Junior World Preview

Friday, August 9, 2019 - 15:48 By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 9) --- With the lineup Japan has inserted into the Junior World Championships, you’d think they were gearing up to make a run at a team title in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, at the Senior World Championships. They are led by a pair of young guns who have not only been exposed to veteran competition -- but surpassed expectations when it comes to competing with those greats. The Japanese women’s team will follow the lead of Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN), who are both two-time reigning senior world champions that fell in their wrestle-off and won’t compete in September at the Nur-Sultan World Championships.

Okuno wrestled twice at the Cadet World Championships but skipped the junior level on her way to capturing a pair of world titles on the senior circuit. Japan’s second two-time reigning world champion Yui Susaki returns to the Junior Worlds for the second consecutive year with hopes of striking her seventh overall world title since stepping onto the international scene just five short years ago.

Last year, Susaki, who was months shy from defending her Paris world title, shocked the wrestling world by using the Junior World Championships as a tune-up tournament for the Budapest World Championships. The Japanese superstar didn’t break a sweat at junior worlds, then bulldozed the competition in Hungary and won her second consecutive senior world title -- bringing her grand total to six world golds. In total, through the junior and senior World Championships, Susaki won all eight of her matches and outscored the opposition 78-0 en route to her pair of 2018 world titles.

But this year is much different for Susaki, who failed to make Japan’s senior-level world team for the first time since she took over the weight class from 2016 Rio Olympic champion Erie TOSAKA (JPN) at the Paris World Championships. The queen of the 50kg weight class lost her starting spot in early June to her arch-nemesis Yuki IRIE (JPN) and won’t make the trip to Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, for the senior World Championships.

Though she won’t be heading to Kazakhstan, Susaki comes to Estonia heavily favored to win a 50kg weight class that lacks a returning junior world medalist but does have a pair of 2018 cadet world podium finishers in Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) and Natallia VARAKINA (BLR). Nazarova finished in second place and Varakina finished in third place at the 2018 Cadet World Championships.

Okuno, who has four world titles on her resume, lost her 53kg starting spot to Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) who was a two-time 55kg world champion but dropped down to the Olympic weight of 53kg with hopes of making a gold-medal run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Okuno doesn’t have much to worry about in the 53kg weight class as the weight lacks any returning cadet or junior world medalists.

Velieva on the Verge of Winning Fifth World Title
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) is on the verge of winning her fifth age-group world title. The two-time defending junior world champion and United World Wrestling’s 2018 Junior Female Wrestler of the Year enters the World Championships riding an undefeated streak that spans over three years. She hasn’t lost a match at the junior level since the 2016 European Championships where she finished in third place.

At her most recent Junior World Championships, Velieva bolstered her resume with a second consecutive junior world title. Her two biggest tests were expected to come in the opening round against Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) and in the finals against Macey KILTY (USA) – but she passed both of those tests with flying colors.

The Russian wrestler scored a convincing 6-2 win against Morikawa, Japan’s three-time age-group world medalist in the opening round. Then, she added a 10-0 win over Rihem AYARI (TUN) and a fall against PARK Hyeonyeong (KOR) to set up an all-star finals matchup against the then reigning cadet world champion Macey Kilty. In the finals, Velieva throttled the American, shutting her down offensively en route to an easy 7-0 shutout victory.

Velieva will again compete at 68kg, but Kilty and Morikawa have since dropped down to 65kg. Although the weight loses those two returning world medalists, it’ll be replenished with a pair other returning world medalists in ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN). Enkhsaikhan was a 2018 junior world runner-up at 65kg and Matsuyuki was last year’s junior world bronze medalist at 72kg.

Two Others Looking to Defend 2018 Women’s World Titles
Susaki and Velieva will be joined by Saki IGARASHI (JPN) and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who are also trying their hand at winning at least a second consecutive junior world title.

Igarashi is set to compete at 55kg where she’s the defending world champion. Last year in Trnava, the Japanese wrestler had four matches and finished all of them in dominant fashion. She wrapped up her first run to a world title outscoring her opponents 28-0 – which included a fall and two wins via technical superiority. Two months after winning her junior world gold, Igarashi added a U23 world title to her resume with a gold-medal performance in Bucharest, Romania.

