#Grappling

Shakalova returns as double champion, Toth shines at Grappling Worlds

Monday, October 17, 2022 - 18:04 By Vinay Siwach

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 17) -- The warm-up hall at Municipal Pavillion in Pontevedra is an emotional setting. At the end of the Grappling World Championships by United World Wrestling, grapplers from around the world are bidding goodbyes to their friends, rivals and coaches.

It's a room full of athletes that are skilled in various forms of combat sports coming together to grapple on the mat and be the world champion. A few are mixed martial arts fights, some are skilled at various forms of grappling and a few are equally good at both.

Among them is Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) who is being congratulated by almost everyone around. She also gets some requests for selfies.

Shakalova won the gold medals in 71kg at both Grappling and Grappling Gi, a version in which athletes wrestle wearing a loose uniform used in almost all combat sports with a belt around the waist.

It was not the first time that Shakalova won two gold medals in the same tournament. She achieved the same feat in 2017 in Baku at the same tournament. Shakalova was extremely pleased that she was able to repeat after a gap of five years.

In the 71kg final, she got a 6-3 win over Giulia RODIO (ITA) with two setpouts before Radio pulled the guard to be penalized two more points. In the second period, Shakalova scored a takedown but also gave up two points for stalling while being on top. But with her experience, she secured the win.
 
For the first time, Shakalova was happy with off the mat facilities.

"I really liked the tournament," Shakalova said. "I want to say that I've been grappling for quite a long time, but it's the first time when I saw such a great organization of the World Championships. The food was great, usually, we have just bread, some unnecessary carbohydrates, but this time the meals were really good."

The 25-year-old has been in wrestling for 13 years now. But in the recent past, she has transformed herself into a mixed martial arts athlete with a 7-1 record. But even then, she has never stopped grappling since it helps her outperform her rivals.

"I had been grappling for about six years and then I took up MMA," she said. "Though my priority is MMA, grappling is just a hobby but I can say that grappling is an ideal kind of wrestling for MMA."

And with that in mind, she aims for the big league. "My main goal is to be signed for a good MMA promotion, this will help to promote grappling as there hasn't been a UWW grappler in that."

Although the two gold medals have brought smiles to Shakalova, she does not celebrate much as she remembers her hometown -- Kharkiv -- and the fact that she last saw her family six years ago.

Growing up in Donetsk, the Ukrainian never thought she will not have a home to go to, first in 2014 and then in 2022.

"My home in Kharkiv has been destroyed," she said. "I have been in Dusseldorf in Germany for more than a year now. My parents are stuck in Donetsk."

Shakalova fondly remembers the Pankaration tournament in Kharkiv last year which she won.

"I won it. In my home. I don't have a home now."

Alexa TOTH (HUN)Alexa TOTH (HUN) won two gold medals in Pontevedra. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Ukraine finished second in both women's Grappling and Grappling Gi with Poland winning the Gi and Germany topping the Grappling style.

Among all the stars was a young one from Hungary. Alexa TOTH (HUN), 18, was the second double champion in Pontevedra as she thrashed opponents much senior to her.

"When I came, I did not expect to win it," Toth said. "As I am just 18 years old, winning the adult category is amazing."

Toth, a U17 world champion last year, has also won a silver and bronze at the European Championships as well.

"It's always great when I am on the mat. I like the idea when can be strong as a girl," she said.

Toth, who is still in school, has to find a balance between grappling and studies as she has to pass her exams later this year.

"It's really hard," Toth said. "The solution is to not sleep and do both. It happened to me as I came here instead of my exam. I have to write when I go back home. So it's going to be long nights."

