Women's World Cup

Japan Edges China for World Cup Gold

Saturday, December 2, 2017 - 19:42 By Eric Olanowski

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CHEBOKSARY, Russia (December 2) - The 2017 Women’s World Cup championship session wrapped up this morning. After two days of exciting action, it was Japan winning the gold medal bout, Mongolia taking home the bonze, host nation Russia placing fifth, and Azerbaijan taking seventh.  

The gold medal bout between Japan and China was kicked off with 2017 world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) taking on Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN). Sun’s crotch lift gave her the 2-2 lead on criteria as time expired. After Japan challenged the call, two points were awarded to Susaki and she was victorious 4-2.

SUN Yanan (CHN) argues a last-second call in her match with 2017 world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN). Susaki won 4-2.

At 53kg, world champion Mayu MUKAIDA’s two takedowns in the first period were enough to hold on to the 4-0 win over PANG Qianyu (CHN).

RONG Ninging (CHN) gave China their first victory of the finals as she defeated Momoka KADOYA (JPN), 4-3.

Akie HANAI (JPN) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) picked back-to-back wins, including a fall at 60kg by Kawai which gave Japan the commanding 4-1 lead.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) looks to finish a shot before picking up a fall in the Wome's World Cup finals. 

After leading 1-0 at the end of the first period, LUO Xiaojua's (CHN) six points in the second period solidified her the 7-1 victory at 63kg. This helped cut Japan’s lead to within two with only two matches remaining. 

ZHOU Feng (CHN) broke the 1-1 with Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) halfway through the second period with a takedown and gut wrench, giving her the the 5-1 lead. After a Morikawa step out and another takedown, Zhou won the match 8-1.

At 75kg, it was ZHOU Qian (CHN) who picked up the win via injury default after Masako FURUICHI (JPN) was unable to compete due to an apparent shoulder injury.

This left the dual tied 4-4, but it was Japan’s 17 classification points to China’s 16 that gave them victory in the gold medal match.

ZHOU Qian (CHN) shows excitment after Masako FURUICHI (JPN) was no longer able to compete due to a shoulder injury.

In the bronze medal bout, after dropping the first match, Mongolia went on to win three straight and five of the final seven bouts to defeated the United States. It was S. ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) at 55kg who sparked the Mongolian’s with a fall after being down 8-0 to USA Sarah HILDEBRANDT.

In the fifth place match, Russia and Ukraine traded a pair of wins and were tied after the first four matches. It was Yulia PRONTSEVITCH ​​​​​​(RUS) who broke the tie with a 1-0 victory over Sofiia BODNAR (UKR). From there, Russia took control of the match, winning two of the final three matches. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA’S (RUS) 10-2 victory over Alla BELINSKA (UKR) gave Russia the 5-2 lead heading into 75kg, which ultimately sealed the fifth place bout for the host nation.

Yulia PRONTSEVITCH ​​​​​​(RUS) looks to finish a double leg in the fifth place bout.

Azerbaijan controlled the seventh place bout, winning six of the eight matches. Aside from the forfeit that Denise Sabina MAKOTA STROE picked up at 75kg, Sweden’s lone win came from Emma Siri Linnea BROCECK at 53kg.

RESULTS

Championship Final: Japan df. China, 4-4
48 kg Y. SUSAKI  (JPN) df. Y. SUN (CHN), 4-2
53 kg M. MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Q. PANG (CHN),4-0
55 kg N. RONG. (CHN) df. M. KADOYA  (JPN), 4-3
58 kg HANAI A. (JPN) df. Y. SUN (CHN), 6-2
60 kg Y. KAWAI  (JPN) df. X. CHEN (CHN), via FALL (2:07)
63 kg X. LUO (CHN) df. Y. ITO (JPN), 7-269 kg F. ZHOU (CHN) df. M. MORIKAWA (JPN), 8-1
75 kg Q. ZHOU Q. (CHN) df. M. FURUICHI (JPN), via INJ DEF

Third-Place: Mongolia df. United States, 5-3
48 kg V. ANTHONY  (USA) df. C. BUYANDALAI  (MGL), via FALL
53 kg O. GANBAATAR df. (MGL) H. AUGELLO (USA), 11-6
55 kg S. ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. S. HILDEBRANDT (USA), FALL
58 kg  B. ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. K. MIRACLE (USA), 6-1
60 kg A. RAGAN (USA) df. G. ENKHBAT (MGL), 4-4
63 kg O. PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. M. VELTE (USA), via FALL
69 kg B. SORONZONBOID  (MGL) df. T. MENSAH (USA), 8-7.
75 kg GRAY A. (USA) df. U. GAN OCHIR (MGL), via FALL.