At this year’s Junior World Championships, Igarashi’s toughest tests are expected to be BATBAATAR Enkhtsetseg (MGL) and Anna SZEL (HUN). Both are returning world bronze medalist, but Batbaatar’s bronze came at the junior level, while Szel won hers at the cadet level.

Anastasia Nichita is the fourth returning world gold medalist who’ll be looking to claim at least her second consecutive world title. Nichita, last year’s 59kg world champion, comes into Tallinn riding a 10 tournament stretch where she’s finished on the podium. And that streak doesn’t pertain to just the junior level. Nichita made her senior-level debut earlier this year in Bucharest, Romania, at the European Championships where she finished in third place. Then, she tacked on another continental bronze medal at the European Games in Minsk, Belarus.

Nichita will be joined by Sae NANJO (JPN) and Anshu ANSHU (IND) at 59kg. Nanjo is a returning junior world finalist and Anshu was last year’s cadet world bronze medalist.

Trio of World Champs Headline Freestyle Competition.
On the freestyle side of the competition, the entry list is littered with world-level talent, but it’s headlined by Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI), Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) and Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) – all of which are returning world champs.

This’ll be Foroutanrami’s first competition back down at the junior level since he won the 92kg world title a year ago. Since winning that world title, he’s made the jump up to the U23 and senior level where he’s continued to find success.

At the U23 level, Foroutanrami went 4-0 and captured an Asian title. This was his first time reaching the top of the continental podium. And at the senior level, he finished in second place at the final Ranking Series event of the year, the Sassari City Tournament. His only loss on the Italian island of Sardinia came from age-group world and continental champion Hamed Talebizarrinkamar (IRI).

Foroutanrami will wrestle at 97kg where he’s the lone returning world medalist from the cadet or junior level.

Gadzhiyev, last year’s 70kg junior world champ, will also be making his first appearance back down at the junior level since claiming gold in 2018. Since grabbing his Trnava world title, Gadzhiyev has been representing Azerbaijan at 74kg and is expected to be their world team representative at the Nur-Sultan World Championships. That is, if he’s able to defeat London Olympic champion Togurl ASGAROV (AZE) for the spot.

This season, the Azeri won the Takhti Cup and has a pair of continental top-five finishes on the senior circuit. He finished in fifth place at the European Championships but improved to a third-place finish at the European Games.

Akhmed Idrisov is the third freestyle world champion that’ll compete in Tallinn next week. Idrisov will wrestle at 57kg where he be joined by Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA). Gegelashvili was last year’s cadet world bronze medalist while Arujau was a 2016 cadet world finalist.

Kamal Chasing Third Junior World Title
The Turkish highlight reelKerem KAMAL (TUR) will be looking to throw his way to a third junior world title. Kamal, who frequents the U23 and senior scene, will be stepping back down to the junior level for the first time since winning a second consecutive junior world title last year in Slovakia. While at the junior level, Kamal has only faced defeat once and has stacked up an impressive resume filled with a Balkans and European title and a pair of world gold medals.

In addition to his success at the junior level, Kamal has also been a fixture on the U23 and senior level for Turkey’s Greco-Roman squad for the past few years. He’s ranked seventh in the world at 60kg thanks to his title-winning effort at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Grand Prix of Zagreb, and a bronze-medal finish at the European Championships. Kamal’s only loss came in Bucharest at the European Championships which was against defending world champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS).

Earlier this year, Kamal, who is the reigning U23 European champion, said that he expects to represent Turkey at the Junior, U23 and Senior World Championships.

Japan’s Kazuki YABE is Kamal’s biggest threat at stopping a three-peat. Last year, Yabe finished with a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships.

Macey KILTY (USA) is one of eight 2018 cadet world champions looking to add a junior world title to their resume. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Eight Cadet World Champions Make Leap to Junior Level
The seven reigning junior world champions will be outnumbered by 2018 cadet world champions in Estonia. There are eight cadets who won a world title last year that are competing next week. Freestyle houses four of those worlds champions, while Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling reach have a pair of reigning cadet world gold medalists.

