Women's World Cup

Host Japan Favored at Women's World Cup

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 - 17:45 By Ken Marantz

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For world and Olympic champion Risako KAWAI, the upcoming Women's World Cup not only gives her a chance to help host Japan win a fourth consecutive title but share the experience with her sister Yukako KAWAI.

"I went to the world championships with my sister, but she didn't do well. This time, we want to do well together," Kawai said at a press conference last month to announce the Japanese team, which will be the prohibitive favorite in the tournament in Takasaki, about 100 kilometers northwest of Tokyo.

Risako, who won the Rio 2016 Olympic gold at 63kg and Paris 2017 world title at 60kg, captured her third straight Japan crown in the newly created 62kg class. Earlier, Yukako earned her first national title at 59kg, making the two the first sisters to win golds at the same Japan championships since Chiharu and Kaori ICHO in 2007.

Risako said she likes the rare chance to compete for a team in what is generally an individual sport.

"When you win as a team, you're twice as happy," she said. "If you lose, but the team wins, it helps make it easier to take. That's the appeal."

For a few on the Japan team, it will not only be a team event, but a family affair. In addition to the Kawais, there are two other pairs of sisters who will take the mat.

2018 Asian champion Saki IGARASHI. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Newly crowned Asian champion Saki IGARASHI (55kg) made the team along with older sister Miho IGARASHI (50kg), while the upper weights include high school twins Naruha MATSUYUKI (72kg) and Yasuha MATSUYUKI (76kg).

While they will all likely see action sometime during the preliminary group stage, for the major matches, Japan will rely on its big guns that, along with Risako Kawai, include Paris 2017 champions Haruna OKUNO (53kg) and Sara DOSHO (68kg, also a Rio 2016 gold medalist), runner-up Mayu MUKAIDA (55kg) and bronze medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (76kg).

Attesting to Japan's depth in the lightweights is the fact that world champion Yui SUSAKI did not make the team, as she lost in the semifinals at the national championships at 50kg to eventual winner Yuki IRIE. Only the top two finishers in each weight class made the cut.

Due to a scheduling quirk, it was just three months ago in Cheboksary, Russia, that Japan won its three straight World Cup and ninth out of 16 since the competition started in 2001. Japan captured the title despite sending a weaker team that just barely beat the United States in the group stage, then eked out a victory over China in the final.

"In Russia, we sent our No. 2 wrestlers and only barely beat China," Japan Wrestling Federation managing director Hideaki TOMIYAMA said. "This time, we are the home team.  But now there are 10 weight classes, so we can't say what's going to happen."

This year, Japan was once again grouped with the United States, with Canada and Sweden filling out the other spots in Pool A. Pool B consists of China, Mongolia, Belarus and Romania.

Three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA). 

According to preliminary reports, the United States, which won its lone title in 2003 in Tokyo, will field a strong team led by three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (76kg). Also on the team are Paris 2017 world silver medalist Alli RAGAN (57kg) and bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (55kg), and two-time junior world champion Victoria ANTHONY (50kg).

U.S. national team coach Terry Steiner says that when the U.S. faces Japan in the competition is irrelevant, as winning the championship is the only consideration.

“Japan has been the team to beat," Steiner told the USA Wrestling website. "They have set the standard in the sport.

 "We just need to be ready to compete....We are not going to Japan to be a part of the mix; we are going to Japan to come out of there with a World Cup title and be the best we can be. We have to focus on ourselves and what we need to do as we prepare ourselves to go in there with the best results possible.”

The Canadian team features Paris 2017 world bronze medalists Michelle FAZZARI (62kg) and Justina DI STASIO (76kg), who are also among five winners from the 2017 Pan American Championships on the squad.

 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (SWE). Photo ​​​​​by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Sweden, which was added to the field when Turkey withdrew, will be led by former world champion and Rio 2016 bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (72kg), but otherwise is expected to send a young team.

The other group is expected to be a shootout between China, which won the last of its six titles in 2013, and Mongolia, the third-place finisher in the past two World Cups.

At the recent Asian Championships in Bishkek, to which Japan sent a mainly second-string team, the Chinese women came away with five golds, one silver and a bronze. Four of those champions are slated to make the trip to Takasaki---PEI Xingru (57kg), RONG Ningning (59kg), ZHOU Feng (68kg) and ZHOU Qian (76kg).

SUN Yanan (CHN) competing against Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the 2017 Women's World Cup. 

Add to that group Rio 2016 bronze medalist SUN Yanan (50kg), Bishkek 2018 silver medalist LUO Xiaojuan and Paris 2017 bronze medalist HAN Yue (72kg), and you have quite a formidable lineup.

