#WomensWrestling

Stadnik, Chasing Olympic Gold, Confirms Run for '24 Paris Games

Monday, January 10, 2022 - 20:15 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 10) – Mariya STADNIK (AZE) officially put an end to the rumors that she’s hanging up her wrestling shoes, as she told United World Wrestling she's committed to competing through the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

There was a slew of retirement announcements following the Tokyo Olympics, and it was heavily speculated that the 33-year-old mother-of-two would call an end to her career after she won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games – her fourth Olympic medal in as many tries. But the nine-time European champion (seven European Championships and two European Games) squashed the rumors, saying she still believes in her potential and has a burning passion for the sport.

“I think that as long as I have the desire to wrestle, I should fulfill all my potential,” Stadnik said. “I made this decision to continue wrestling as soon as I came back home [from Tokyo]. All my relatives and friends believe in me very much.  My son wants me to go on wrestling because he says I am very strong.”

Stadnik, who has a combined ten Worlds and Olympic medals and only ten losses since she made her senior-level debut at the 2008 Golden Grand Prix in Baku, sits alongside Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) as the only women in the Games history to claim a quartet of Olympic medals.

If she reaches the podium in Paris, she’d become the first-ever wrestler – male or female – to win five Olympic medals in one style. Furthermore, if Stadnik wins that long-awaited Olympic gold, she’d become the oldest Olympic champion in women’s wrestling by a long shot.

Icho, who won her Rio Olympic title at 32-years-and-2-months-old, holds the current record. Stadnik will be 35-years-and-8-months-old during the ’24 Paris Games.

“I would really love to have five Olympic medals. Each medal is a part of my life story; it’s a part of my way. There are five Olympic Rings, so having five Olympic medals would make history," she said.

But Stadnik, who won a bronze in Beijing and silver in London and Rio, understands that to sustain greatness at her age, she has to listen to her body and can’t compete as often as she once did.

“Competing four or five tournaments a year is perfect for me,” Stadnik explained. “The only problem I might have before going to Paris is I don’t know how my body would react to training. I have some experience that I need to use in the right way in order to compensate for that energy I had when I was 20 years old.”

Owing to a similar reason, the 2019 world champion has limited her participation in tournaments in past. In 2019 and 2021, she participated only in two competitions each year, perhaps to keep her body healthy and reduce the burden of cutting weight before competitions. Although she didn’t say when she plans on lacing up her shoes next, Stadnik is expected to compete at the ’22 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary (March 28 – April 3).

Stadnik's Resume:
Olympic Games: ????
World Championships:??????
Euro Championships: ???????
European Games: ??

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Japan, China end gold droughts; Iran completes Greco sweep

Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 22:52 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 23) -- Japan had been searching for a Greco-Roman gold medalist at the U23 World Championships for six years. Shota OGAWA (JPN) won the country's last gold at this tournament in 2019, while Komei SAWADA (JPN) reached the final last year.

The wait ended on Thursday in Novi Sad after Koto GOMI (JPN) clinched the gold medal at 60kg with a technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in the final.

Gomi, a product of the Ikuei University, became only the fifth Greco U23 world champion for Japan but none of the earlier four champions dominated the field as he did. He opened his tournament with a 10-2 win over former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), defeated Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 13-4, before winning his semifinals 9-0 against Maxwell BLACK (USA).

Facing Abbaspour in the final, Gomi made sure he won his fourth bout with technical superiority as well. He got the first point when Abbaspour was put in par terre. Soon after, Gomi turned Abbaspour for two more points before adding a throw which got him one point and a 4-0 lead.

When the second period began, Abbaspour tried to get Gomi in par terre with some aggressive wrestling. He managed to body lock Gomi, but as he tried to force the Japanese towards the mat, Gomi tossed him using the momentum for four points to clinch the victory. Iran challenged the call only to lose it and add one more point to Gomi's score.

Despite the loss of Abbaspour, Iran won the Greco team title, completing a sweep of all world team titles in Greco this year. It won the U17 in Athens, U20 in Samokov, senior in Zagreb and the U23 in Novi Sad.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won the 82kg final in Novi Sad. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 82kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won a gold medal for a third straight year. While his first two gold medals came at 77kg, he moved up to 82kg this year but still managed to win the world title.

Gutu, known for his big throws, had to be satisfied with a 1-1 victory against Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) in the final. He got the first par terre point to lead 1-0. In the second period, Gutu was put in par terre twice but defended both times to win the gold medal.

Mixed show for U.S.

In women's wrestling, the United States had three wrestlers in the finals of three weight classes but it managed to win only one gold. China and Kyrgyzstan denied the U.S. in the other two finals.

One of the best matches of the night came at 72kg between former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) and senior world bronze medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Robinson was off to a blazing start in the final, leading 10-3, but she tried two risky throws that cost her the match. The first was a chestwrap which was blocked by Nurtaeva who managed to bring Robinson to danger. It was initially scored four points for Robinson and two for Nurtaeva but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call and it was awarded four points to the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

With a 10-7 lead, Robinson once again attempted a double underhook throw which was easily defended by Nurtaeva who managed to land on top of the U.S. wrestler and get another four points. She defended her 11-10 lead to become the country's second U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling and first since 2021.

Jinyue LIANG (CHN)Jinyue LIANG (CHN) tries to pin Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) in the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The second loss for the U.S. came at 50kg, as Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) was once again defeated in a World Championships final, her fifth defeat.

She began her final well against Jinyue LIANG (CHN), taking a 2-0 lead. But the China wrestler bounced back and made it 2-2 when Jimenez missed a sweep single and Liang scored a go-behind to lead.

Liang then pulled off a crafty move to put Jimenez in danger. Both wrestlers were locked in double underhooks with knees on the mat. Liang then pulled one of Jimenez's arms and put her hand on the knee across to trip her and hold her on the mat, trying to get a fall.

Jimenez committed a defensive foul by putting her fingers on Liang's face which costed her two more points. She survived the pin attempt but trailed 6-2 at the break. There were no points scored in the second period as Liang went into defensive mode and did not give Jimenez any openings.

This was China's first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at U23 Worlds in six years as Liang became only the third wrestler to win gold at this level. Earlier, two wrestlers had won three golds for China with PAHILA (CHN) winning golds in 2017 and 2018.

The U.S. did crown a champion on Thursday as 72kg champion Kylie WELKER (USA) won gold at 76kg in dominant fashion. She controlled an evasive Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) and finished the final 10-0 inside the first period.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), 9-0

BRONZE: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Ilkin GURBANOV (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Maxwell BLACK (USA), 8-0

82kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 1-1

BRONZE: Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO)
BRONZE: Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL), 8-6

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Jinyue LIANG (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) df. Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), 5-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN), 9-7

72kg
GOLD: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 11-10

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), 8-0 (via fall)
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 8-0

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: PRIYA (IND) df. Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX), 8-1
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ), 6-3

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) vs. Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

SF 1: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), via fall
SF 2: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. NISHU (IND), 6-4

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Yuqi RAO (CHN) vs. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Yuqi RAO (CHN) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 6-5
SF 2: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. PULKIT (IND), 9-6

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR)

SF 1: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) df. SRISHTI (IND), 10-6
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-6