#WrestleParis

Olympic champion Focken carries Olympic torch for Paris 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ALSACE, France (June 27) -- Tokyo Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) was part of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday in Alsace, stage 41 of the relay for the 2024 Paris Games.

"It was magical," Focken said. "It was a short run for only a few minutes but I enjoyed it. I felt the Olympic spirit and pride to run with the torch. We were briefed a lot, about the significance of the torch and it's for peace and I felt it all the time. It was special."

The relay began from the European Parliament and then passed in front of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It also lit up the city’s covered bridges, the Grande île district, the Alsatian Museum and the Notre Dame gothic cathedral before finishing at Place Kléber, in the city’s heart, where the celebration venue was located.

 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its voyage through eastern France with a distinctly European tone. In addition to putting the spotlight on the gems of Alsace, the Olympic Torch Relay also highlighted fraternity between people, such as Franco-German links, which were celebrated during an exceptional collective relay on the Three Countries Bridge in Huningue. Another collective relay took place in Strasbourg, dedicated, as each day, to a specific sport.

Focken carried the torch at the start of the three country bridge for 250 metres. The starting point of Focken's run was in Germany while her finish was in France. She then handed over the Olympic Torch to Frenchman Eric Kueny, representative of the host country in Huningue.

Aline FOCKEN (GER)Aline FOCKEN (GER) with the Olympic torch on Wednesday. (Photo: Lewis Joly)

Focken, who won the gold medal in 76kg weight class in Tokyo, became the first woman from Germany to win gold at the Olympics in wrestling. She said her feeling was similar to Olympic Games but she was nervous before the run.

"I was nervous," she said. "It's different and all the TV is around you. I was relaxed but nervous. It was a really special moment and I thought that this may be the last Olympic moment for you so just enjoy it. I took my family with me to the relay."

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Women's Wrestling Live Blog

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - 06:49 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 19) -- The U20 World Championships enter day five with all Women's Wrestling action. The four weight classes in action are 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

13:00: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) with her second 10-0 win of the day and this time it's at the expense of So TSUTSUI (JPN). Three takedowns and two lace turns for Leydecker in her technical superiority win. She will face Tuba DEMIR (TUR) in the 55kg semifinals.

12:50: YANGZHEN (CHN) with that strong Chinese gut-wrench to end Neevis  RODRIGUEZ (MEX) journey with a 10-0 win and reach semifinals at 62kg. She will face Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) who held on to a 5-2 win over Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (UWW).

12:45: Daniella NUGENT (USA) pulls off another close win! After trailing 6-5 and less than a minute left, Nugent scores takedown and then pins Saga SVENSSON (SRB) reach the semifinals at 65kg.

12:40: A huge double-leg and throw from Tuba DEMIR (TUR) for five points and as destroys Lilya COHEN (FRA) and wins her quarterfinals 11-0

12:35: Serbia has semifinalist in Women's Wrestling! Evelin UJHELJI (SRB) pins Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) and reaches the semifinals at 76kg.

12:30: Gerda TEREK (HUN), the European U20 champion at 55kg, has no answers to REENA (IND) who uses her power to score three takedowns in a 8-2 win and advance to the semifinals at 55kg.

12:22: PRIYA (IND) has no trouble in seeing off Diana TITOVA (UWW) with a 4-0 victory. A couple of takedowns in that win for the Indian.

12:08: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), the champion at European U20s, posted a controlled 5-2 win over European bronze medalist Elmira YASIN (TUR) and advance at 76kg.

11:50: Daniella NUGENT (USA) with one of those surviving wins. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB) scored a takedown and turn to lead but Nugent manages to keep the score 12-10 and win at 65kg.

11:35: REENA (IND), the Asian U20 and U23 champion, brings down returning silver medalist Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 11-6 and advance to the quarterfinals at 55kg. Byambasuren did score a big four-pointer but Reena just more solid in her takedown finishes

11:25: Gerda TEREK (HUN), European U20 champion, with a first-period 11-0 technical superiority win over Amelia TOMALA (POL) at 55kg

11:15: Former world U20 champion Ayano MORO (JPN) is left in tears as she has a back injury in her bout against Diana TITOVA (UWW) who gets a 4-3 victory to book a quarterfinals against PRIYA (JPN)

11:00: Momoko KITADE (JPN) scores a stepout to lead 3-2 against Beyza AKKUS (TUR) in a bout which had only stepouts. Akkus can't find one more to win the bout and Kitade advances at 65kg

10:40: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) pins Jing HONG (CHN) and then Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX) gets the fall over ANJLI (IND) and win at 65kg.

10:35: Returning bronze medalist Naomi SIMON (USA) gets the fall over Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) at 76kg. Simon over powering Johal in that bout.

10:25: European U20 champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) with a quick fall over Cancan LIU (CHN) at 76kg. In next match, former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) leg laces Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) to win 10-0.

10:00: It will be all Women's Wrestling morning session in Samokov. 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg in action.