Mongolia, the runner-up to China when it hosted the event in 2013, will aim for a place in the final behind world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (62kg), who added the Asian gold in Bishkek, and Asian runner-up Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (68kg). 

Purevdorj holds the unique distinction of having handed a rare loss on four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO, a technical fall victory in the final at the 2016 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.

Belarus, making its first appearance since 2013, will field three world medalists, but it remains to be seen if the European side has the depth to overcome the Asians.

2017 world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR). 

Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (53kg) is well known to Japanese wrestling fans, as her miracle comeback for an 8-6 win in the final in Paris denied Japan's Mukaida a world title. Five years earlier, she stunned future Olympic and world champion Eri TOSAKA in the 48kg final.

Joining Kaladzinskaya will be Paris 2017 bronze medalist Irina KURACHKINA (55kg) and silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (76kg).

Romania, making its World Cup debut, features Paris 2017 silver medalist Alina VUC (50kg).

For Japan's Kawai, who has not lost an international match since 2015 (a loss in the world 63kg final to Mongolia's Battsegseg SORONZOBOLD, who is slated to wrestle at 57kg in Takasaki), the tournament is also serving as a stepping stone toward defense of her Olympic title at Tokyo 2020.

"It's my first World Cup with a new weight class [for me] and the new system for weigh-in," Kawai said. "Aiming to win our fourth title in a row, I want each one of us to feel the responsibility so that it becomes a building block toward the Tokyo Olympics."

SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 17 (Local Time)
9:00 am: Canada v. United States (Mat A) // Mongolia v. China (Mat B)
10:15 am: Japan v. Sweden  (Mat A) // Belarus  v. Romania (Mat B)
11:30 am: Sweden v. United States  (Mat A) // Romania v. China (Mat B)
12:45 pm: Japan v. Canada (Mat A) // Belarus  v. Mongolia (Mat B)
4:30 pm: Opening Ceremonies
5:00 pm: Sweden v. Canada (Mat A) // Romania v. Belarus  (Mat B)
6:15 pm: Japan v. United States (Mat A) // Belarus v. China (Mat B)

Sunday, March 18 (Local Time)
9:00 am: Seventh Place Match
10:30 am: Fifth Place Match
1:00 pm: Bronze Medal Match
2:30 pm: Gold Medal Match

#WrestleIstanbul

World Olympic Qualifier Women's Wrestling Bouts Set

Friday, May 10, 2024 - 07:16 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 10) -- The World Olympic Qualifier enters day two with women's wrestling in six weight classes. 12 Paris Olympic spots are on offer in six weight classes by the end of the day. The repechage in Greco-Roman and bronze medal bouts will also happen today.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

 

16:27: Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN) closes the session with a 2-2 last-point victory over Francy RAEDELT (GER) at 76kg. Zimiankova is on the activity clock for a second time and just as it runs out to put her behind, she scores a stepout to take a 2-2 lead on criteria. We will see her later tonight in a clash with Catalina AXENTE (ROU).

16:17: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) defeats Enrica RINALDI (ITA) 4-0 at 76kg to earn a clash with Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) in tonight's qualification match.

16:12: Nesrin BAS (TUR) thrills the home crowd by pulling off a nail-biting 4-4 victory over Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) at 62kg. A first-period takedown gives Bas a 2-1 lead going into the break, but Lindborg goes ahead with a takedown to open the second. Bas is not deterred and goes on the attack, getting in a on single and fighting out of Lindborg's fierce whizzer to complete the takedown to go up 4-3 with 1:02 to go. Lindborg gets a stepout with :03 left, but it's not enough and Bas screams out in delight. She will face Astrid MONTERO (VEN) for the ticket to Paris.

15:56: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) likes to go right to work off the whistle, and  Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT) will tell you better be ready. Anghel, who scored a 4-point takedown in the early seconds of the first period, comes storming out in the second with a driving takedown to the back and scores a fall over Zeidlere to advance to the qualification match at 68kg.

15:56: Asian Games bronze medalist Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) snatches a victory from the jaws of defeat when she comes back from six points down to score a fall over Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) 57kg. Sanz looked to be well on her way to the qualification match when she opened with a 4-point takedown in the first period, then adds another takedown in the second. But when Sanz shoots for a double-leg, Sobirova hits a hard whizzer, pulls in the far arm and puts Sanz on her back. The outcome had seemed even more unlikely when Sobirova appeared to twist her right knee late in the first period and took a timeout for treatment.