RESULTS

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) df. Kanae IKEDA (JPN), 3-0

BRONZE: Martyna IWAT (POL) df. Botakoz YELDOSKYZY (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 7-2 

58kg
GOLD: Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA), 11-2

BRONZE: Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL) df. Minerva MONTERO (ESP), via submission
BRONZE: Lina GROSSET (FRA) df. Samantha JEAN FRANCOIS (FRA), 5-3

64kg
GOLD: Joanna ZABULEWICZ (POL) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), 6-5

BRONZE: Fariza KULYNTAY (KAZ) df. Anna CASTELLS (ESP), 5-1
BRONZE: Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) df. Aigul SAMAT (KAZ), 5-0

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Giulia RODIO (ITA), 6-3

BRONZE: MERYXELL GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (2-2)
BRONZE: Emily GUENZLER (GER) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-6) 

90kg
GOLD: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Assel KABDYGALYMOVA (KAZ), 10-1

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via walkover
BRONZE: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD: Kanae IKEDA (JPN) df. Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN), 3-1

BRONZE: Carlota PRENDES (ESP) df. Alicja STYPULKOWSKA (POL), 4-3
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Martyna IWAT (POL), 2-0

58kg
Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Melissa BENEDINI (ITA), 13-0

BRONZE: Laila OHLHOFF (GER) df. Jazmin ARJONA (ESP), via submission (7-3)
BRONZE: Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) df. Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL), 4-1

64kg
GOLD: Anna CASTELLS (ESP) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Florika LUCHYCH (UKR) df. Kristi RUSSELL (USA), via walkover
BRONZE: Sandra PNIAK (POL) df. Olena HERMAN (UKR), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Alycia QUENEE (FRA), 11-5

BRONZE: Christina HANSEN (USA) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (12-0)
BRONZE: Giulia RODIO (ITA) df. Giada CHIOSO (ITA), via submission

90kg
GOLD: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Olena SUSHKO (UKR), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover
 

#WrestleBratislava

On 14th attempt, Prevolaraki wins historic European gold for Greece

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 22:47 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) made her first trip to the European Championships in 2011 when she was 19 years old. She competed in 14 European Championships and returned home with eight medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- over the last 13 years.

Now 33 and competing at her 14th European Championships, Prevolaraki won her first gold medal with a thrilling win over Andreea ANA (ROU), ending a 24-year wait for Greece to have a champion in Women's Wrestling at the continental event. Former world champion Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE) was the last and only other European champion for Greece in Women's Wrestling.

"I am very happy that I managed to earn the gold medal," Prevolaraki said. "I was waiting so many years to be the European champion and I am 33 years old but I managed to do it."

Over the years, Prevolaraki has lost four finals, all to different opponents. But Friday, she managed to keep her composure in a close bout for the win.

"This time I am more experienced and I did not feel any pressure," she said.  I played freely and good things happen when you have no pressure."

Wrestling in Bratislava in the 53kg weight class, Prevolaraki was hit with passivity first and put on the 30-second clock which expired without Prevolaraki scoring to give Ana 1-0 lead.

Ana extended her lead to 3-0 when Prevolaraki tried to hit a cut-back but was unsuccessful in the move. With more than two minutes remaining, Ana tried defending her 3-0 lead but was put on the activity clock when 1:10 were left.

During the 30-second period, Prevolaraki went for the leg-attack but Ana moved and tried getting behind Prevolaraki which she almost did and tried throwing the Greek with a cradle. But Prevolaraki was alerted and did not land in danger and scored a takedown. The activity clock against Ana expired which added another point for Prevolaraki, making the score 3-3 with the Greece wrestler leading on criteria of last point scored.

Romania decided to challenge, a strategic one. Even a lost challenge would need Ana to score a point to win from 4-3 with Prevolaraki lead and 3-3 with criteria to Prevolaraki.

On review, Romania lost the challenge and Prevolaraki led 4-3. Ana hit a sweep single and tried forcing Prevolaraki out of bounds but the Greece wrestler turned it around to get Ana's head out first and get another point to lead 5-3 which she defended and won the gold medal.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) at the medal ceremony of the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I think I have had a good career," she said. "I am sad that I don't have an Olympic medal but I have many European medals and world Championships medals."

Prevolaraki, a four-time Olympian, a rare feat in wrestling, paid tribute to three-time Olympic champion Buvaisar SAITIEV, by wearing a shirt with his photo and message. Saitiev had passed away in March at the age of 49 years.

"The legend [Saitiev] is for all wrestler all over the world and his legend has no bounds. I wanted to pay a tribute to this legend," she said.