Nine Reigning World Champs Remain No. 1 in Latest World Rankings

Monday, May 6, 2019 - 14:37 By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 6) -- United World Wrestling has released the lastest women’s wrestling rankings after the conclusion of the Continental Championships, and nine gold medalists from last year’s Budapest World Championships sit atop of their respective weight classes. Asia has four top-ranked wrestlers, while Europe and Pan-American countries each have three.

Japan has three of the four top-ranked Asian wrestlers. Their trio of No.1’s are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) (50kg), Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) (55kg), and Risako KAWAI (JPN) (59kg). The fourth Asian wrestler who owns a top ranking is China’s Ningning RONG (CHN)(57kg).

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) (62kg), Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) (65kg), and Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) (68kg) are the three European No.1-ranked wrestlers.

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) (86 points), Justina DI STASIO (CAN) (72kg), and Adeline GRAY (USA) (76kg), who are all from Pan-American nations, round out the first-ranked wrestlers in this month’s rankings.

Of the ten wrestlers sitting atop of the rankings, the lone non-returning world champion that owns a No.1-ranking is the United States’ Sarah Hildebrandt. She started the season with 40 points from her world silver medal, then earned 20 points for her Pan-American gold, 14 points for her Ivan Yariguin title, and 12 points for her third-place finish at the Dan Kolov.

Susaki’s Spot in Jeopardy at 50kg
Japan’s reigning two-time world champion Yui Susaki sits atop of the world ranking at 50kg with 60 points - but her starting spot for the Nur-Sultan World Championships is in jeopardy. Susaki was forced to pull out of December’s All-Japan Championships after dislocating her elbow at the national team training camp in November, resulting in her missing the Continental Championships.

Japan’s 50kg replacement was Yuki IRIE. Irie went to the Asian Championships in Xi’an, China, and won the Asian title, earning her a No. 12-ranking with 20 points.

For Susaki to regain her spot before September’s Nur-Sultan World Championships and defend her world title, she’d have to win the title at the All-Japan Invitational Championships, also known as the Meiji Cup, next spring, then defeat the winner of the Emperor’s Cup in a playoff.

Say Irie, or any Japanese wrestler at that, happens to stop Susaki from making the world team, Ukraine’s second-ranked Oksana LIVACH (45 points) will move up to the No. 1-seeded wrestler at the World Championships. Livach, the 2018 world bronze medalist, won the European title, capping off her continental title run with a 6-4 win over Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and added 20 Ranking Series points to her previous total of 25 points.

China’s world and Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (43 points) fell short to Irie in the Asian finals, but still collected 18 points, which is good enough for the third ranking. Azerbaijan’s eight-time world and Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (40 points) rounds out the top-four at 50kg with 40 points.

Belarus’ Kseniya STANKEVICH (34 points) will be the beneficiary of a Susaki fallout. Stankevich, who’s in the fifth slot, will move into a top-four seed in Nur-Sultan.

Potential 50kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Yui SUSAKI (JPN) vs. No. 4 Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Oksana LIVACH (UKR) vs. No. 3 Yanan SUN (CHN)

Hildebrandt Lone No. 1 Non-Returning World Champion
The United States’ Sarah Hildebrandt (86 points) holds a 26 point advantage over Japan’s defending world champion Haruna OKUNO (60 points) and garners the No. 1-ranking at 53kg.

Hildebrandt, whose world silver in Budapest was worth 40 points, finished on the podium at the first two Ranking Series events and the Continental Championships. The American earned 20 points for her Pan-American gold, 14 points for her Ivan Yariguin title, and 12 points for her third-place finish at the Dan Kolov.

The second-ranked wrestler at 53kg is world champion Haruna Okuno. Okuno lost her starting spot, at least for the Continental Championships, to the reigning world champion up at 55kg, Mayu MUKAIDA.

