#WrestleTirana

Muhamet Malo 2025: Bumpy ride to gold for Kiyooka in 53kg debut

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 09:22 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 1) -- When Olympic 53kg champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) moved up to 57kg last year, Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) emerged as the top wrestler in Japan at 53kg by winning the Emperor's Cup.

On Saturday, Kiyooka made her 53kg debut internationally at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in Tirana. Though she captured the gold medal, her road to gold was not a smooth sailing.

Kiyooka defeated European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) 6-0 in the final to given Japan its sixth gold medal in Women's Wrestling. The world 55kg champion opened her tournament with two technical superiority wins but come the semifinals, Kiyooka was given a reality check.

Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) opened the scoring in the semifinals and led 6-0 after she used a bow and arrow to turn Kiyooka. A little stunned with start, Miyooka remained calmed and did not allow Malanchuk more openings. She clawed her way back to make it 8-8 but Malanchuk was leading on criteria. It was only after Kiyooka blasted a double-leg and later added more takedowns to 15-8.

"I didn't expect my opponent to score six points in the first place," Kiyooka said. "I was really nervous, and I was also thinking about how I was going to get it from here. There was still time to calm down so I thought that if I continued with my wrestling, I would be able to win. So I just kept in mind that I needed to stay calm without getting anxious."

In the final, Kiyooka wrestled European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) who kept the Japanese world champion quiet for the first period, with only 1-0 lead. But Kiyooka blasted double-legs in the second period, earning a stepout and takedown. A takedown finished things off for Kiyooka.

Kiyooka explained that she may have been victim of overthinking, about her opponents and their styles before the tournament began.

"I was wondering what level the foreign wrestlers in the 53kg class and how well I would be able to compete there," she said. "I researched information about each opponent, match by match, but I thought it was important to win with my own wrestling, so I looked at my opponent."

Kiyooka and other winners of Emperor's Cup will head to Amman for the Asian Championships. The tournament will be without the +2kg allowance which makes it even more difficult for Kiyooka.

"I was able to compete at 55kg this time, which was 2kg over, but I also lost weight," she said. "I'm planning to switch it up as soon as I get back and prepare for the Asian Championship. When it comes to the mat, I have felt that level of competition so high in  previous tournaments. I'm going to reconsider how I can win in wrestling, and I'm going to go back and practice."

Kiyooka's gold was sixth for Japan, which had seven female wrestlers at the Muhamet Malo. Only Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) failed to win a medal at 76kg, a weight class won by Dymond GUILFORD (USA) who defeated Asian Games champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 2-1, in the final.

Medet Kyzy was not impressed with a few referee calls in the final which only saw activity clock points. Guilford was leading 1-1 on criteria when Medet Kyzy was put on the 30-second clock with a minute left in the match.

Guilford's lead became 2-1 and despite Medet Kyzy's efforts, Guilford did not give up on defense. With 15 seconds on the clock, Guilford was about to be warned for fleeing and at the same time Medet Kyzy hit a leg-attack. But the referee whistle to warn Guilford at the exact moment.

Kyrgyzstan challenged the call and on review Medet Kyzy was seen grabbing Guilford's hair and the American was warned for fleeing. But there was no chance in the score with Guilford leading 2-1 with 10 seconds left.

Guilford would claim the gold with that score, ending Medet Kyzy's great run till the final with a silver medal.

At 57kg, two weeks after winning the 55kg silver medal at the Zagreb Open, Samantha STEWART (CAN) upgraded to gold at 57kg at Muhamet Malo, securing a fall over former U23 European champion Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) with 50 seconds remaining on the clock.

The 34-year-old former world bronze medalist was in stunning form in Tirana, securing a fall over Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) and beating Tokyo Olympian Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) in the semifinals.

"Age is just a number and I don't want to cut weight anymore so I will be staying at 57kg," Stewart said.

With only four wrestlers, the 72kg weight class was a round-robin bracket and three-time world medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOV (KAZ) emerging as the gold medalist. Three wrestlers ended with two wins each and it wasn't the Round 3 bout between Alla BELINSKA (UKR) and Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) that the medalists were decided.

Bakbergenova pinned Linda MACHUCA (ARG) in her Round 3 bout and finished with 9 classification points from three bouts. Belinska defeated Glaude 4-3 and had 9 classification points as well. However, Bakbergenova had 10 technical points scored while Belinksa had nine. Glaude, who had defeated Bakbergenova in Round 2, finished with a bronze medal.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)    df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 6-0

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), 7-0
BRONZE: Yuxuan LI (CHN) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0

57kg
GOLD: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Evelina HULTHEN (SWE), 4-3
BRONZE: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN), 5-2

72kg
GOLD: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
BRONZE: Alexendria GLAUDE (USA)

76kg
GOLD: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) df. Medet KYZY AIPERI (KGZ), 2-1

BRONZE: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Meile ZHANG (CHN), 2-1
BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. YANGLA (CHN), via fall

Development

Strengthening the Skills of Coaches, Referees, and Administrators for the Development of Wrestling in Africa

Friday, April 4, 2025 - 13:03 By United World Wrestling Press

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El Jadida, UWW Africa Center – (April 4) --- United World Wrestling Africa, under the leadership of its President, Fouad Meskout, Vice President of United World Wrestling, is firmly committed to the development of wrestling on the continent. In collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation, a certification training was organized from March 23-29, 2025.

