#GC2018

Nigerians Nab Two Golds On Second Day of Commonwealth Games

Friday, April 13, 2018 - 13:38 By Eric Olanowski

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GOLD COAST, Australia (April 13) - World finalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and two-time Olympian Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) captured 2018 Commonwealth Games gold for Nigeria on the second day of competition at the Carrara Sports Arena 1. 

Adekuoroye, the 2018 African champion sang and danced her way to the tune of a second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. 

After an unnecessary hands to the face call to start the bout, Adekuoroye trailed 1-0 in the opening period. The long and lengthy defending champion used her hand pressure to set up her offense and pick up six consecutive points. The three-time medalist took a 6-1 lead over Pooja DHANDA (IND) into the final period. 

Dhanda, the Youth Olympic Judo silver medalist struggled noticeably to close the distance and get through the hand defense of the Nigerian. With under a minute to go, Pooja desperately looked for an opening and found a feet to back takedown for four points off a double leg which closed the gap in the score to 6-5.  Adekuoroye came out in the top position and secured the final point of the match, ultimately winning her second crown in as many tries, 7-5. 

At 68kg, Blessing Oborududu, the 29-year-old eight-time African champion won the battle of Olympians, as she defeated Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3 to win her first Commonwealth Games championship. 

After a very limited first period, Oborududu escaped trailing 1-0 as she failed to score on the activity clock.

Trailing 3-0 after a second period Lappage takedown, the Nigerian remained patient and scored her first points of the bout off a failed Canadian offensive attack. With 13 seconds remaining, Lappage looked to close out the match with a final takedown, but the hips of Oborududu proved to be too heavy, as she spun around for the match-winning defensive takedown. 

Overcome with raw emotion after the final whistle, the first time champion barrel rolled from the center of the mat to the coaches corner where she had to be carried back to have her hand raised. 

In the 97kg freestyle finals, Martin ERASMUS (RSA), the 22-year-old African champion nullified Mausam KHATRI’s (IND) two inside trip attempts with two four-point throws and took the commanding 8-0 lead. Erasmus tacked on another takedown to secure South Africa's first Commonwealth Games wrestling gold medal since 1958.

Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), the silver medalist from the 2014 Games showed his transition wrestling skills in the 65kg finals by picking up a takedown and immediately jumping to a left side gut wrench. 

Bajrang would repeat the sequence before capping off his gold medal performance with a duck under at the 2:20 mark to take the technical superiority victory over Kane CHARIG (WAL), 10-0.

Also of note, Kane Charig, the 26-year-old silver medalist made Commonwealth Games history, becoming Wales’ highest finisher ever! 

RESULTS
65kg
GOLD - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Kane Daniel CHARIG (WAL) , 10-0. 

BRONZE  - Amas DANIEL (NGR) df. Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN), 4-4. 
BRONZE - Charlie James BOWLING (ENG) df. Jean Guyliane Joris BANDOU (MRI),10-0. 

97kg
GOLD - Martin ERASMUS (RSA) df. Mausam KHATRI (IND), 12-2

BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Samuel Stephen BELKIN (NZL), 10-0. 
BRONZE - Alexios KAOUSLIDIS (CYP) df. Soso TAMARAU (NGR), 2-1.

57kg 
GOLD -  Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)  df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 7-5. 

BRONZE - Emily Suzanne SCHAEFER (CAN) df. Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR),13-3.

68kg 
GOLD - Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3. 

BRONZE -  Divya KAKRAN (IND) df. Sherin SULTANA (BAN), via fall. 

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis returns to Worlds final after three years

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 20:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Helen MAROULIS (USA) wrestled three bout on Tuesday at the World Championships and secured three pins. She spent only 6 minutes and 28 seconds in those three pins to reach the 57kg final at the World Championships on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Maroulis, a two-time world champion, will now wrestle for gold against Il Sim SON (PRK), one of the two wrestlers from the DPR Korea to make it to the final on Tuesday.

In all three of her pins, Maroulis used the iconic foot-sweep to get the fall. The first victim was Emine CAKMAK (TUR) who was pinned in a minute. Japan's world U23 champion Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) held her fort for some time but Tokuhara missed a shot and Maroulis got the two-on-one before sweeping her for the fall in 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

In the semifinals, Maroulis wrestled European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) and took a 1-0 lead for the latter's inactivity. But as soon as the second period began, Maroulis went straight to work and hit the sweep to get the fall and a place in the final.

She will face an unfamiliar challenge in the final as  Il Sim SON (PRK) who defeated Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2, in the other semifinal. Son was one of the two finalist for the DPR Korea, a country which won its gold at 55kg on Tuesday.

The other wrestler from the DPR Korea to reach the final was Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) who handed 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) her first international loss.

Yoshimoto, Asian champion in 2025, had it under control for the most the match before conceding a takedown with just 23 seconds left on the clock. Won was relentless in her attacks to break Yoshimoto in the final 20 seconds.

For the gold, she will face 2024 world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN) who secured a fall over Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) after taking a 9-0 lead.

At 65kg, former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) defeated another world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinal, 10-0. Morikawa impressed with her attacks and scored five different takedowns to finish the match via technical superiority.

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) will look to stop Morikawa from winning her second world title after a dream run to the final at 65kg. She defeated two-time world bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) in the morning session and completed a 13-3 technical superiority Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) in the semifinals.

Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) booked a final against Genesis REASCO (ECU) after she handed a 10-5 defeat to European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals.

In an all South American semifinal, Reasco scored a takedown in the last minute to stun Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3. Potrille was leading 3-3 on criteria with a minute left but Reasco scored the two-point takedown and held on to her lead for the win, becoming the first Ecuadorian wrestler to reach a World Championships final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Myonggyong WON (PRK) vs. Yu ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2

57kg
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Il Sim SON (PRK)

SF 1: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2
SF 2: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

SF 1: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), 13-3
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) vs. Genesis REASCO (ECU)

SF 1: Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3
SF 2: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5