15:47: Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) uses a combination of muscle and finesse to chalk up a 10-4 victory over home favorite Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) at 57kg and move one win away from Paris. Akobiia gains four points during a second-period scramble that begins with her counter to a seemingly sure takedown

15:45: Entertaining 68kg quarterfinal between Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and NISHA (IND). Hanzlickova almost got the pin in the first period but Nisha managed to keep her one shoulder up. She scored two counters to take a 6-3 lead but Hanzlickova managed to hit a head lock which scored one as Nisha had stepout first. Hanzlickova challenges asking for four points but to no avail and Nisha will wrestle for a spot for the Paris Olympics.

15:30: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) chalks up an impressive 6-1 victory over three-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) to make the qualification match at 53kg. Batkhuyag fights off a whizzer for a takedown, then scores a stepout with a fleeing point tacked on to lead 4-1 at the break. In the second period, Batkhuyag shucks Prevolaraki by for another takedown, then keeps the Greek from ever launching an effective attack. She will face Yetgil for the Olympic spot.

15:21: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) scores all of her points in a quick span of the first period and moves one win away from an Olympic berth at 53kg by beating Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) 7-0. With Wrzesien on the activity clock, Yetgil spins behind for a takedown and immediately locks an arm, then adds a pair of rolls. 

15:20: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) is so brutal! She manages to throw Viyaleta CHYRYK (AIN) for a five in her 11-0 win in just under three minutes to win 11-0 at 50kg

15:10: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), a double Asian bronze medalist at 72kg, handles the extra weight and two-time Olympian and world medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) with a 6-1 win at 76kg. After receiving an activity point, Enkh Amar stops a lateral drop attempt for 2 to go up 3-0. In the second period, Enkh Amar gains a takedown at the edge, with an additional point for an unsuccessful challenge added on.

15:03: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) advances to the qualification match at 53kg with a tough 9-7 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Dragutan trails 4-2 going into the second period but goes ahead with a low-single takedown, a driving takedown to the back, and an exposure.

14:47: In perhaps a sign of a changing of the guard, Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) scores a takedown in each period and knocks off the venerable Epp MAE (EST) 4-1 at 76kg.

14:44: A slimmed down Nesrin BAS (TUR) continues to thrill the home crowd, getting a pair of first-period takedowns in a 6-4 victory over Natalia KUBATY (POL) at 62kg. Bas won the European gold at 72kg, then moved down to the only weight class available to her because Turkiye had already qualified at 68kg and 76kg.

14:29: Four-time European medalist Kriszta INCZE (ROU) uses an inner thigh block for a 4-point takedown that puts her in position for a victory by fall at 62kg over Nachi MASUDA (AUS), a rare example of a native Japanese who switched nationality.

14:12: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) follows a 4-point whizzer throw by hitting Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) with a headlock throw for a fall at 68kg. Shalygina, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time world medalist, famously returned to the sport in 2022 from a 10-year absence.

14:27: Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) was leading 5-0 before she pins Lais NUNES (BRA) in the 68kg 1/8 finals. Sweden is looking for its second Paris spot in women's wrestling. The one it has is at 53kg.

14:12: Three-time European bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) advances at 68kg with a victory by fall at Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE). Hanzlickova is looking to get back to the Olympics after appearing at Rio 2016.

14:10:  Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) continues to establish herself as one to beat at 57kg, staying constantly on the attack and using a lightning-quick single leg to defeat Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) 15-4. Sanz builds up a 13-4 lead in the first period, then finishes it off with a takedown 20 seconds into the second.

14:03: Two-time Olympian Feng ZHOU (CHN) needs just 27 seconds to take down Ohyoung HA (KOR) and secure a fall at 68kg.

14:00: Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) gets the takedown, then it's four quick rolls and she's a 10-0 winner in 27 seconds over Ester ABRAHAM (NAM) at 57kg.

13:59: Two-time European champion Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) stays on track for her first Olympic appearance at 57kg, building up a 7-0 lead before securing a fall over  Graciela SANCHEZ (ESP).

13:49: Miesinnei Mercy GENESIS (NGR) hangs on for an impressive 3-0 victory over 2022 world bronze medalist Anna LUKASIAK (POL) to advance at 50kg.

13:46: Superstar Mariya STADNIK (AZE), coming off a stunning loss at the European Olympic Qualifier as she shoots for an unprecedented fifth Olympic medal, starts with a one-sided 10-0 win over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) at 50kg.

13:43: Veteran two-time world bronze medalist Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) prevails for a nail-biting 6-5 victory at 53kg over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) that featured two challenges in the final 15 seconds. Both challenges came when Prevolaraki used a counter lift roll off a Godinez takedown attempt, and both resulted in each wrestler getting 2 points--which gave a relieved Prevolararki the win as she aims to appear in a third straight Olympics.