As a prelude to the 2025 African Championships, which will be held in Morocco in early May 2025, the UWW Africa Center in El Jadida hosted an extensive training program designed for coaches, referees, and administrators across Africa. This seven-day intensive program aimed to enhance the technical and administrative skills of key stakeholders in the development of wrestling on the continent.

A Pan-African Participation
Representatives from several African nations participated in this training session, demonstrating the growing commitment to developing wrestling across the continent. The participating countries included Angola, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tunisia, South Africa, Guinea, and Morocco.

List of Participants:

  • Angola: Nseke Tiago Ndonga
  • Burkina Faso: Zinzere Wendpoulougo Augustae Daniel, Debe Blaise, Kabre Ousseni (President of the Federation)
  • Côte d'Ivoire: Coulibaly Yire Mariam Solange, Assalé Adje Jean-Claude Pamphille
  • Cameroon: Tsam Megom Gervais, Ngono Eyia Epse Ngoumou Edwige
  • Tunisia: Aymen Lamloumi
  • South Africa: Davel Donawan
  • Morocco: Kabil Driss, Najih Abdelhak, Ouled Ben Taliaa Redouane, Hatimi Youssef
  • Guinea: Sow Mamadou Bodo (Secretary General of the Federation)

UWWAParticipants walk through a training session with UWW Development Officier, Vincent AKA. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

A Well-Structured and Comprehensive Program

During this training, participants followed an intensive curriculum focused on the three key domains of wrestling development:

✔ Coaches: Technical and methodological skill development, training plan design, performance management, and athlete safety.
✔ Referees: Advanced rule analysis, positioning on the mat, competition management, and communication.
✔ Administrators: Official communication management, utilization of UWW digital tools (Athena Platform, UWW Academy, Development Programs).

Under the supervision of renowned experts, including Vincent AKA (Coach Trainer and UWW Development Officer), Kamel Bouaziz (Referee Trainer), and Youssef Bouaziz (Administrator Trainer), participants received high-level training, equipping them with new skills to effectively contribute to the growth of wrestling in their respective countries.

Testimonials from Participants
📌 Kabil Driss (Coach, Morocco):
"I am proud and very happy to have participated in this training. We have built an extraordinary friendship with my fellow referees, coaches, and administrators. Thank you for your competence and warm participation in this seminar in Morocco. A big thank you to Mr. AKA, an exceptional leader in the development of wrestling in Africa. Your training and collaboration, as well as your educational system, have allowed us to learn and improve our understanding of our respective roles."

📌 Donovan Davel (South Africa):
"First of all, I would like to thank the Moroccan Wrestling Federation for organizing this wonderful training week. I also want to express my gratitude to the entire center’s team for their kindness and warm welcome. To the trainers Mr. Vincent, Kamel, and Youssef, your teaching was exceptional. It was a great privilege to be part of this program. I am convinced that we will all share this experience and the valuable knowledge gained in our respective countries to continue developing our beloved sport."

📌 Assalé Adje Jean-Claude Pamphille (Côte d’Ivoire):
"We return to our homeland with a great impression and a mind full of valuable knowledge. I cannot continue without reiterating my gratitude to our three trainers: our compatriot Vincent Aka (Coach Training Module), Bouaziz Med Kamel (Referee Training Module), and Youssef Bouaziz from the IT department (Administrator Training Module). Their expertise was undeniable. We return home with the necessary skills to improve our federation’s operations, especially for the benefit of our athletes."

UWWA1
Participants learn about the extensive training program designed for coaches, referees, and administrators at the UWW Africa Center in El Jadida.

Closing and Future Prospects
The training concluded on March 29, 2025, with an assessment of the knowledge acquired and a certificate award ceremony hosted by members of the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation. This initiative aligns with United World Wrestling Africa’s mission to professionalize and structure wrestling across the continent.

Present at the closing ceremony, Kabre Ousseni, the newly elected President of the Burkinabé Wrestling Federation, expressed his gratitude:

"I would like to thank the members of the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation for their presence, which added prestige to this ceremony. I also take this opportunity to commend President Fouad Meskout for his continuous efforts in developing wrestling on the continent."

With these newly acquired skills, the trained coaches, referees, and administrators are now better equipped to train and develop wrestling in their respective countries, contributing to the growth of this sport across Africa.

President Fouad Meskout emphasized:
"We are on the right track to overcome challenges together, and we will continue to organize development activities ahead of the African Championships."