#WrestleSofia

Japan, China, Russia and USA Put Multiple Wrestlers in Women's Finals at #WrestleSofia

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - 19:52 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Ruka NATAMI (JPN).

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Four nations put multiple finalists into the first set of women’s freestyle gold-medal matches at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Leading the way is Japan with three finalists, followed by China, Russia and USA, which each pushed two into the gold bout. India also advanced an athlete to the finals.

Japan will go head-to-head with USA in two matches tomorrow night.

At 49 kg, 2018 U15 Cadet Asian champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) will do battle against Cristelle RODRGIUEZ (USA).

In the semifinals, Kiyooka edged out 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist Xaomin XIE (CHN), 9-9, and Rodriguez pinned Yung Hsun LIN (TPE) in the first 20 seconds.

For the championship at 57 kg, 2018 Cadet Asian silver medalist Ruka NATAMI (JPN) will go against Skylar HATTENDORF (USA).

Both dominated their semifinals matches to advance to the finals. Natami collected a 9-0 win over 2019 Cadet Asian silver medalist Yifan TANG (CHN), while Hattendorf, like her American teammate, picked up a first-period fall over 2019 Cadet European bronze winner Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE).

Photo of Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS).

Japan will also be represented in the final at 43 kg as Nagisa HARADA (JPN) overpowered Nazik MIRLAN KYZY (KGZ) in the semifinals, 11-0.

For gold, Harada must go through reigning 2018 Cadet World champion and 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS).

Bekbaulova put together an impressive performance on the first day, outscoring her opponents 18-0 in her two matches.

The other Russian representative in the finals is 2019 Cadet European champion Olga KOZYREVA (RUS), who will face off another continental gold medalist, 2019 Cadet Asian champion Yifeng LU (CHN).

Lu dominated the returning World silver medalist Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) in the semifinals, scoring two big throws for a 12-2 technical superiority.

Joining Lu in the gold medal match for China is Binbin XIANG (CHN), who had no issues taking out 2019 Cadet European silver medalist Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) in the 65 kg semifinals, 5-0.

In order to get on top of the podium, Xiang will battle Sonam SONAM (IND), 2017 Cadet World champion and 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist.

Sonam blanked 2019 Cadet European champion Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS) with a 4-0 victory.

The finals will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups
43 kg: Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) vs. Nagisa HARADA (JPN)
49 kg: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)
57 kg: Skylar HATTENDORF (USA) vs. Ruka NATAMI (JPN)
65 kg: Sonam SONAM (IND) vs. Binbin XIANG (CHN)
73 kg: Yifeng LU (CHN) vs. Olga KOZYREVA (RUS)

#WrestleSofia

LIVE BLOG: World Olympic Qualifier, Day Three

Saturday, May 8, 2021 - 06:55 By United World Wrestling Press

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Wrestling enters day three in Sofia with Greco-Roman action and 12 Olympic spots on offer at the World Olympic Qualifier on Saturday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

14:47: The quarterfinals are getting started. See the below tweet for the upcoming match order.

SEMIFINALS (As they come in):

60kg
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) vs. Victor CIOBANU (MDA) 
Winner 423 vs. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) 

67kg 
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) vs. Winner 422 
Winner 421 vs. Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) 

77kg
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) vs. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) 
Viktor NEMES (SRB) vs. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) 

87kg
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs. Kristoffer BERG (SWE) 
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) vs. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) 

97kg
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) vs. Artur OMAROV (CZE) 
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) vs. Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) 

130kg
Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) vs. Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) 
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) vs. Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) 

3:37: Two-time world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) will make his tournament debut in two matches on Mat C. He'll wrestle two-time Pan-American champion Luis AVENDANO (VEN).  

13:19: I was going to say world silver medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) is wrestling on Mat A, but before I could press send, he picked up the 8-0 shutout win over Gurpreet SINGH (IND). He'll take on Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG) in the quarterfinals.

13 10: We'll see Rio Olympic champion Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) for the first time in two matches. He'll take on Asian champion Kumar SUNIL (IND) in Bout 360 on Mat B.

12:44: World champion Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA) is making his way to Mat A. He'll square off against Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR). #WrestleSofia

12:25: Norweigan European champion Felix BALDAUF will wrestle Seungjun KIM (KOR) in four matches on Mat A. 

12:07: Rio Olympic bronze medalist Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) is wrestling on Mat B.

11:35: World champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) is wrestling Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) on Mat A.

11:24: Four-time world medalist Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) picked up a 5-3 opening-round win over Anthony PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN). The Kazakh two-time Olympian led 5-0 but surrendered three unanswered points and hung on to the two-point victory.

11:01: Datunashvili needed a little over two minutes to score the 9-0 win over Kim.

11:00: Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) picked up a big one-point win over two-time European champion  Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) and moved into the 1/8 finals. He'll wrestle  Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE) next.

10:35: Reigning European champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) is coming up next on Mat A. He's wrestling Korea's KIM Jinhyeok.

10:25: Viktor NEMES (SRB) is making his way to Mat B to take on Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)

10:00: Whistles are off in Sofia! 12 Olympic spots are on the line on Saturday.