13:27: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) scrapes by at 53kg with a 3-2 victory over Annika WENDLE (GER) that ended in a bit of chaos. Yetgil was leading 2-1 from a first-period takedown when Wendle launched a late takedown attempt that was interrupted by the mat chairman throwing the stuffed animal into the ring to get the mat referee's attention. The action was stopped before Wendle could be awarded points. The German side challenged, and when it was sorted out, Yetgil was assessed a 1-point penalty for grabbing fingers, and received a point for the lost challenge. The clock was reset to 10 seconds, but Wendle's last-ditch front headlock throw came just too late.

13:16: Tokyo Olympian Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) gets past Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) with a fall at 53kg with 25 seconds left. Wrzesien takes a 5-0 lead into the second period, when she scores a takedown to the back before securing the fall.  She will face the winner of Annika WENDLE(GER)-Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) currently underway on the adjacent mat.

12:59: In a clash of wrestlers who recently won bronze medals at 55kg at their respective continental championships, Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) pours it on in the second period and advances at 53kg with an 11-1 win over Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ). Down 1-0 going into the second period and with Kadyrbek Kyzy on the activity clock, Dragutan scores a counter takedown and gut wrench, then gets another takedown which she tops off with two rolls.

12:41: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), moving up to the heaviest weight of 76kg after medaling at the last four European Championships at either 68kg or 72kg, wins a barn-burner 7-5 over Martina KUENZ (AUT). Yaneva falls behind on criteria 3-3 when she gives up a stepout with 56 seconds left, but comes back with a 4-point takedown with :33 to go, then holds on for the win.

12:27: The randomness of the draw put two of the most decorated wrestlers in the tournament against each other, as Epp MAE (EST) and Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) meet in the first round at 76kg. Both are 32, and both are looking to appear in a third straight Olympics. It is the four-time world medalist Mae who comes out on top, getting an activity point and stepout in the second period for a 2-1 win. Syzdykova came into Istanbul after winning her eighth career Asian medal.

12:22: 72kg U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR), almost forced to go down to 62kg in a bid to be at the Olympics, begins his road to Paris with a 6-1 win over Ameline DOUARRE (FRA).

12:19: Former world 59kg champion Linda MORAIS (CAN), looking to bounce back from a stunning loss at the Pan American Qualifier, starts her quest at 68kg by putting away Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) 10-0.    

12:13: In a battle of three-time European medalists, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) gets a takedown in each period to defeat Dalma CANEVA (ITA)  5-1 at 68kg.

12:10: Tokyo Olympian Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) drops her first bout at 68kg 10-2 against Nicoll PARRADO (COL). Manolova never had similar results in the new weight class after she moved to it from 62kg

11:50: Anna LUKASIAK (POL), a 2022 world bronze medalist, advances at 50kg with a 10-0 rout of Marina KARAPANAGIOTIDOU (GRE).

11:49: Alina AKOBIIA (UKR), looking to add an Olympic medal to a world bronze and two European golds, starts her quest for Paris at 57kg with a victory by fall over In Sun JONG (PRK). With Akobiia leading 3-1 in the second period, Song gets treatment on a heavily taped right knee, then takes a shot that Akobiia counters with a cradle for 2 and apparent fall. A meeting of the judges after the action stopped would indeed confirm it was a fall.  

11:28: Son Hyang KIM (PRK), a world bronze medalist in 2017 who returned to the global stage to win a silver medal at last September's Asian Games, but suffered a close first-round loss at last month's Asian Olympic Qualifier, avoids any mistakes in a 6-0 victory over  Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA) at 50kg.

11:10: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) thrills the home crowd with a 7-0 win over Maria BAEZ (ESP) at 53kg. Turkiye has qualified for three weight classes but is looking for three more from this tournament.

11:05: In a doozy on Mat C, Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) scores a stepout with 22 seconds left to finish up a wild 18-8 win at 53kg over two-time world U20 bronze medalist Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE). 

11:03: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 55kg, begins her quest for an Olympic spot at 53kg by using a reverse pancaked to build up an 8-0 lead over Oleksandra KOGUT (AUT). Kogut fights back for a takedown and turn, but Dragutan holds on to walk off an 8-4 winner.

10:53: With the Greco repechage matches finished on Mat B, Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)  starts the women's competition with a nicely timed 4-point headlock throw against Irena BINKOVA (BUL) at 53kg. But Binkova comes back with a takedown to cut the gap. In the second period, Binkova again gets a takedown, then follows it up by bulling Ech Chabki over for a fall. 

10:00: We will start the day with Greco-Roman repechage bouts. The winners will go into the second round of repechage and then the bronze-medal bouts in the evening.