Here are the eight cadets looking to add a junior world title to their resume:

Freestyle
65kg - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
79kg - Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO)
92kg - Ali ABDOLLAHI(IRI)
125kg - Amir ZARE (IRI)

Greco-Roman
82kg - Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
130kg - Muhammet Hamza BAKIR (TUR)

Women’s Wrestling
65kg - Macey KILTY (USA)
72kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)

SCHEDULE
Sunday (August 11)
17.00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Monday (August 12)
8.30 –Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
14.15 – Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18.00 – Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Tuesday (August 13)
8.30 – Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
10.30 – Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
14.15 – Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16.45 – Opening Ceremony
17.15 – Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18.00 – Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Wednesday (August 14)
8.30 – Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
8. 45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
10.30 – Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
13.45 – Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
17.15 – Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18.00 – Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg

Thursday (August 15)
8.30 – Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
10.30 – Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
13.45 – Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
17.15 – Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18.00 – Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (August 16)
8.30 – Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
10.30 – Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
15.15 – Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
17.15 – Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
18.00 – Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (August 17)
8.30 – Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
8.45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10.30 – Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
16.00 – Entertainment for the audience
17.15 – Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18.00 – Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Sunday (August 18)
8.30 – Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
16.00 – Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18.00 – Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
21.00 – Final banquet

#WrestleZagreb

World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 08:11 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the World Championships in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in Zagreb.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

62kg semifinals
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
SF 2: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

13:40: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) worked on five different takedowns before securing the fall over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and reach the 62kg semifinals. Motoki, the Paris Olympic champion, is cashing her first world title.

13:45: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), a world champion in 2017, with two big headlocks in her 5-1 victory over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). She returns to the World Championships semifinals to face Olympic champion Motoki.

13:42: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) not only advances to the 62kg semifinals, she avenges her loss in the final of this year's Asian Championships MANISHA (IND) with a solid 8-0 victory. Kim accumulates all of her points in the first period, topping each of her two takedowns with a 2-point roll or exposure.

13:37: The activity clock is just about to run out on Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) when she not only gets a score, her 4-point arm throw sends Ana GODINEZ (CAN) sailing onto her back in their 62kg quarterfinal. Tandelova doesn't let the opportunity get away and she secures the fall at 2:02.

53kg semifinals
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. ANTIM (IND)
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) vs. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK)

13:32: In a battle of young stars, Jin ZHANG (CHN) and ANTIM (IND) square off in the 53kg quarterfinals. Antim gets on board with a go-behind before powering her way to another takedown for a 4-0 lead. A similar takedown for Antim and she races to a 6-0 lead. Zhang fires one back and catch Antim off guard to score two points and cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. Zhang with high pressure and gets the reward with a takedown and two lace turns for an 8-6 lead. Antim gets a reversal for an 8-7 score but she has only 18 seconds to score two points for a win. She remains calm and scores the takedown to win 9-8 for a place in the semifinals at 53kg.

13:30: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) gets the first takedown against Emma MALMGREN (SWE) and then turns her for a 4-0 lead. Malmgren tries hard in the second period but she can only score a takedown to make it 4-2 as Yepez wins 4-2.

14:29: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) wrestles tentatively to start against a defensive opponent, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), gaining just an activity point without taking a shot in the first period of their 53kg quarterfinal. But the three-time world champion finds an opening in the second, scoring with a single leg. She then gets behind twice as Yetgil starts to show fatigue and the Japanese advances with a 7-0 victory.

14:28: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) continues her impressive run, storming to an 11-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in their 53kg quarterfinal. Choe goes ahead in the first period with a takedown and two lace-lock rolls -- albeit the referee gave her more than ample time to execute them -- then added a takedown and exposure in the second.

68kg semifinals
SF 1: Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Ami ISHII (JPN)
SF 2: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) vs. Jia LONG (CHN)

13:20: Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the first passivity call against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and the Czechia wrestler leads 1-0 at the break. Tosun on board in the second period with a point before a takedown helps her take a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining. Hanzlickova gets stepout but it's too little too late as Tosun wins 3-2 for a place in the 68kg semifinal.

