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).

#development

UWW conducts REDT program in Benin

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:06 By United World Wrestling Press

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OUIDAH, Benin (December 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW), in collaboration with the Benin Wrestling Federation, the Benin National Olympic Committee and the national sports authorities, successfully organized the Regional Education and Development Wrestling Tournament (REDT), which took place in Ouidah from November 23 to 30, 2025.

This event represents the first tournament ever organized in West Africa, marking a major milestone in UWW’s wrestling development strategy on the African continent.

Ten countries from the West African region took part in the tournament, contributing to a framework of technical and educational exchanges aimed at enhancing the competencies of wrestling stakeholders.

Deqa NIAMKEY, Director of Development at United World Wrestling, paid an official visit to Benin. She praised the progress achieved by the Benin Wrestling Federation and recalled the core objective of the REDT program.

"The REDT was initiated by United World Wrestling to support countries in the sustainable development of wrestling.”

Niamkey also conducted a sports administration education session with representatives of national federations, while Youssef BOUAZIZ delivered an online training session on ARENA.

Benin

Ahead of the competitions, a regional coaches’ education program was conducted from November 24 to 27, 2025, bringing together coaches, referees, athletes and technical staff from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal.

This program was delivered by Vincent AKA, UWW Expert and Development Officer, and concluded with theoretical and practical evaluations leading to the award of UWW International Coaching Certifications Levels 1 and 2.

Celestin PAVELESCU, UWW Expert, led the refereeing education program in Olympic Wrestling and Beach Wrestling, contributing to the improvement of technical standards and the harmonization of officiating practices across the region.

The competitions were held on November 29, 2025 at the IRSP Gymnasium, while the Beach Wrestling events took place on November 30, 2025 at the Door of No Return Beach, an emblematic site of Ouidah’s historical and cultural heritage.

The host nation particularly distinguished itself during this edition, winning a total of 35 medals (11 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze).

The development strategy focused on youth and the introduction of wrestling in the school environment, with a strong representation of U17 wrestlers, illustrates the long-term vision pursued by the Benin Wrestling Federation.

At the conclusion of the competition, the President of the Benin Wrestling Federation, Adihunkpéto YVES AZIFAN, congratulated all wrestlers and coaches, while reaffirming the federation’s commitment to position Benin sustainably among the leading nations of African and international wrestling.