Budapest world bronze medalists PANG Qianyu (CHN) (55 points) and Canada’s Diana WEICKER (CAN) (41 points) are third and fourth-ranked wrestlers respectively in this month’s standings. If Mukaida holds onto Japan’s starting spot at 53kg and knocks out Okuno, Pang and Weicker would both move up one spot, bringing up Ecuador’s Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (36 points) into the fourth seed.

Potential 53kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT vs. No. 4 Diana WEICKER (CAN)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Haruna OKUNO (JPN) No. 3 PANG Qianyu (CHN)

Sidakova to Move into Top Spot if Mukaida Stays Down
Though she’s ranked No. 1 at 55kg, reigning world champion Mayu Mukaida has dropped down to 53kg, and will ultimately forfeit her top-ranking to Belarus’ world runner-up Zalina SIDAKOVA (60 points).

Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) and Myong Suk JONG (PRK) are the other two wrestlers ranked inside the top-four at 55kg. Sedneva, the third-ranked wrestler, has 28 points, which comes from an Asian Championships third-place finish and a Dan Kolov finals appearance.

Fourth-ranked Jong (25 points), the 55kg world bronze medalist, has also changed weights since the World Championships. Jong bumped up to 57kg at Asian Championships where she knocked off four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) before falling in the finals, settling for the silver medal.

With the departure of Mukaida, Jong, and three others in the top-eight wrestlers at this weight, Turkey’s European bronze-medal finisher Bediha GUN (22 points) and China’s XIE Mengyu (20 points), who are ranked sixth and ninth respectively, will move into a top-four seed in Nur-Sultan.

Potential 55kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) vs. No. 4 Myong Suk JONG (PRK)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) vs. No. 3 Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)

Rong One of Two Wrestlers with Nearly 100 Ranking Series Points
China’s 2018 world champion Rong Ningning leads arguably the most loaded weight class in the world, 57kg. With her 96 points, Rong joins 62kg world champion Taybe Yusein with the most Ranking Series points in the world across all styles.

Bulgaria’s European champion and world silver medalist Bilyana DUDOVA owns the second-ranking at 57kg with 62 points. Dudova, the European champion at 59kg, is the only wrestler at this weight that could catch Rong and take over that No. 1 spot. For her to do so, she’d have to win the Sassari and the Yasar Dogu, and have Rong sit out of both tournaments.

Norway’s U23 world champion and Budapest fifth-place finisher Grace BULLEN is ranked third with 58 points. Bullen, who had a disappointing European Championships, finishing in seventh place, took second at the Dan Kolov and third at the Yariguin. Her pair of podium finishes at the first two Ranking Series events earned her 26 combined points.

The fourth-ranked wrestler is five-time African champion and Dan Kolov bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NRG) (46 points).

Potential 57kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 RONG Ningning (CHN) vs. No. 4 Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs. No. 3 Grace BULLEN (NOR)

Kawai Moves Down to 57kg, Yesilirmak to Take Top Spot at 59kg
This weight’s reigning world champion and current No. 1-ranked wrestler Risako Kawai dropped down to 57kg with hopes of defending her Rio Olympic title but lost her spot to four-time Olympic champion Kaori Icho in the process. It’s not clear if Kawai will return to 59kg for the 2019 World Championships, but if she does, she’ll be the top-seeded wrestler with 60 points.

If Kawai doesn’t come back up to 59kg, Turkey’s Elif YESILIRMAK (56 points) will move to the top of the bracket, moving Japan’s second top-five ranked wrestler Yuzuka INAGAKI into the top-four.

Yesilirmak, last year’s 59kg world runner-up, just finished in third place at the European Championships behind Russia's European runner-up Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), who sits in a close third, six points behind the Turkish wrestler with 50 points.

India’s Sarita SARITA (30 points) is the fifth-ranked wrestler at 59kg and will earn a top-four seeded wrestler when the World Championships roll around. The reason being, there are two Japanese wrestlers ranked inside the top-four, and only one wrestler per nation can be entered into the World Championships. This will knock out either No.1 Kawai or No. 4 Inagaki, and move Sarita into the fourth seed.