Fifth-Place: Russia df. Ukraine, 5-3
48 kg I. SEMKIV (UKR) df. CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS), via FALL
53 kg S. ORSHUSH (RUS) df. O. SHNAIDER (UKR), 12-1
55 kg M. GUROVA (RUS) vs O. KREMZER (UKR), 8-2
58 kg I. CHYKHRADZE (UKR) df. K. MURTUZALIEVA (RUS), 10-0
60 kg Y. PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) df. S. BODNAR (UKR), 1-0
63 kg A. FOMENKO (RUS) df. I. KOLIADENKO (UKR), 2-2
69 kg A. BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. A. BELINSKA (UKR), 10-2
75 kg A. SHUSTOVA (UKR) df. J. MAKSIMOVA (RUS),10-2

Seventh-Place: Azerbaijan df. Sweden, 6-2
48 kg T. NASIROVA (AZE) df. M.  LJUNGSTROEM (SWE), 10-0
53 kg E. BROBECK (SWE)  df. S. QAMZOCLZADE S. (AZE), 7-4
55 kg S. HASHIMZADA (AZE) df. S. PETER (SWE) , 4-3
58 kg A. KOLESNIK (AZE) df. E. NILSSON (SWE), 6-4
60 kg T. OMELCHENKO (AZE) df. X X (SWE), via FORFEIT
63 kg E. GAMBAROVA (AZE) df. M. NYGREN (SWE), 5-4
69 kg E. MANOLOVA (AZE), A. SANDAHL (SWE), 3-2
75 kg D.  MAKOTA STROE (SWE) v. G. ZUTOVA (AZE), via FORFEIT

 

 

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Tazhudinov Shows No Rust on His Way to Gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 21:32 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) --  Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) gave an early preview to what to expect from him at the World Championships in September.

The Paris Olympic champion won the gold medal in the 97kg weight class at the Budapest Ranking Series, outscoring his opponents 44-2 in four bouts and never appearing in trouble on the mat.

"I feel very good," Tazhudinov said. "I'm very happy to be back on the mat. It’s been almost a year I haven’t been competing  and it’s such a pleasure for us when you come back and win a gold medal."

The final Ranking Series event of the season kicked off in Budapest on Thursday with several familiar names winning gold medals. Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN), world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) and SUJEET (IND) were among the gold medalists on day one.

But none were as dominant as Tazhudinov.

The Bahrain star returned to competition for the first time since Paris Olympics competing last week in Madrid, where he won gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. In Budapest, he followed it up with another flawless run, claiming his second gold medal in as many weeks.

"Overall I’m satisfied with my performance. I would say I’m not yet in full form, so I’m pleased with how I did. I’ll reach 100% form by the World Championships," he said.

Wrestling in just his third career Ranking Series, Tazhudinov capped the day with an 11-0 technical superiority win over veteran Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) in the final.

He opened the tournament with a 14-2 win over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), who clearly looked smaller for the weight class and had trouble matching Tazhudinov in every aspect of the game.

Tazhudinov hit a big double-leg attack for four points but Viskhanov got two points for exposure. But that was only opening Tazhudinov allowed for the rest of the bout. Viskhanov tried a few leg attacks but Tazhudinov scored a takedown and two turns to be up 10-2 before an arm-bar attempt turned into takedown for his win.

In the quarterfinals, Tazhudinov needed just one minute to defeat Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW). In the semifinals, he dispatched Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in 1:48, winning 10-0.

Despite the dominant performance in Budapest, Tazhudinov admitted the World Championships would present a tougher challenge. He’s expected to defend his 97kg world title in Zagreb.

"We’ll have two training camps leading up to the World Championships, and I think after those camps I’ll be fully ready," he said. "There will be very strong, tough opponents. So I’ll prepare thoroughly and focus on performing even better."