#WrestleIstanbul

Live Blog: Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Day 2

Friday, February 25, 2022 - 07:02 By United World Wrestling Press

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (February 25) -- The second day of the Ranking Series event in Istanbul will features wrestlers from three Greco-Roman weights and four women's wrestling weights. Uzbekistan dominated the all-Greco day one.

Greco-Roman 72kg, 77kg and 82kg wrestlers that include stars like Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), will fight for the gold medal

Women's wrestling will have 57kg, 62kg, 68kg and 76kg. Olympic silver medalists Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), Blessing OBRODUDU (NGR) and world champion Bilyana DUDUVA (BUL) are wrestling.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

Women's Wrestling Finals (As they come in):
57kg: Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)  vs. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) 
62kg: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) vs. Winner 144
68kg: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) vs. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) 
76kg: Winner 184 vs. Winner 224

Greco-Roman Finals (As they come in):
72kg: Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. Selcuk CAN (TUR) 
77kg: Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) vs. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) 
82kg: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. Mihail BRADU (MDA) 

15:15: In today's early session match-of-the-morning, Olympic bronze medalist Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL) pinned Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) and punched her ticket to the 57kg finals.

14:15: A world championships rematch at 82kg. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) is taking on Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) on Mat B. Akbudak was awarded a point for Huseynov's inactivity. He then gets four rolls and wins 9-0. That was anti-climatic

14:15: Here is the 57kg semifinal line-up

 

#WrestleIstanbul

Here are the 57kg quarters results

- Evelina NIKOLOVA ?? df Esther KOLAWOLE ??, 10-6
- df Bolortuya KHURELKHUU ??df Veronika CHUMIKOVA ?? , via fall
- Iryna KURACHKINA ?? df Sandra PARUSZEWSKI ??, 8-5
- Anhelina LYSAK ?? df Giullia DE OLIVEIRA ??, via fall https://t.co/enhl37tLJd

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) February 25, 2022

 

13:55: World champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) starts with a pin! She gets Tatiana SMOLIAK (RWF) in a cradle and secures a first-period fall at 68kg.

13:45: Khanum VALIEVA (RWF) with a big 10-0 win over Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB) at 68kg. She does this with 2:48 remaining as well. Quietly she is in the semifinals

13:40: Lot of step-outs and inactivity points in that bout. But it's all for Medet Kyzy. She scores three takedowns as well to beat Shumova 10-0 with 43 seconds remaining at 76kg

13:30: U23 world champion and senior World bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) is up against Kristina SHUMOVA (RWF) in their 76kg pre-quarterfinal bout on Mat C

13:15: World bronze medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) is moving into the 76kg quarterfinals after a 9-6 win over Gursharanpreet (IND).  

13:03: A victory via fall! Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) gets Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) in a headlock and keeps her back to the mat. She moves on at 62kg

13:00: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) is up against Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) at 62kg. Yusein is the Tokyo bronze medalist. On Mat A, Martina KUENZ (AUT) is wrestling Victoria FRANCIS (USA)

12:35: Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) has done it! She humbles Olympic silver medalist Tynybekova 10-0 in the quarterfinals of the 62kg. No attacks from the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

12:25: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is up on Mat B against Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) at 62kg. Inactivity called on Tynybekova and she is down 0-1 at the end of the first period. A crotch life from the Brazil wrestler to lead 3-0. A stepout to add one more

12:15: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) takes some time but wins 8-0 against SAJAN (IND). A solid warm-up win for him. On Mat B, Nikolova has got another pin. That's two in two for her.

12:10: Huseynov takes little time! He has two big throws to beat Harpreet SINGH (IND) 8-0 at 82kg. Trademark reverse lifts from the world champion there

12:06: Tokyo Olympian Khanum VALIEVA (RWF) gets going with an easy 10-0 win over Solin PIEARCY (USA) at 68kg

12:02: Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE), world champion at 82kg, will be up on Mat B while 77kg world silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is coming up on Mat C

11:53: World champion Viktor NEMES (SRB) and silver medalist Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) on Mat A. Vardanyan was awarded a point for Nemes' inactivity. He leads 1-0 at the break. Nemes leads on criteria 1-1 after Vardanyan's inactivity. Too and fro battle but Nemes wins 1-1

11:43: Four-time Ranking Series medalist Seluk CAN (TUR) begins his day with a win. He beats Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) after a roll from par terre at 72kg

11:17: There's your comeback of the competition!

Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) fell behind 8-0 against Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RUS) in their first-round meeting, but scored eleven unanswered points to win the match, 11-8. She'll wrestle reigning two-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) next (Bout 166).

11:04: Rio Olympic bronze medalists Marwa AMRI (TUN)  and Sakshi MALIK (IND) are wrestling on Mats A and B, respectively. 

10:55: One of the biggest storylines we're going to be following today is the potential top-side matchup of 57kg Olympic medalists Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) and  Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL), If they continue to win, they'll meet in tonight's semifinals (Bout 143).

Both wrestlers picked up falls in their first-round matches. Kurachkina pinned  Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL) and Nikolova pinned Ozge FINDIKCI (TUR).

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1