Potential 59kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Risako KAWAI (JPN) vs. No. 5 Sarita SARITA (IND)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) vs. No. 3 Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)

Yusein Wins Back-to-Back European Titles, Seals No. 1 Seed 62kg
Bulgaria’s reigning 62kg world champion Taybe Yusein, who has 96 Ranking Series points, has locked up the No.1 seed at the World Championships with her 38 point lead over second-ranked Yukako KAWAI (JPN) (58 points). As previously mentioned, Yusein, along with China’s Rong Ninging, are tied for having the most Ranking Series points in the world across all styles with their 96 points.

Mallory VELTE (USA) and Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) both have 43 points and placed third at least year’s World Championships, but Tkach Ostapchuk’s European absences and Velte’s participation in the Pan-American Championships gives the American the No. 3 spot. (Highest number of participation in the ranking events*)

Potential 62kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) vs. No. 4 Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Yukako KAWAI (JPN) vs. No. 3 Mallory VELTE (USA)

Olli Locks up Top Spot at 65kg
Finland’s first-ever women’s wrestling world champion Petra Olli (88 points) has over twice as many points as second-ranked Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS ) (41 points) and had sealed the No. 1 seed at the World Championships.

Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) and Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA) both have 40 Ranking Series points, but the Canadian wrestler gets the nod for the third spot because of her runner-up finish at the World Championships. (Rank in the last Senior World Championships or Olympic Games)

Potential 65kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) vs. No. 4 Forrest MOLINARI (USA)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) vs. No. 4 Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN)

Cherkasova Being Chased my Mensah for No. 1 Seed at 68kg
Though she’s locked up at least a top-two seed at the World Championships, No. 1 ranked Alla Cherkasova hasn’t cemented the top ranking just yet. Tamyra MENSAH (USA), who has 59 Ranking Series points, could still catch the reigning Ukrainian world champion if she wins the final two Ranking Series events, and Cherkasova sits out both tournaments. This would give the American 95 Ranking Series points, which would be three ahead of the Ukranian.

Mongolia’s SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (44 points) and China’s Feng ZHOU (41 points) round out the top four in the 68kg rankings.

Potential 68kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) vs. No. 4 ZHOU Feng (CHN)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Tamyra MENSAH (USA) vs. No. 3 SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg

Di Stasio Set to Make Return After Ankle Surgery
Canadian world champion Justina Di Stasio hasn’t competed since winning gold in Budapest, but still remains the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 69kg. Di Stasio is expected to make her return to the mat over the next two weeks after undergoing surgery to fix a chipped bone in her ankle. If she stays down at the non-Olympic weight of 72kg, she’ll be the No. 1 seed at the World Championships.

Turkey’s world bronze medalist Buse TOSUN (TUR) (49 points) jumped Mongolia’s OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (48 points) for the second spot, but only holds a one-point advantage over the Budapest world silver medalist.

The fourth-ranked wrestler at 72kg is Egypt’s African champion Samar HAMZA, who has 43 points heading into the final two Ranking Series events.

Potential 72kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Justina DI STASIO (CAN) vs. No. 4 Samar HAMZA (EGY)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. No. 3 OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL)

Gray Leads Adar by Two Points
America’s Adeline Gray (78 points) sits atop a weight class flooded with a depth of talent, 76kg. Gray stands two points in front of the woman she defeated to win her fourth world title last year in Budapest, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) (76 points).

Gray and Adar both won their continentals championships.

Gray won the Pan-American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a fall over No. 15 Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) in the gold-medal match. Her continental title win guaranteed her at least a top-four seed at 76kg.

Adar, the 2017 world champion, won the European title, defeating No. 14 Martina KUENZ (AUT), 6-2. This was Adar’s fourth consecutive gold medal at the European Championships.

Third-ranked Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), who had 25 bronze-medal points from the world championships, added 16 points from her Asian runner-up finish and an addition 16 gold-medal points from the Ivan Yariguin, bringing her overall point total to 57 points.

European bronze-medal finisher Aline FOCKEN (GER) rounds out the top-four with 56 points.

Potential 76kg Semifinals
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) No. 4 Aline FOCKEN (GER)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. No. 3 Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)

#wrestlebishkek

Tynybekova continues dominance of Motoki for 6th Asian gold; Feng stuns Sakurai

Sunday, April 14, 2024 - 17:01 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 14) -- Throughout a sparkling career that has made her a hero in her homeland, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) has had a fierce rivalry with a number of Japanese wrestlers. The latest in the line has yet to find a way to break through and beat her.

Tynybekova continued her dominance of Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), using her counterattack style to maximum effect in a 9-6 victory in the women's 62kg final at the Asian Championships on Sunday in Bishkek, giving her a second straight gold and sixth of her career in front of an adoring home crowd.

"Throughout my career, I never got the chance to compete in Kyrgyzstan," Tynybekova said. "This year, when I found out the Asian Championships would be in Kyrgyzstan, I really wanted to compete in front of the home crowd. I am so happy that despite my physical condition, I could win the gold."

In the biggest upset of the tournament, Yongxin FENG (CHN) shocked three-time world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) at 57kg as China came away with two of the four other golds at stake on the fourth day of competition at Bishkek Arena with Qian JIANG (CHN) prevailing at 72kg.

Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) gave DPR Korea its first gold medal in its return to the Asian Championships after a five-year absence with an impressive victory at 53kg, while Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) triumphed at 65kg to ensure that the Japanese anthem would be played at least once on the night.

Japan, with four golds overall, barely won the team title for the third straight year with 173 points, just one point ahead of China and its three champions. Mongolia finished third with 138, three points ahead of India.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) uses a couter lift against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) in the 62kg final during the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Tynybekova revealed that she got seriously ill after winning the title at last month's Yasar Dogu tournament in Antalya, Turkey, and even considered pulling out of the Asian Championships, where she now has 11 total medals.

"Two weeks before this continental championships, my coach Nurbek Izabekov proposed not to wrestle here because I didn’t fully recover," the three-time world champion said. "I spent two weeks lying in bed. Despite all this, I am so happy to be able to compete successfully."

Tynybekova, who made Kyrgyz history when she became the nation's first-ever wrestling world champion in 2019, has had her share of wins and losses contending with Japanese opponents through the years. First, there was Yukako KAWAI (JPN), who defeated her in the Tokyo Olympics final, then along came Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), who beat her in the 2022 Asian final.

Motoki, the 2022 world bronze medalist at 59kg, became the next in line when she moved up to 62kg and beat out Ozaki and Kawai in qualifying for the Paris Olympics. But Sunday's loss to Tynybekova was her third loss in three meetings over a seven-month span, and this was not as close as the first two.

"I would like to say that there are no easy or tough opponents," Tynybekova said. "It all depends on my physical condition on that exact day. That’s why me and my coaches will prepare to wrestle every single wrestler in my weight class."

In their first clash, Tynybekova pulled off a late 4-1 victory in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade. They met again in the semifinals at the Zagreb Open in January, where Tynybekova eked out a 3-3 win on criteria.

On Sunday, it was Tynybekova who took the early lead, gaining an activity point and then scoring a takedown after throwing Motoki off balance with a snap-down to go ahead 3-0.

In the second period, Motoki had no choice but to press for a takedown, but that was walking right into Tynybekova's trap. In a typical Tynybekova scramble, she initiated a counter lift from which she would score six points while conceding two to Motoki to go up 9-2.

Motoki managed a pair of consolation takedowns in the final 15 seconds, but could not gain additional exposures.

"I lost at the World Championships, then again in Croatia, and this time I wanted to get revenge," said a sobbing Motoki, whose father appeared in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "I got various advice from a lot of people, and I came to this tournament with confidence. But my opponent was a level better than me today."

Yongxin FENG (CHN) celebrates after beating world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) in the 57kg final during the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Just as Yui SUSAKI (JPN) experienced the night before, Sakurai was dealt a wake-up call at a tournament that she was using as her final competition before the Paris Olympics. The difference is that Susaki held on to win the 50kg title, while Sakurai was dealt her first defeat in an international tournament in five years when she fell 5-2 to Feng.

Feng, a bronze medalist at the Zagreb Open this year, wrestled a strategically perfect match, grabbing an early lead and then all but neutralizing Sakurai's 2-on-1 attack. It would not be until the end of the match that Sakurai could get close to creating a scoring chance.

"First of all, I believed in my skills, and secondly, in terms of all aspects of my skills and physical condition, I am better than her, so I am more confident," Feng said.

Feng seemed to catch Sakurai flat-footed when she took a shot right off the opening whistle, scoring a takedown with a low single. Before Sakurai realized what had hit her, Feng added two more points with a gut wrench for a 4-0 lead.

"After I scored points in the first period, it made me more confident," Feng said. "Then in the second, I didn't try for many points because of my [earlier] points. I was thinking about being defensive. But I didn't think about defense throughout the whole process. I still want to score more points if I have the opportunity so that I can win for sure."

It would not be until the final minute that Sakurai finally got a clear shot and was able to get in on a double-leg takedown. As Feng reached over for a counter lift, Sakurai pressed ahead for a 2-point expoure.

But time ran out before she could add to the tally, and an unsuccessful challenge looking for a second exposure gave Feng her final point.

"The performance of the Chinese team has been very good," Feng said. "In terms of training, we train so hard, should we have such results? Yeah. I will train hard next and keep doing it. When I get off the podium, everything will be zero. I will continue to work hard."

Sakurai, last October's Asian Games champion and who had won the senior Asian title in her only other appearance in 2022, acknowledged that her opponents are doing their homework, and she will have to come up with a new strategy.

"I think everyone knows my style of wrestling," the 22-year-old Sakurai said. "I have to train so that even if I get stopped, I can still find a way to score points."

Sakurai won her first world title at 55kg in 2021, then moved up to the Olympic weight of 57kg and won back-to-back world golds. Just to get to last year's World Championships, where she secured her ticket to the Paris Olympics, she had to win out in a stacked domestic field that included two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (JPN). Her down-to-the-wire battles with Sae NANJO (JPN) were epic.

Now she needs to rebound from the shock of her first international defeat since losing 3-2 to Batbaatar ENKHTSETSEG (MGL) at the 2019 Asian U20 Championships.

"No matter the tournament, my objective is always to win the title," Sakurai said. "When you lose, there has to be a reason for the loss. I will look at this as I'm glad it wasn't the Olympics, and I will practice hard up to August."

Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) won the 65kg final via fall. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the 65kg final, Yoshitake beat Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) at her own game, winning by fall to improve on her silver medal from a year ago in Astana.

After gaining an activity point, Yoshitake was under pressure from Tuvshinjargal, but she used it to unleash a headlock throw late in the first period to go ahead 3-0.

In the second period, Tuvshinjargal shot in on the legs, and Yoshitake slipped in underhooks, then pancaked the Mongolian to her back for the fall in 3:05.

Yoshitake, a winner in Antalya last month, became the third wrestler from Nippon Sports Science University to win a gold in Bishkek, following Kento YUMIYA (JPN) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) in freestyle.

Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) celebrates after beating ANJU (IND) in the 53kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 53kg, Kim capped a day of dominance with a quick 10-0 victory in the final over ANJU (IND), adding the senior gold to her Asian cadet title from 2019.

Kim shot right off the whistle for a low single which she converted into a takedown, then added an exposure. Back on their feet, she made it 8-0 with a shrug-by takedown and exposure, then finished the match with another shrug-by, all in just over a minute.

Kim won all four of her matches by either fall or technical fall in a weight class that was supposed to feature reigning world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), but who withdrew due to an elbow injury. The DPR Korea has entered a different wrestler in the Asian Olympic Qualifier that follows this event on April 19-21 in the same venue.

Qian JIANG (CHN) defeated HARSHITA (IND) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the final bout of the night and the women's competition, China's Jiang, the 2019 Asian U20 champion at 76kg, scored a takedown in each period in defeating world U20 bronze medalist HARSHITA (IND) 5-2 for the 72kg gold.

Jiang took a 3-0 lead in the first period with a stepout and a snap-down takedown. In the second period, Harshita gained a 2-point exposure countering a takedown attempt. But Jiang came back with a spin-behind takedown to clinch the victory.

Mongolia claims 3 bronzes amid fall-fest

Of the 10 bronze-medal matches, only one went the distance, and Mongolia came away with three via falls by Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) at 53kg, Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) at 62kg and Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) at 72kg, while India and Kazakhstan had two each.

Not everything went the Mongolians' way -- Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) was on the losing end of a technical fall at 57kg.

Chinbold, the silver medalist last year at 55kg, used a hip throw to send Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) directly to her back and finish her off with a fall in 1:42.

Sukhee, a 2015 world silver medalist, took home her fourth Asian bronze and first in five years when, after a second takedown against Subeen JO (KOR), she trapped her opponent's leg against her chest, then pressed down from above for a pin in 2:42.

Zorigt took the longest of three, pancaking Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), the Asian Games silver medalist at 68kg, in the second period to end the match in 3:49 with a 7-0 lead.

In the only match that went the full six minutes, Chun LEI (CHN) denied Sri Lanka its first-ever senior Asian medal when she scored a first-period takedown off a fireman's carry, then held on for a 2-0 victory over impressive teenager Nethmi AHINSA (SRI) at 53kg.

Ahinsa was the first-ever Sri Lankan woman to make it to a bronze-medal match, and just the third wrestler overall. Lei was the 2018 champion at 50kg.

India's bronzes came from MANISHA (IND), who recorded a fall in 1:30 at 62kg over Arian CARPIO (PHI) after a 4-point takedown, and ANTIM (IND) by forfeit from Soobin KIM (KOR), who suffered a knee injury in her opening match at 65kg in the afternoon session.

For Kazakhstan, Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) needed just 55 seconds to throw Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) to her back with a 4-point takedown and won by fall at 57kg, while Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) scored five takedowns in a 10-0 technical fall over Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB).

Yaru WU (CHN) won China's second bronze of the night by pinning Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) at 65kg. Wu had an 8-0 lead after a takedown and three tilts when Kazyulina came back with a takedown. But Kazyulina got careless trying for a reverse cradle, and Wu clamped down for a fall at 1:49.

Hyon Ju YUN (PRK) won the other bronze at 57kg when she broke open a close match with Mongolia's Enkhbat by scoring 10 points in the second period for a 12-1 win with five seconds left in the match.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

53kg (15 entries)
GOLD: Ji Hyang KIM (PRK) df. ANJU (IND) by TF, 10-0, 1:06

BRONZE: Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) by Fall, 1:42 (4-0)
BRONZE: Chun LEI (CHN) df. Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE (SRI), 2-0

57kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Yongxin FENG (CHN) df. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), 5-2

BRONZE: Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) by Fall, :55 (4-0)
BRONZE: Hyon Ju YUN (PRK) df. Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) by TF, 12-1, 5:55

62kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), 9-6

BRONZE: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Subeen JO (KOR) by Fall, 2:42 (4-0)
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Arian CARPIO (PHI) df. by Fall, 1:30 (5-0)

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) by Fall, 4:03 (7-0)

BRONZE: ANTIM (IND) df. Soobin KIM (KOR) by inj. def.
BRONZE: Yaru WU (CHN) df. Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) by Fall, 1:49 (10-2)

72kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Qian JIANG (CHN) df. HARSHITA (IND), 5-2

BRONZE: Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) by Fall, 3:49 (7-0)
BRONZE: Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) df. Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:51

Nine Reigning World Champs Remain No. 1 in Latest World Rankings

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Tynybekova continues dominance of Motoki for 6th Asian gold; Feng stuns Sakurai