#PolandOpen

Rong Wins Second Ranking Series Gold Medal

Sunday, September 9, 2018 - 16:55 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (September 9) - China’s RONG Ningning continued her 2018 hot streak and remained undefeated on the year,  winning the 57kg gold medal at the final women’s Ranking Series event of the year, the Poland Open. 

Rong’s win in Warsaw was her second Ranking Series gold medal of the year. She also won the China Open. In addition to her two Ranking Series championships, Rong claimed gold medals at the Ivan Yargin and Asian Championships, while also going undefeated at the World Cup. 

In the opening round, the Chinese wrestler kicked off the Poland Open by shutting out Mehlika OZTURK (TUR), 4-0. 

Rong, the No. 5 ranked wrestler in the world (at 59kg) followed her opening round win with a 14-3 quarterfinals thumping of current World No. 1 and European runner-up, Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS). 

In the semifinals, Rong narrowly squeaked out the win, defeating two-time cadet world champion, Yumeka TANABE (JPN), 6-4. 

RONG Ningning (CHN) has won two Ranking Series events this year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

The 57kg final was a top-ten match-up that pitted Rong against Norway’s ninth-ranked Grace BULLEN. 

In the opening minute of the first period, the Asian champion found herself in an early 4-0 hole after Bullen tossed her to back. She fought off her back and gained a two-point exposure, closing Bullen ’s first period lead to 4-2. 

Rong opened up the second period with a monstrous high-crotch, coming up to her feet and doubling off for four points and controlled the 6-4 lead. 

After a pair of leg-laces, the Chinese wrestler gained the 10-4 advantage before catching Bullen on her back, picking up the second-period fall to claim her fourth individual gold medal of the year. 

Rong, who competed at 59kg for half of the year will most likely represent China at 57kg at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

RESULTS 
Women’s Wrestling 
53kg
GOLD - Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), 2-2 

BRONZE - Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN), 10 - 6
BRONZE - Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA), 12-10

57kg 
GOLD - Ningning RONG (CHN) df. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR), via fall 

BRONZE - Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL), 6-3 
BRONZE - Yumeka TANABE (JPN) df. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 4-0 

62kg 
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) df. Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE), 2-1 

BRONZE - Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) df. Sara DA COL (ITA), 10-0 
BRONZE - Na LU (CHN) df. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 12-1 

68kg 
GOLD - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 16-5

BRONZE - Jiao WANG (CHN) df. Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON (SWE), 4-4 
BRONZE - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 5-0 

76kg 
GOLD - Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Aline FOCKEN (GER), 7-0 

BRONZE - Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 6-5 

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis returns to Worlds final after three years

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 20:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Helen MAROULIS (USA) wrestled three bout on Tuesday at the World Championships and secured three pins. She spent only 6 minutes and 28 seconds in those three pins to reach the 57kg final at the World Championships on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Maroulis, a two-time world champion, will now wrestle for gold against Il Sim SON (PRK), one of the two wrestlers from the DPR Korea to make it to the final on Tuesday.

In all three of her pins, Maroulis used the iconic foot-sweep to get the fall. The first victim was Emine CAKMAK (TUR) who was pinned in a minute. Japan's world U23 champion Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) held her fort for some time but Tokuhara missed a shot and Maroulis got the two-on-one before sweeping her for the fall in 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

In the semifinals, Maroulis wrestled European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) and took a 1-0 lead for the latter's inactivity. But as soon as the second period began, Maroulis went straight to work and hit the sweep to get the fall and a place in the final.

She will face an unfamiliar challenge in the final as  Il Sim SON (PRK) who defeated Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2, in the other semifinal. Son was one of the two finalist for the DPR Korea, a country which won its gold at 55kg on Tuesday.

The other wrestler from the DPR Korea to reach the final was Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) who handed 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) her first international loss.

Yoshimoto, Asian champion in 2025, had it under control for the most the match before conceding a takedown with just 23 seconds left on the clock. Won was relentless in her attacks to break Yoshimoto in the final 20 seconds.

For the gold, she will face 2024 world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN) who secured a fall over Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) after taking a 9-0 lead.

At 65kg, former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) defeated another world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinal, 10-0. Morikawa impressed with her attacks and scored five different takedowns to finish the match via technical superiority.

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) will look to stop Morikawa from winning her second world title after a dream run to the final at 65kg. She defeated two-time world bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) in the morning session and completed a 13-3 technical superiority Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) in the semifinals.

Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) booked a final against Genesis REASCO (ECU) after she handed a 10-5 defeat to European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals.

In an all South American semifinal, Reasco scored a takedown in the last minute to stun Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3. Potrille was leading 3-3 on criteria with a minute left but Reasco scored the two-point takedown and held on to her lead for the win, becoming the first Ecuadorian wrestler to reach a World Championships final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Myonggyong WON (PRK) vs. Yu ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2

57kg
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Il Sim SON (PRK)

SF 1: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2
SF 2: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

SF 1: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), 13-3
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) vs. Genesis REASCO (ECU)

SF 1: Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3
SF 2: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5