#wrestlenursultan

Sun Sets Down Japan’s Irie in Stunner to Make 50kg Semis; Mukaida Advances

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 09:12 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 17) --- SUN Yanan (CHN) could not have found a better way to spoil Yuki IRIE (JPN)’s birthday. 

Sun, avenging two losses over the past year to the Japanese, used two big throws then held on for dear life to score a 13-12 victory in the 50kg quarterfinals as the women’s competition got underway on Day 4 of the World Championships.

Sun will attempt to make the final for the first time since winning the 51kg gold in 2013 when she faces 2018 world silver medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) in the semifinals, which will be held at the start of the night session at Barys Arena.

 The other semifinal will be a clash between Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) and Alina VUC (ROU).

Two of the four weight classes in action, the women’s 50kg and 53kg, are Olympic weight classes. As such, the wrestlers who advanced to the semifinals clinched berths for their country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

For Asian champion Irie, who defeated two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) for a place on the team to Nur-Sultan, her only hope will be for Sun to defeat Stadnik, then make her way through the repechage on Wednesday to the bronze-medal match. 

Irie had defeated Sun, the Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and a third-place finisher a year ago in Budapest, at last year’s Women’s World Cup, and again in the final at the Asian Championships in April in Xi’an, China.

SUN Yanan (CHN) throws Yuki IRIE (JPN) in the opening period of the 50kg quarterfinals. (Photo: Tony Rotundo) 

But this time Sun had a strategy to gain revenge. In the first period, when Irie shot for a takedown, Sun locked onto her head, then lifted her over for 4 points. Irie gained a penalty point for grabbing fingers, making it 4-1 going into the second period.

Irie again attacked, but Sun got behind and, with the two standing, launched a textbook back suplex for 5 points and a 9-1 lead. The two traded exposure points, to make it 11-3, then Irie started her comeback, cutting the lead to three. But a late takedown left her one point short and absolutely devastated on her 27thbirthday.

It marks the first time that Japan has not made it to the final of the lightest women’s weight class at the World Championships since 2009.

There was some consolation for the Irie family when younger sister Nanami advanced to the semifinals of the non-Olympic 55kg class. She will take on Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) for a place in the final. 

The other big name in action, two-time world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) looked sharp in advancing to the semifinals, capped by a 12-1 technical fall over Sara HILDEBRANDT (USA). 

Mukaida’s stiffest test came in the second round, when she forged out a 7-0 victory over Vinesh VINESH (IND), the gold medalist at both the Asian Championships and Asian Games at 50kg in 2018. 

The other semifinal will be an all-Asian affair between PAK Young Mi (PRK)---who had stunned Mukaida with a last-second victory in the final at the Asian Championships---and 2018 world bronze medalist PANG Qianyu (CHN).

In the other semifinal at 55kg, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) will face Bediha GUN (TUR).

Leading the semifinalists at 72kg is Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS), the Rio 2016 silver medalist and 2015 world champion at 69kg. She will have to battle the hometown crowd when she faces Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ). 

Battling for the other place in the final will be Asian 76kg champion Paliha PALIHA (CHN) vs European gold medalist Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR).

The night session will feature the final medal matches in Greco-Roman at 60kg, 77kg and 130kg. In the repechage rounds for places in the bronze-medal matches Tuesday, Mohammadali Geraei (IRI) advanced at 77kg, giving Iran a shot at a medal in all three divisions. 

Also making it through was 34-year-old Heiki NABI (EST) at 130kg. A gold medalist in his second appearance at the World Championships back in 2006, he has since then won another world gold, a world bronze, and an Olympic silver (in 2012).  

Day 4 results

Greco-Roman Pairings

60kg (39 entries)
Gold – Sergey EMELIN (RUS) vs Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Bronze – Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) vs Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ)
Bronze – Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) vs Alireza NEJATI (IRI)

77kg (38 entries)
Gold – Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) vs Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Bronze –Mohammadali Geraei (IRI) vs Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Bronze – Jalgasbay BURDIMURATOV (UZB) vs Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ)

130kg (31 entries)
Gold – Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) vs Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Bronze –Heiki NABI (EST) vs Amir GHASEMI (IRI)
Bronze – Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs Eduard POPP (GER)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg (29 entries)
Semifinal – Alina VUC (ROU) vs Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) 
Semifinal – SUN Yanan (CHN) vs Mariya STADNIK (AZE)

53kg (30 entries)
Semifinal – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) vs Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Semifinal – PAK Yong Mi (PRK) vs PANG Qianyu (CHN)

55kg (18 entries)
Semifinal – Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) vs Nanami IRIE (JPN) 
Semifinal – Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) vs Bediha GUN (TUR)

72kg (12 entries)
Semifinal – Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) vs Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) 
Semifinal – Paliha PALIHA (CHN) vs Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR)

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”