No.1 (17)
11. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.2 (13)
12. Nadeshda MUSHKA (AZE) – Poland Open No.2 (18@69)
13. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (14)
14. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (9)
15. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – Poland Open No.3 (15)
16. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (11)
17. Andrea SIMON (ROU) – Euro Games No.5 (12)
18. Erin CLODGO (USA) – Pan Am Games No.3 (19)
19. Dalma CANEVA (ITA) – Dan Kolov No.3 (16)
20. Ragneta GURBANZADE (AZE) – Euro Jrs No.3 (nr)

69kg – Asia champion ZHOU Feng (CHN), unbeaten since last September’s world championships, edged world runner-up Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) on her way to the Grand Prix of Spain title as she joins the light heavyweight rankings at No.2.

1. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – German GP No.1 (1)
2. ZHOU, Feng (CHN) – Asia No.1 (2@75)
3. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Euro Games No.1 (2)
4. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Poland Open No.1 (10)
5. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Pan Am Games No.1 (12)
6. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – Euro Games No.3 (6)
7. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – Spanish GP No.3 (6)
8. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (4)
9. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) – Euro Games No.2 (9)
10. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – German GP No.2 (8)
11. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) – Medved Prizes No.3 (2)
12. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – World No.2 (11)
13. Leah FERGUSON (CAN) – Spanish GP No.3 (14)
14. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) – Poland Open No.2 (nr)
15. Anna SCHELL (GER) – German GP No.3 (15)
16. Yudaris RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (16)
17. Maria VRYONI (GRE) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
18. Maria ACOSTA (VEN) – Pan Am Games No.2 (nr)
19. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (19)
20. JEONG Eun-Sun (KOR)

75kg – Justina DISTACIO (CAN), only seconds away from defeating world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) in the Pan American Games gold medal final, got turned just before the bell and had to settle for the silver medal. The effort, however, earned Distacio No.5 in the rankings.
 
1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – German GP No.1 (3)
3. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Euro Games No.2 (4)
4. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Euro Games No.1 (5)
5. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – Pan Am Games No.2 (11)
6. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. ZHOU Qian (CHN) – Asia No.3 (7)
8. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – Pan Am Games No.3 (8)
9. Epp MAE (EST) – Poland Open No.2 (9)
10. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (10)
11. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) – Ion Corneanu No.1 (13)
12. Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.3 (12)
13. Maider UNDA (ESP) – Euro Games No.3 (14)
14. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) – Poland Open No.1 (15)
15. Daria OSOCKA (POL) – Poland Open No.3 (nr)
16. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Spanish GP No.2 (nr)
17. Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (14)
18. Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (16)
19. Andrea OLAYA GUTEIERREZ (COL) – Pan America No.3 (18)
20. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Asia No.2 (19)