13:18: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) scores two takedowns in the last two minutes of the second period, giving her a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and a place in the 68kg semifinals. Yaneva opened the scoring with a takedown and gut wrench, only to fall behind on criteria when Zelenkykh scored a takedown on each side of the break.

13:18: Ami ISHII (JPN) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) in a big quarterfinals at 68kg. Ishii blasts with a takedown and then exposure for two more to lead 4-0 against Kennedy BLADES (USA). She uses the arm-dram to score another takedown and lace for an 8-0 lead inside the first two minutes. Blades gets on board with a stepout to make it 8-1. Both scramble but Ishii scores a takedown for a 10-1 lead at the break. Ishii takes some time but manages to power her way to the match winning takedown. A 12-1 victory for Ishii as she reaches the semifinal.

13:17: In an high-profile all-Asian clash in the 68kg quarterfinals with little action, Jia LONG (CHN) scores a takedown in the final seconds to finish off a 4-1 victory over two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

72kg semifinals
SF 1: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Zelu LI (CHN)

13:05: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with four takedowns against Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) to secure a place in the 72kg semifinals with an 8-4 win.

13:03: After Nesrin BAS (TUR) receives an activity point, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) goes on the attack as the first-period clock in winding down. Can she finish it off in time? Instead, Bas whizzers her over onto her back and completes the fall with one second to go to earn the spot in the 72kg semifinals.

13:01: Zelu LI (CHN), the Asian champion at 68kg, barges into the 72kg semifinals with a 10-0 victory over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Li takes Zorigt directly to her back and, although she can't complete the fall, she adds a gut wrench. Another takedown and two more turns and she's the winner in 1:45.

13:00: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) steps over and catches Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) flat on the mat to secure the fall at 72kg and advance to the semifinal.

12:55: In the last match before the quarterfinals, Asian champion MANISHA (IND) keeps Astrid MONTERO (VEN) at bay at 62kg. Manisha got two points for two passivity calls against Montero who scored one point for the same. But Manisha hangs on for a 2-1 victory. This also means that European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will return empty-handed.

12:45: Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) had just made a leg attack when Nikolett SZABO (HUN) called out injured. She seemed in a lot of pain having injured her knee. She had to carried off the mat on a stretcher. Motoki advances to quarterfinals at 62kg.

12:37: Veteran Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), eight years removed from her lone world championship, stays on track at 62kg with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over three-time European bronze medalist Veranika IVANOVA (UWW).

12:31: European champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) makes short work of Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals, taking her straight to her back and recording a fall at 1:26.

12:28: Jin ZHANG (CHN), last year's world silver medalist at 55kg, looks impressive in posting her second straight one-sided win at 53kg when she takes out Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) with a 10-1 victory. Only an activity point early on kept her from keeping a perfect sheet, but she quickly followed it with a takedown as she took a 6-1 lead at the break.

12:27: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scored one takedown to lead 2-1 against Roksana ZASINA (POL) and then held her fort with that lead. Zasina tried desperately for an attack but failed to score and gave up a takedown. Malmgren wins 5-1 at 53kg.

12:25: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) cannot find a way to break the defenses of Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who scores four different takedowns in their 62kg bout to win 8-0

12:18: Jia LONG (CHN), the 2024 world champion at 65kg, gives up the big points to Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in their 68kg match, but she piles up more than enough for a 12-6 victory.

12:17: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) gives up a 4-point takedown early in her 62kg clash with Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), then erupts for 13 points in the second period, including a pair of 4-pointers of her own, for a 13-6 victory.

12:05: Ami ISHII (JPN), gunning for a second straight world title after winning last year at 72kg, continues her quest at 68kg by rolling to a 10-0 victory over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ishii scores a single-leg takedown just as she receives an activity point to go up 3-0. After a second similar takedown, she goes to laces and finishes off the win ni 2:42.

