#Yariguin2019

Trio of World Silver Medalists Begin Quest to Turn Budapest Silver into Astana Gold

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - 16:40 By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 23) - For the first time, the Ivan Yariguin will be a Rankings Series event in women’s wrestling. This year’s winter classic is set to feature a trio of wrestlers that fell short in the world finals who begin their quest to turn their Budapest world silver medals into Astana world golds, while past senior and age-level world champions are looking to stamp their resumes with an Ivan Yariguin title.

The only returning champion, Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA), has aspirations of becoming the first American female to win three straight Yariguin titles. But for her to do so, she’ll have the tall task of defeating a Mongolia's 2018 world runner-up OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa.

While many wrestlers are looking to remain on top and continue their winning streaks from last season, the host nation Russia is looking to bounce back after subpar world championships, where they left Budapest without a medal and only had one Russian female finish in the top-five.

OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) sticks WANG Juan (CHN) to lock up a spot in the 2018 world finals. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

World Runner-Ups Begin Quest to Turn Silver into Gold

Three 2018 world silver medalists jump-start their journeys to improving their Budapest silver to Astana gold at this week’s Ivan Yariguin. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), and Ochirbat Nasanburmaa all fell short in the world finals but come to Krasnoyarsk with hopes of building on the all-important Ranking Series points they’ve accumulated from their 2018 world finals appearances.

Bullen Returns After Run to U23 World Title

In her last outing, Norway’s Grace Bullen capped off the U23 World Championships with the most emotional win of her career. Bullen used late heroics in the final seconds of the 59kg gold-medal bout to knock off China’s reigning senior-level world champion, RONG Ning Ning.

Bullen now makes the trip to Krasnoyarsk with a target on her back, and world runner-up Bilyana Dudova has her sights down the scope of the Ranking Series rifle.

Dudova will try to flip the script from the last time these two wrestled. They met in the semifinals of the final Ranking Series event of 2018, the Poland Open, where Bullen bulldozed Dudova, 10-0.

An emotional Rio WATARI (JPN) celebrates after she returned to the mat after defeating cancer. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Rio WATARI (JPN) to Make Ranking Series Debut After Beating Cancer

Japan’s 2016 Olympian Rio WATARI (JPN) will make her Ranking Series debut after winning the long and grueling two year battle against cancer.

The Ivan Yariguin marks Watari’s second international tournament since defeating Hodgkin lymphoma. Her first international tournament back was at October’s 2018 World Championships in Budapest, where she finished in 16th place. Watari also wrestled in the All-Japan Invitational Championships and Japan Championships, finishing with gold and silver respectively.

For Watari to win the 68kg bracket, she’ll have to get through a wrecking crew of 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) and Russia’s four-time age-level world champion Khanum VELIYEVA, who is still junior eligible.

Ochirbat Tasked with Halting Mensah-Stock From Making History

Mongolia's 2018 world runner-up Ochirbat Nasanburmaa (MGL) will try to halt 2018 world bronze medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock from becoming the first American women’s wrestler to win three straight Ivan Yariguin titles.

Mensah’s unblemished 8-0 Yariguin record includes an 8-4 win over Ochirbat in the gold-medal bout of the 2017 Yariguin finals.

Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) , two-time world bronze medalist is one of the favorites to make the 76kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

Clash of Underrated World Medalists, Minagawa, and Focken

Two of the most underrated and least talked about wrestlers in the world could clash for the 76kg title.

Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) finished with a bronze medal at the world championships for the second year in a row and did so behind four-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA), Turkey’s 2017 world champion Yasim ADAR, yet is still one of least talked about wrestlers in the world.

Germany’s Aline ROTTER FOCKEN is another wrestler who should be a wrestling household name, yet Focken still isn't talked about enough. She’s reached a world finals in 2017 and is coming off a year where she reached the top of the podium at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament, Yasar Dogu, and the Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial.

If these two 76kg favorites were to clash in the finals, it would be their first career meeting.

What’s at Stake?

The Ivan Yariguin is the first of four Ranking Series events of the year.

The winner of each Ranking Series event will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively.

In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries. The points wrestlers gain this weekend are used as a part of the seeding process for the 2019 Astana World Championships. The number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the 2019 Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events, will be combined and the wrestlers with the four highest cumulative points will be award the top four seeds.

