Malmgren Captures Important Budapest Gold, First in Two Years
Sunday, July 19, 2026 - 00:14 By Vinay Siwach
BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) did not know how her first bout in Budapest will go.
She was nervous as she is still trying to reach the peak of her wrestling, having spent most of the last year recovering from a neck injury.
Wrestling NISHU (IND) in her opening bout, Malmgren gave up a takedown but kept her composure to win 6-2. Once the initial nerves settled down, Malmgren was flowing.
Madison PARKS (CAN) was up next but Malmgren did not waste any time, getting a quick fall to enter the semifinals in which she faced European champion Andreea ANA (ROU). After the initial scare as Ana led 3-0, Malmgren regrouped and pinned Ana.
A marquee clash against world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) was set. The Indian also had an exceptional day as she defeated Bianka FATH (HUN), Yuxuan LI (CHN) and Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) via technical superiority. In the semifinals, she defended a fall position for around two minutes against Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN) and later won 7-5.
However, Antim gave a walkover to Malmgren due to injury. Standing on top of the podium and collecting the gold medal Malmgren, is on the right path to recovery.
Asian champion at 57kg Kexin HONG (CHN) captured her second gold medal of the year by winning in Budapest. After a slow start in the final, Hong managed an easy takedown and then rolled Neha SHARMA (IND) on her back. She held the Indian on the mat till the fall was confirmed, finishing the bout in 1:36.
This was Hong's fourth dominant victory of the day. She began with a 10-0 win over Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) in her opening bout before winning by similar score against Tokyo Olympic medalist Iryna
KURACHKINA (BLR). In the semifinals, she posted another 10-0 technical superiority win over Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE).
The 72kg weight class had only four wrestlers and European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) emerged as the gold medalist after she won all three of her bouts. After beating Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ) and Diksha MALIK (IND), she faced Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) in Round 3.
Bakbergenova was called passive in the first period and Choluj got a point, the only point of the period. When she was on the activity clock in the second period, Choluj brought Bakbergenova down for four points and then turned her for two more to lead 7-0.
Choluj gave up a takedown as Bakbergenova cut the lead to 7-2 with 45 seconds remaining. But hopes of a miraculous comeback were dashed when Choluj escaped an attempted attack from the Kazakhstan wrestler and she scored a takedown and two turns to win 13-2.
This was Choluj's second straight Ranking Series gold medal as she had won the 72kg gold at the Ulaanbaatar Open as well.
In a comical ending at 76kg, Dymond GUILFORD (USA) celebrated a little too early when she won a challenge and thought she won 3-3 on criteria against KAJAL (IND). However, it was the Indian who held the criteria and won gold.
Guilford scored a stepout and Kajal was docked a point for fleeing, giving the American a 2-0 lead. She was then put on the activity clock in the second which gave Kajal her first point before she added an impressive takedown to lead 3-2 with 13 seconds remaining.
A powerful underhook from Guilford dragged Kajal out-of-bounds which was not scored a stepout as the time expired. However, on review, the stepout was in time and the score changed to 3-3. Guilford celebrated with a dance thinking she won on last-point criteria.
However, as Kajal had a two-point move compared to three one-point moves of Guilford, she held the bigger-technique criteria, giving her the gold medal.
Two more Greco-Roman weight classes were competed on Saturday, with Georgia and Russia winning gold medals at 72kg and 87kg respectively.
Nika BROLADZE (GEO) put on an electric performance in the 72kg final to beat U23 European champion Rabil ASKEROV (RUS), 10-0. He got the first point after a challenge as Askerov stepped out first but the referees had awarded the Russian a point.
Askerov tried to drag Broladze around but the Georgian managed to defended the drag and scored a takedown to lead 3-0 before launching Askerov for four points. He continued the action and rolled him for two more points for a 9-0 score.
Russia challenged the scoring but Broladze made clear moves and the scoring was upheld upon review. The lost challenge added another point to Broladze's score who won 10-0.
At 87kg, Islam ALIEV (RUS) and Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) reached the final but the former won gold after Alirzaev pulled out of the final due to an injury, giving gold to Aliev.
RESULTS
Women's Wrestling
53kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. ANTIM (IND), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), 5-2
BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 2*-2
57kg
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Neha SHARMA (IND), via fall (4-0)
BRONZE: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Giullia PENALBER (BRA), 6-4
BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), 9-2
72kg
GOLD: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
SILVER: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ)
76kg
GOLD: KAJAL (IND) df. Dymond GUILFORD (USA), 3*-3
BRONZE: Shuiyan CHENG (CHN) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE: Wenji LI (CHN) df. PRIYA (IND), 5-3
Greco-Roman
72kg
GOLD: Nika BROLADZE (GEO) df. Rabil ASKEROV (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE: Mishiko ALEKSANDRIA (GEO) df. ANIL (IND), 5-2
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO), 3-1
87kg
GOLD: Islam ALIEV (RUS) df. Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Matej MANDIC (CRO), 5-3
BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), via inj. def.
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) marks her return to the mat in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)
Kexin HONG (CHN) is the Asian champion at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)
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