#WrestleSofia

Russia Caps off World Olympic Qualifiers with Three Gold

By Vinay Siwach

With Olympic quotas safely secured, the three Russian wrestlers at the World Olympic Qualifiers in Sofia, Bulgaria were ready to clinch the three gold medals as well.

While Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) pulled off a controlled 6-0 win over 20-year-old Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) in the 53kg final, her teammates Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) at 57kg and Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) at 62kg claimed the top medal as their opponents injury defaulted.

There was little action in the other finals as well as Seema BISLA (IND) won gold at 50kg after Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) decided to not compete after an injury.

At 68kg, local girl Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) was crowned the champion after Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) to skip the final due to the same reason.

Alla BELINSKA (UKR) was also the beneficiary of a similar situation as Yasemin ADAR (TUR) pulled out of the 76kg due to injury.

“I need to forget my past wins and start over the next day and that is why I wrestle for the gold medal,” Khoroshavtseva said after beating Ana 6-0 in the finals.

“I can't keep thinking about the previous day because I want to wrestle every new opponent.”

Her teammate Ovcharova was also of a similar opinion despite not getting any wrestling in the final.

“I want to spar against different opponents,” she said. “Every day is a new start for me.”

On Friday, they failed to achieve their dream of winning the ticket to Olympic Games in Tokyo but the wrestlers for bronze medal bouts showed up on mat with intention in all six weight categories.

Canada wrestling head coach Tonya VERBEEK explained the desire to compete for a non-consequential bout.

“For my team, I always say that finish the tournament,” she said. “Of course you don't have to wrestle if you have a strain.”

Samantha STEWART (CAN) stepped up on the mat with a similar motivation as she rolled to a 10-0 win over Laura Gabriela PEREDO TORRES (MEX) to capture the bronze medal at 53kg. Iulia LEORDA (MDA) beat Betzabeth ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN) 10-5 in the other bout.

Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), who lost in the semifinal at 68kg, was trailing 0-6 when she had Buse TOSUN (TUR) to her back to get a pin and the bronze medal.

“It's difficult to motivate myself after Friday but I have this personality where I don't like to give up,” she said.

“I always have these crazy matches because I don't want to give up and that is why I wrestled for a bronze medal as well.”

At 62kg, Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) won the first bronze by beating Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) 2-0 while Nathali josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) defeated Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) to win the other medal.

Explaining her motivation to wrestle for the bronze medal despite failing to qualify for the Olympics, Niemesch said, “the tournament is not over until the last day. To motivate and to win is part of the sport and we have to do it. To go home with a medal is better than going empty handed.”

Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) recovered from her stunning loss to Chumikova on Friday to win the bronze medal a day later with a 12-7 win over Emese BARKA (HUN). The other medal at 57kg went to Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA) as she won 4-0 against Laura MERTENS (GER).

The big surprise of the round came in the bronze medal bout at 76kg as junior and U23 World champion Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) hung on for a 2-2 win over Martina KUENZ (AUT). In the second bronze medal bout, Catalina AXENTE (ROU) pulled off a 4-1 win over Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN).

“This is everything for every wrestler. This is it,” Axente said pointing to her bronze medal.

WW Medal Results

50kg
GOLD- Seema SEEMA (IND) df. Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU), inj. def.
BRONZE- Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG) df. Mia Lahnee Ramos AQUINO (GUM), 10-0
BRONZE- Anna LUKASIAK (POL) df. Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR), 5-2

53kg
GOLD- Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU), 6-0
BRONZE- Iulia LEORDA (MDA) df. Betzabeth angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN), 10-5
BRONZE- Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Laura Gabriela PEREDO TORRES (MEX), 10-0

57kg
GOLD- Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) df. Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA), inj. def.
BRONZE- Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), 12-7
BRONZE- Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Laura MERTENS (GER), 4-0

62kg
GOLD- Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) df. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), inj. def.
BRONZE- Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), 2-0
BRONZE- Nathali josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) df. Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), 6-4

68kg
GOLD- Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), inj. def.
BRONZE- Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 4-6 via fall
BRONZE- Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE), 10-0

76kg
GOLD- Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), inj. def.
BRONZE- Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN), 4-1
BRONZE- Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 2-2

#WrestleBelgrade

How to watch 2023 Wrestling World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 15) -- The World Championships kick off September 16, 2023, in Belgrade Serbia with close to 1000 wrestlers in three styles -- Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling.

Fans around the world can watch the 2023 Wrestling World Championships live on UWW+, a subscription-based platform. The tournament will be like on uww.org and the official UWW App.

For wrestling fans based in the United States, the Wrestling World Championships will be live on FloSport/FloWrestling.

The World Championships will kick off with Freestyle on September 16 at 10:30 local time with the semifinals scheduled at 16:45 local time after a change in schedule (Earlier the article said that the semifinals will begin at 18:00 local time on the first day). On the second day, the qualification will begin at 10:30, the semifinals at 16:45 and the medal bouts at 18:00.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia

How to watch the 2023 Wrestling World Championships?

The 2023 Wrestling World Championships will be live on uww.org and the UWW App. Wrestling fans need to subscribe to UWW+ to watch the World Championships.

To watch the Wrestling World Championships in the United States, viewers need to go on FloSport/FloWrestling.

How to subscribe to UWW+?

You can subscribe to UWW+ here or UWW+ Subscribe Now.

What is the schedule of the 2023 Wrestling World Championships?

The schedule of the UWW Wrestling World Championships is it starts on September 16 and ends on September 24.

Which are the official broadcasters of Wrestling World Championships?

Vietnam - VTVCab
Slovakia – Arena TV
Czech Republic – Arena TV
Malaysia – RTM
China – CCTV
Maccau – CCTV
Indonesia - EMTEK
Philippines - EMTEK
Timor-Leste – EMTEK
Mongolia – Premium Sports Network

Which weight classes are competing today in the Wrestling World Championships?

The schedule of the different weight classes is as follows:

September 16: FS 61, 70, 86 & 125kg
September 17: FS 79, 92, 57 & 74kg
September 18: FS 65 & 97kg; WW 55 & 59kg
September 19: WW 65, 50, 57 & 76kg
September 20: WW 72, 53, 62 & 68kg
September 21: GR 55, 82, 77 & 130kg
September 22: GR 72, 60 & 97kg
September 23: GR 63, 67 & 87kg
September 24: GR 63, 67 & 87kg

Are there Paris Olympic quotas at the Wrestling World Championships?

Yes, the 2023 World Championships in wrestling offers 90 Paris Olympic quotas, 30 in each of Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling.

How can wrestlers win the 2024 Olympic Games quotas?

Wrestlers can qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics by earning a quota at the 2023 World Championships. The four medal winners in each of the Olympic weight classes will receive a Paris Olympic quota for the respective National Olympic Committee. The fifth quota in that weight class will be decided by a playoff between the losers of the bronze medal bouts.

Which are the Olympic weight classes in wrestling?

There are 18 Olympic weight classes in wrestling. These are as follows:

Freestyle: 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg
Women's Wrestling: 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, 76kg
Greco-Roman: 60kg, 67kg, 77kg, 87kg, 97kg, 130kg

How to follow all the action from the World Championships 2023?

The best to follow the World Championships is to follow United World Wrestling's Instagram, Facebook, X.com, Tiktok and YouTube.