12:04: Defending 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the fall over Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA) when she put her back on the mat in the second period and held on till the fall was called.

12:03: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) takes a 3-0 lead at the break in her 53kg bout against Annika WENDLE (GER). In the second period, she works a takedown and roll to make it 7-9. Another takedown on the edge puts her at 9-0 before she finishes the bout 11-0.

11:57: An upset on Mat C, as Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), aiming for her fifth world medal but first gold at 72kg, will have to settle for bronze at best after falling 3-3 on criteria to Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). Nurtaeva trails 2-1 after giving up a second activity point, but scores a single-leg takedown with :51 left. Bakbergenova gains a stepout to tie, but trails on criteria, and Nurtaeva fends off a final attack to clinch the win.

11:56: Asian champion Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) goes to the lace lock after a second takedown, and three rolls later she advances at 53kg with a 10-0 victory over Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in 2:20.

11:55: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) comes from 4-1 down to get a fall over Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) and advance at 53kg. Yepez is looking to add to her bronze medal from 2023.

11:51: A takedown and four quick lace-lock rolls and two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) advances at 53kg with a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP).

11:49: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) tries to score the one point she needs to beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) at 68kg but Yaneva defends everything that is thrown at her to win 7-6 and advance.

11:49: Two-time Olympic medalist and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) opens her campaign with a 10-0 win over Aniseta ACOSTA (ASA) at 68kg. Zhumanazarova had a pair of 4-point moves, the second coming with a hip throw that made it a 10-point difference. The match ended when Acosta fought off her back.

11:45: Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who has dropped down to 68kg, gets off to rousing start, overwhelming RADHIKA (IND) for an 11-0 victory in 1:38. Blades gets a 4-point takedown thwarting a Radhika counter to take a 7-0 lead within the first minute. She then bulls her opponent over for a takedown, then caps the proceedings with a classic gut wrench.

11:40: Six-time Asian medalist Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) is trailing 2-1 against Jyoti BERWAL (IND) in the second period of their 72kg bout when she does what Mongolian's do best -- hit her opponent with a headlock throw, giving her a victory by fall.

11:39: In a case of anything you can do, I can do better, LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 65kg, scores three exposure tilts after a takedown to give her a 9-7 win over Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) at 62kg. Lili's sequence came after Soltanova had gone ahead with three consecutive 2-point lifts to counter a single-leg attempt by Lili.

11:35: After a longish defense from Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) secures the fall as Park runs out of steam.

11:28: Three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), looking to fill the 53kg spot following the move up to 57kg by compatriot and Paris Olympic gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), opens with an 11-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Murayama leads 3-0 in the second period when she scores with a snapdown takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches.

11:32: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a fall over Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) in her opening bout at 62kg. Kim just too strong for Campagna

11:30: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) opened the scoring against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) with a stepout before getting a point for inactivity of Furuichi. The Japanese bounces back with a takedown but gives up a reversal as Glaude leads 3-2. She hangs on to that lead to upset Furuichi

11:16: World 55kg silver Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on five different takedowns to beat Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, at 53kg with 31 seconds left on the clock.

11:11: In a battle of former European champions at 68kg, 2021 world silver medalist Khanum VELIEVA (UWW) gets a stepout just moments after giving up an activity point to Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). But Yaneva dominates the second period, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination, then putting Velieva onto her back and securing a fall at 4:31.

11:09: Nice win for South America as Astrid MONTERO (VEN) scores two takedowns in the second period to knock off European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 6-4 at 62kg. Montero gets behind for an early takedown, only to see Bondar come back with a takedown and quick exposure to lead 4-2 at the break.

10:50: Two-time Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) gives up a 4-point takedown to the back to Laura GODINO (ITA) at the start of their 68kg qualification bout. That appears to wake up the Indian, who comes back with a takedown and stepout to cut the gap at the break. Another takedown puts Radhika ahead 5-4, then she ends the match by muscling Godino down and over for a fall with just over a minute left.

10:45: World 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), back down at 68kg, starts her bid to win her second world title with a 10-0 victory over Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in a minute and 31 seconds.

Junior World Preview

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World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights