#UWWAwards2022

Ozaki earns Women’s Wrestler of the Year honors

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 28) -- United World Wrestling has announced Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) as the Women’s Wrestler of the Year. 

At the mere age of 19 years, Ozaki joined a rare list of wrestlers with all four world titles.

This year was undoubtedly Ozaki’s year as she won U20, U23 and senior world golds this season.

Ozaki won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships but stormed back with a gold-medal-winning performance in 2022 in Belgrade. On her way to the gold, she defeated defending world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA).

Domestically, Ozaki needed to defeat Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) to make the world team. She did that in May 2022 and then remained undefeated on the season until suffering a season-ending loss by Sakura MOTOKI in the final at the All-Japan Championships on December 25.

In April, she won her first Asian Championships title by beating Tynybekova, added the U20 world title in August, and completed the set by winning the U23 world gold in October. She won the U17 world title in 2019 in Sofia.

The year-ending rankings were also a reflection of her dominance as she finished on the top at 62kg with 55000 ranking points, out-placing other veterans of the sport.

#Pankration

Ukraine emerges as showstopper at U17 World Pankration C'ships

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 9) -- Ukraine showed why it is one of the best countries in Pankration as it won both men's and women's U17 team titles at the World Championships.

For the first time, Pankration was held in U15 and U17 age categories while Amateur MMA World Championships was held in U20 age category in Loutraki, Greece.

Ukraine won the U17 men's title with 135 points, Kazakhstan finished second with 73 points while the United States was third with 51 points.

Out of the eight gold medals on offer, Ukraine won four gold medals. Kazakhstan and Poland won one gold each while UWW fighters won the remaining two gold medals.

The gold rush for Ukraine began with Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR) who won via submission against compatriot Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the 62kg final. Ivan SOFRONII (UKR) then defeated Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW) in the 71kg final via unanimous decision to give Ukraine the second gold medal.

At 77kg, Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR) also won his final via unanimous decision over Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW) before Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR) had a close 84kg final against Rowdy HERRMANN (USA), winning it via split decision.

For Kazakhstan, Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ) won the 57kg gold medal after he submitted Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR) in the final with ease. Damian BABA (POL) gave Poland the gold medal at 93kg after he got the split decision of the judges over Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW) in the final.

At 66kg, Adam OMAROV (UWW) managed to impresses the judges to win his final against Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) via split decision. Daud ITSARAEV (UWW) was more dominant in the 100kg final as he won the via unanimous decision against Gleb KOMAROV (UWW).

In women's, Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW) won gold at 50kg, Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW) at 53kg, Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW) at 62kg, Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW) at 66kg and Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW) at 71kg.

Ukraine's only gold medal came at 57kg Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR) who defeated Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW) in the final.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Pankration

57kg
GOLD: Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR)
BRONZE: Mariks KRAUKLIS (LAT)
BRONZE: Aleksandr ANDREEV (UWW)

62kg
GOLD: Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yehor TARASENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Martin KUNZ (CZE)
BRONZE: Ibrokhim NOZIMOV (UWW) 

66kg
GOLD: Adam OMAROV (UWW)
SIVER: Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) 
BRONZE: Andrew DEVITO (USA)
BRONZE: Krystian WOJNIAK (POL)

71kg
GOLD: Ivan SOFRONII (UKR)
SILVER: Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Andrea RIZZO (ITA)
BRONZE: Matvei ZOLOTOVERKH (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR)
SILVER: Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Isaac MCLAUGHLIN (NZL)
BRONZE: Denis KOZHIN (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Rowdy HERRMANN (USA)
BRONZE: Davide MORENA (ITA)
BRONZE: Ali TALPYNOV (KAZ)

93kg
GOLD: Damian BABA (POL)
SILVER: Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Nikita VITRENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Stanislav LEMESHKO (UKR)

100kg
GOLD:  Daud ITSARAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Gleb KOMAROV (UWW)
BRONZE: Tyson KAIVELATA (NZL)

U17 Women's Pankration

50kg
GOLD: Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW)
SILVER: Uliana SHCHETININA (UWW)
BRONZE: Viktoriia PROKHATSKA (UKR) 
BRONZE: Yuliya KORENEVA (KAZ)

53kg
GOLD: Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW)
SILVER: Amina SAFARBEKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Eleni TOLIA (GRE)
BRONZE: Daria MALCHEVSKA (UKR)

57kg
GOLD: Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR)
SILVER: Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Scarlett SHREVE (USA)
BRONZE: Shyla MULHOLLAND (NZL)

62kg
GOLD: Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Daria GRITSAEVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Arina TIKHONOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Lamprini PERGELI (GRE)

66kg
GOLD: Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW)
SILVER: Valeriia PIANNIKOVA (UWW)

71kg
GOLD: Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW)
SILVER: Sofiia MANZHIKOVA (UWW)