#BuchaWrestU23

Japan Snags Three Champions in Final Day of #BuchaWrestU23 Women’s Action

Friday, November 16, 2018 - 21:19 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – Japan won three more World titles in women’s freestyle on Friday night at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, to win the team title with 188 points.

Winning for Japan tonight was Momoka KADOYA at 53 kg, Yukako KUWAI at 62 kg and Ayana GEMPEI at 65 kg, bringing Japan’s gold-medal total to five in women’s freestyle.

It was an emotional ending at 53 kg as it appeared that Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) won 5-4 with a late takedown. However, Kadoya’s corner challenged and won, giving Japan its third World champion of the week with a 4-3 decision.

Making her second World finals in less than a month, 2018 Senior World runner-up Yukako KAWAI (JPN) defeated Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the 62 kg gold bout with a dominant 14-3 performance.

The final champion from Japan came at 65 kg as Gempei won her second-consecutive U23 World title. To earn gold, Gempei put up a decisive 7-3 decision against two-time Junior World bronze medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE).

Photo of Buse TOSUN (TUR) by Martin Gabor. 

The other two golds up for grabs tonight went to Canada and Turkey.

At 57 kg, Alexandria TOWN (CAN) stopped Japan from another gold medal, defeating 2018 Junior Asian champion Akie HANAI (JPN) with a 7-4 win.

To close out the night, 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Buse TOSUN (TUR) finished off fast 10-0 technical fall over host country’s Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), ending the bout in 1:35.

This is Tosun’s third World medal as she also has a 2013 Junior World silver medal.

Finishing behind Japan in the team race was Russia in second with 113 points and China in third with 106 points.

The 2018 U23 World Championships continue tomorrow with men’s freestyle action.

Finals results

53 kg
GOLD - Momoka KADOYA (JPN) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE - Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), fall
BRONZE - Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 5-3

57 kg
GOLD - Alexandria TOWN (CAN) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 7-4
BRONZE - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 11-3
BRONZE - Alexandra ANDREEVA (RUS) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN), 2-1

62 kg
GOLD - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 14-3
BRONZE - Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), 6-3
BRONZE - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), 4-2

65 kg
GOLD - Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 7-3
BRONZE - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), fall
BRONZE - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 10-0

72 kg
GOLD - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE - Xiaoqian WANG (CHN) df. Nomin Erdene PURVEE (MGL), 8-3
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Naina NAINA (IND), fall

Team scores      
1. Japan – 188
2. Russia – 113
3. China – 106
4. Ukraine – 81
5. USA – 76

#BuchaWrestU23

China and Japan Each Advance Four Women to #BuchaWrestU23 Semifinals

Wednesday, November 14, 2018 - 14:17 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Miho IGARASHI (JPN) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – The first batch of women’s freestyle semifinals are set for the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, highlighted by four wrestlers from China and four from Japan.

There are no semifinal head-to-head matchups between the two nations.

For Japan, the four semifinalists include Miho IGARASHI at 50 kg, Saki IGARASHI at 55 kg, Yuzuru KUMANO at 59 kg and Miwa MORIKAWA at 68 kg.

Wrestling tonight for China is Junling OUYANG at 55 kg, Ningning RONG, Chuying TANG at 68 kg and Paliha PALIHA at 76 kg.

2017 U23 World champion Miho Igarashi advanced to the semis at 50 kg, where she will take on two-time age-group World bronze medalist Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU). Miho seeks her fifth World title as she is also a two-time Junior World champion and a 2014 Cadet World champion.

The other semifinal at 50 kg features 2011 Cadet World champion and two-time World silver medalist Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) and Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL).

Photo of Junling OUYANG (CHN) by Martin Gabor. 

At 55 kg, the other Igarashi, Saki, will take on 2016 Junior World bronze medalist and 2014 Cadet World bronze winner Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER). Saki was this year’s 2018 Junior World champion and claimed Cadet World silver in 2015.

On the other side of the bracket, it’s China’s Ouyang against Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ), who is a two-time Junior World medal winner.

Photo of Grace BULLEN (NOR) by Martin Gabor. 

World champions Rong of China and Kumano of Japan are on opposite sides of the 59 kg bracket.

Rong, who won the 2018 Senior World title at 57 kg two weeks ago, will battle two-time Cadet World champion and two-time Junior World medalist Olena KREMZER (UKR), while the reigning U23 World champion Kumano will face Youth Olympic Games champion and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR).

Photo of Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) by Martin Gabor.

The last weight that features wrestlers from both China and Japan is at 68 kg.

2018 Junior World bronze medalist Morikawa will have to go through Khishigmaa MUNKHBAT (MGL) to earn a spot in the finals. Most recently, Munkhbat was 10th at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial.

Tang of China took seventh at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last month. In order to guarantee a spot on the podium, Tang must make her way past Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB), who is a 2017 U23 World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist.

At 76 kg, Paliha will face 2015 Junior World bronze winner Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ). On the other side, 2017 U23 World finalist Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN) will go head-to-head with Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR).

Semifinals will begin Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinal matchups

50 kg
Miho IGARASHI (JPN) vs. Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) vs. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)

55 kg
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) vs. Junling OUYANG (CHN)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER) vs. Saki IGARASHI (JPN)

59 kg
Ningning RONG (CHN) vs. Olena KREMZER (UKR)
Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) vs. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)

68 kg
Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Khishigmaa MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Chuying TANG (CHN) vs. Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)

76 kg
Paliha PALIHA (CHN) vs. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) vs. Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN)