U23 World C'ships

Okuno, Larroque Take to the Mats in Poland

Wednesday, November 22, 2017 - 14:08 By Andrew Hipps

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The women's wrestling competition at the U-23 Wrestling World Championships is set to begin Thursday and continue Friday with Haruna OKUNO (JPN), a world champion in Paris, leading a heavily-favored Japanese women's wrestling team.

Thursday, Nov. 23: 55kg, 58kg, 63kg, 75kg

Okuno went from winning a cadet world title to winning a senior world title in the span of one year. In Paris, she defeated Nigeria's Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye to claim a world championship at the age of 18. She enters the Senior U-23 World Wrestling Championships as the favorite at 55kg. Looking to challenge Okuno is Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), a world bronze medalist in Paris. Marina SEDNEVA          KAZ is a talented competitor with two junior world medals. Lianna MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) and Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) should figure into the mix at 55kg.

Japan has another top contender at 58kg in Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN), a two-time junior world champion. She was a bronze medalist at the Klippan Lady Open earlier this year. Other wrestlers to keep an eye on at 58kg include Tetyana KIT (UKR), Elin NILSSON (SWE), Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS), Arianna CARIERI (ITA) and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA).

The 63kg weight class is expected to be very competitive with several wrestlers challenging for the world title. Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) won a junior world title last year, and this year earned a silver medal at the Asian Championships. Maya NELSON (USA) captured a junior world title this year after earning a junior world bronze in 2016. Petra OLLI (FIN) reached the world finals on the senior level in 2015. Braxton STONE (CAN) is a two-time junior world medalist. Moa NYGREN (SWE) made the finals of the Junior World Championships in 2015, and this year won a silver at the Grand Prix of Germany.

At 75kg, Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) will look to win a world title after falling just short at the Junior World Championships, losing in the finals. Matsuyuki was a cadet world champion in 2016. Another former cadet world champion to watch in this weight class is Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR). She won gold at the Alexander Medved Prizes event in September, beating Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS), who is also on the entry list. Other medal contenders at 75kg include Qiandegenchagan QIANDEGENCHAGAN        (CHN), Francy RAEDELT (GER), Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) and Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ).

Friday, Nov. 24: 48kg, 53kg, 60kg, 69kg

The 48kg weight class is deep with many potential challengers. Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), Miglena SELISHKA (BUL), Rina OKUNO (JPN), Oksana LIVACH (UKR) are all multiple-time junior world medalists. Nasirova won a junior world title in 2016. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris this year. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), Ritu RITU (IND), Irina BORISSOVA (KAZ), Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS) and Chimgee BUYANDALAI (MGL) are medal contenders.

At 53kg, Miho IGARASHI (JPN) is a two-time junior world champion, as well as a cadet world champion. She is also a multiple-time medalist at the Golden Grand Prix. Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE) won both a junior world title and cadet world title in 2015. Mercedesz DENES (HUN) has three junior world medals, while Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) has two. Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), Allyssa CLEAVES (CAN), Qi ZHANG (CHN), Sviatlana LAMASHEVICH (BLR) add depth to the weight class.

Japan's entry at 60kg is Yui SAKANO (JPN), a past cadet world champion. She was fifth at the World Championships last year on the senior level, and has won the Golden Grand Prix twice.  Kayla MIRACLE (USA), a two-time junior world medalist, has had a strong year and should challenge. Others to watch at 60kg: Therese PERSSON (SWE), Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS), and Kriszta INCZE (ROU).

The 69kg weight class in women's wrestling is headlined by Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). Larroque, a junior world champion and multiple-time cadet world champion, has had a very strong year, winning European titles in the junior and U-23 divisions. She captured a bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris. Velieva won her first junior world title this year after winning two world titles as a cadet. She also won a European junior title, and finished third in the European U-23 Championships. Other potential challengers at 69kg include Martina KUENZ (AUT), Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), Natalia STRZALKA (POL), Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) and Alla BELINSKA (UKR).

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0