SCHEDULE (Local time)

January 23 (Wednesday)
08.00 - Arrival of delegations
15.30 - Referees clinic
15.30 - Press conference with the Organizing Committee representatives, main referees body, team leaders and coaches
16.30 - Draw: Women: cat: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: cat: 57,61,70 kg

January 24 (Thursday)
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.00 - Draw cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
17.00 -1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 25 (Friday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg - Repechage cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.30 - Draw cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
16.00 - Opening ceremony
17.00 - Finals cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 26 (Saturday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg - Repechage cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
18.00 - Finals cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg

January 27 (Sunday)
09:00 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Repechage cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
13.00 - Finals cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg

#WrestleAmman

Russo, Italy's first world champ in women's wrestling

Thursday, August 17, 2023 - 23:57 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 17) -- Aurora RUSSO (ITA) was left wondering how to pose for photographs with the champion belt. She put it around her waist, over her shoulder and held it over her head with both hands. For those 20 minutes, Russo was zoned out.

Despite being full of emotions and teary-eyed, Russo managed to open the interview with "I am a history maker."

Two years after she came agonizingly close to becoming Italy's first-ever world champion in women's wrestling, Russo achieved the historic feat by winning the gold medal at 59kg at the U20 World Championships in Amman, Jordan on Thursday. She did that by beating a former U20 world champion in Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN), 4-1, in the gold medal bout.

Apart from Russo's incredible feat, four other gold medals in women's wrestling were decided on Thursday. China, Individual Neutral Athletes, Japan and India won one each.

Japan, which dominates women's wrestling, is in danger of losing the team title for the first time at a U20 World Championships in which it has participated. So far, it has only one gold and two bronze medals. It is second in the race that is led by the United States with 75 points while Japan has 63 points.

For Italy, Russo is only the second wrestler in women's wrestling to reach a World Championships final after Dalma CANEVA (ITA) did in 2014 at the U20 level. When Russo did it the first time in Ufa, she lost a close final 8-6 to Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ). Since that silver medal, her results have been a mixed bag, winning the U20 Euros this year but suffering losses at the U23 and senior levels.

But the Turin native knew that she will not get a chance to win a U20 worlds again so she left no stone unturned on Thursday.

"I watched a few videos of Hetmanava to study her style," she said. "I learned everything."

Instead of engaging in attacks with Hetmanava, Russo played the counter. Hetmanava can pressure her opponents by taking fake shots and ultimately hitting counters. The final began on a slow note for Russo and she was put on the shot clock. After failing to score, Russo trailed 1-0 but no further damage was done till the break.

Hetmanava was put on the shot clock in the second period and in an attempted single-leg, she was blocked by Russo. The push from Russo imbalanced Hetmanava and the Italian quickly scored a takedown to lead 3-1 with 1:49 left on the clock.

Russo went into defense mode for the remaining time and did not allow Hetmanava to get any points. In the final 10 seconds, Hetmanava did get a high bodylock but Russo controlled her leg throughout even as Hetmanava tried to control the position to get a takedown.

AIN team challenged after no points were awarded but a takedown was not confirmed on review. This added another point to Russo's score as she celebrated, rather emotionally, with her coaches.

"I cannot believe this," Russo said.

Last year, Russo finished seventh at the U20 World Championships after losing to SITO (IND) in the repechage. She credited her international experience for the win in Amman.

"I think in Ufa I was very young but now I have experience and I have wrestled at more international competitions," she said.

In the semifinals against Alexis JANIAK (USA), Russo came back from 8-4 down to win 9-8 by scoring four points in the final 30 seconds. Janiak led 8-8 on criteria when the clock expired but Russo challenged Janiak's fleeing which was confirmed on review, giving Russo a 9-8 win.

"I was injured and got blood all over and I had kind of given up but it's wrestling so I kept going," she said. "I scored four points."

Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) leg laces Georgiana LANA (ROU) in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Another wrestler who finished with a silver medal at the 2021 U20 World Championships claimed the gold medal. Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) won the gold medal at 55kg, needing only 21 seconds to finish the final against Georgiana LANA (ROU), who looked in severe discomfort after the final.

Martynava was a silver medalist at 59kg in 2021 but in a drastic change, dropped down to 55kg in Amman. In her three bouts, she won via technical superiorities without giving up a point.

Lana, who stunned everyone by pinning returning champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), had heavily padded knees and was unable to move smoothly in the final. Once Martynava got a head-outside-single and transitioned into a takedown, Lara did not defend the lace, ending the bout 10-0 in 21 seconds.

After losing to Lana in the semifinals, Kiyooka returned to win the bronze medal 10-0 but expressed her regret for missing out on the gold for the second straight year.

"I am filled with regret," Kiyooka said. "At this rate, even at the senior level, which is my goal, I think my level is too low to talk about."

Kiyooka explained that it was difficult to digest the semifinal loss as Lana got her in a headlock before securing the fall.

"I went in with the feeling that I would definitely win," Kiyooka said. "I lost in an unexpected way, so when I lost, I didn't know what had happened, I couldn't believe it. It took me a while to accept the loss. I put that aside and approached the bronze-medal bout with the mindset of changing my mind and going home with the bronze medal."

Yanrong LI (CHN) scores exposure against Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) in their 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It was a memorable day for China as well as it crowned a U20 world champion after five years. Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN) was the last Chinese to win a U20 world title when she won the gold at 76kg in Trvana in 2018.

Yanrong LI (CHN) ended the drought for a gold medal, winning the 50kg gold in dominant fashion. This was also China's first gold in lower weight classes since 2010 when Yanan SUN (CHN) won the gold at 51kg.

Li defeated returning silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) via fall in the final after building an 8-0 lead. She got Jimenez in a cradle and kept turning the American to build an 8-0 lead before sticking Jimenez to the mat to confirm the fall.

The Chinese wrestler was equally dominant if not more on Wednesday as well. She began her world championships with a 16-6 rout of Sviatlana KATENKA (AIN) before pinning Svenja JUNGO (SUI) in the quarterfinals and Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR) in the semifinals.

Jimenez was looking for her first U20 world title after finishing with a silver medal. But like Umi ITO (JPN) in 2022, Li gave no chance to the 18-year-old from the U.S.

Ray HOSHINO (JPN) held off for a 4-3 win over Elizateva PETLIAKOVA (AIN). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

For Japan, Ray HOSHINO (JPN) held on to an extremely tough 4-3 win over Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) in the 68kg final to give Japan its first gold in women's wrestling.

Hoshino, who was in Amman to win the U20 Asian Championships, began with a single-leg attack four seconds into the bout and converted that for a takedown to lead 4-0. A minute later, Petliakova scored a takedown to lead 2-2 on criteria at the break.

Petliakova shot for Hashino's legs but the Japanese pulled off an incredible defense and score her takedown on the counter. Hashino led 4-2 and was all set to run out the clock. However, Petliakova scored a setpout with 12 seconds remaining to make it 4-3. But nothing else worked for Petriakova as Hoshino won the gold medal.

"I'm happy to have won, but the final was dangerous," Hoshino said. "I thought I should have pushed harder.

"I was under pressure and not satisfied with what I was doing, so I would like to take a closer look at the issues and practice more after returning to Japan.”

Priya MALIK (IND) upgraded her U20 worlds silver to gold in Amman. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Priya MALIK (IND), the silver medalist from 2022, became a three-time age-group world champion as she defeated Laura KUEHN (GER), 5-0, in the 76kg final.

The two-time U17 world champion was clearly a better version of her 2022 self with solid defense and diverse attacks. Unlike her final against Ayano MORO (JPN) last year, Malik had more attacking options and scored early as Kuehn failed to get to Malik's legs most of the time.

"I was much better prepared for this final than last year," Malik said. "I worked on my power and even defense so I can take this world champion belt home."

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yanrong LI (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), via fall (8-0)

BRONZE: Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR) df. Svenja JUNGO (SUI), via fall (5-2)
BRONZE: Miruko SAKANE (JPN) df. Reka HEGEDUS (SVK), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) df. Georgiana LIRCA (ROU), 10-0

BRONZE: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Amani JONES (USA) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 5-5

59kg
GOLD: Aurora RUSSO (ITA) df. Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN), 4-1

BRONZE: Alexis JANIAK (USA) df. Elena KUROVA (AIN), 11-0
BRONZE: Kalmira BILIMBEK KYZY (KGZ) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 11-0

68kg
GOLD: Ray HOSHINO (JPN) df. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN), 4-3

BRONZE: Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) df. Isabella MIR (USA), 8-1
BRONZE: ARJU (IND) df. Elif KURT (TUR), 8-1

76kg
GOLD: PRIYA (IND) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 5-0

BRONZE: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Mariia SILINA (AIN), 6-2
BRONZE: Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall (10-5)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) vs. ANTIM (IND)

SF 1: ANTIM (IND) df. Polina LUKINA (AIN), 12-0
SF 2: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Katie GOMEZ (USA), via fall (2-0)

57kg
GOLD: Ichika ARAI (JPN) vs. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

SF 1: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ), via fall (10-4)
SF 2: Ichika ARAI (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), 5-3

62kg
GOLD: SAVITA (IND) vs. Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

SF 1: Astrid MONTERO (VEN) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 8-0
SF 2: SAVITA (IND) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) vs. ANTIM (IND)

SF 1: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 7-0
SF 2: ANTIM (IND) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN), 9-5

72kg
GOLD: Amit ELOR (USA) vs. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR)

SF 1: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Yuka FUJIKURA (JPN), 10-0
SF 2: Bukrenaz SERT (TUR) df. HARSHITA (IND), via fall