#development

Turkey hosts first UWW women's referee course

Saturday, May 14, 2022 - 16:33 By United World Wrestling Press

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ANTALYA, Turkey (May 14) --- On May 11, 2022 in beautiful Antalya Turkey, a precedent was set for all UWW Women referees. For the 1st time in United World Wrestling history, HIS-story became HER-story.  Women from 16 different countries have come together with 1 goal in mind; the advancement and recognition of Women officials within this heralded organization.

The Women's Referee Course, which consisted of two courses and three competition days, was preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, and the 2024 & 2028 Olympic Games. 28 women referees from around the world were selected to participate in this first-of-its-kind educational program. 

On the first day of the course, UWW Bureau member Lucio CANEVA attended the opening ceremony and spoke to attendance. He thanked the referees for their support. He also explained why women referees are important for wrestling and all bureau members support this program.

Instructors Antonio SILVESTRI, Ibrahim CICIOGLU and Edit DOZSA collectively contributed to ensuring a successful platform for each woman that took part. Their combined knowledge only helped to propel the confidence of all the participants whether it was about rules or team-building activities and exercises. 

Dozsa, a pioneer of women's refereeing, was fully aware and empathic of the unique struggles women face in a male-dominated sport. Having been selected for the 2008 Olympic Games, Dozsa was able to bring the women together and give them an open forum to voice their individual experiences and struggles, without contradiction or judgments. The idea was for the women to learn how to empower one another. She provided tools and support that have enabled the women to grow and learn with each other over the years.

TUR
Participants from Turkey's women's wrestling course join together for a photo. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

The group at the course was experienced and talented. While some referees had wrestled, others were carrying the family torch. Regardless of experience, each member agreed that wrestling is in their blood and has forever changed their lives, for the better.

"Being a female official has many obstacles and nothing is easy about this job," Dozsa said. "We continue to sacrifice to be a part of this wrestling culture we all love so much. This course has given us renewed hope and an optimistic outlook for the future of women referees all over the world. We came in as 28 individuals and left as 1 empowered sisterhood."

The first two days of the course were dedicated to the theoretical aspect of refereeing and important rules were discussed and explained by instructors. A practice session was organized on the second day. All the questions of the attendees were answered by the instructors who also showed critical situations like referee mechanism, out of bounds situations, takedown and control, illegal wrestling and fouls.

During the last three days of the course, referees attended the International Champions tournament for the age group in all styles. They had a chance to officiate throughout the competition in both styles which was an experience for them as well.

The course was the first step for the women referees toward their Olympic hopes. The instructors thanked UWW president Nenad LALOVIC and all the bureau members for their support. They also expressed their gratitude toward the Sports and Development Departments for their collaboration and the Turkish Wrestling Federation for their attributions.

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 5 Highlights

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 06:49 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- The U20 World Championships will continue with Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 53kg and 72kg. Greco-Roman will begin with 60kg and 82kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 16:45 hours local time

14:00: SHRUTI (IND) with another tough defense in the final 20 seconds to claim a 4-0 win over Anna YATSKEVYCH (POL) and reach the semifinals at 50kg. She will face Audrey JIMINEZ (USA).

13:50: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with a reverse throw for four from par terre for a 5-0 lead against Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL) in the 82kg quarterfinal. Yoshida finishes the bout with a 6-0 win.

13:45: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) with a takedown masterclass as she beats Na HU (CHN) 10-0 to enter the semifinals at 50kg. She will take on Diana RYSOVA (UKR) for a place in the gold-medal bout. 

13:40: European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) gives nothing away and has an easy 8-2 win over Omer ALTAS (TUR) as Javadov enters the 60kg semifinals. He will take on Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO).

13:36: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW), 2024 world U17 champion, with his serious gut-wrench hands Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) an easy defeat and enters the 82kg semifinals.

13:31: 2024 world U17 bronze medalist Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) with two four-pointers in his 11-2 victory over Maksut SULTANOV (UKR) at 60kg. He will face SURAJ (IND) in the semifinals.

13:30: Former world U17 champion and Asian U20 champion SURAJ (IND) with a 3-1 victory over returning bronze medalist Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) at 60kg. Suraj with a correct throw for two points from par terre to win the bout.

13:28: Returning silver medalist at 72kg Yuqi LIU (CHN) gets a 10-0 victory over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) and reach the semifinals in which she will face Haticenur SARI (TUR)

13:27: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) with a fall over Songul KAVAK (TUR) in 22 seconds to reach the 50kg semifinals. Ogawa is looking to add a U20 world title to her 2023 world U17 gold.

13:24: Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) gets the par terre advantage in the first period and turns PRINCE (IND) three times from par terre to win 8-0 and advance to the 82kg semifinals

13:20: Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) gets a huge headlock throw for four points in the second period to beat Seyed AZARSHAB (IRI) 7-3 and enter the semifinal at 82kg. Second loss for Iran in Greco-Roman 

13:13: KAJAL (IND) earns herself a place in the 72kg semifinals against defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) after a 7-0 victory over Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ).

13:05: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) gets a stepout with 30 seconds left on the clock to beat Kubanych ARINOV (KGZ) 4-4 on criteria at 60kg. Lolua was down 4-3 with more than one minute left in the match but managed to score the match-winning stepout.

13:02: 2023 world U17 champion Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) has little trouble in seeing off  Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW), the European U20 champion at 50kg. Just a takedown masterclass to win 10-2

12:58: A 16-second 10-0 technical superiority win for Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) over Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU) at 50kg. Jiminez is a multiple time age-group world medalist but is still searching for the gold medal.

12:56: A second fall in three bouts for defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) as she jumps over Veronika VILK (CRO) and keeps her back on the mat to secure the fall and enter the 72kg semifinals.

12:55: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) and Josephine WRENSCH (GER) had to wait three hours since the start of the action today. Ogawa had built a 9-0 lead before securing the fall over Wrensch and win at 50kg

12:50: Rematch of European U20 Championships final at 53kg as gold medalist Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) clashes with Ilona VALCHUK (POL). Valchuk is the first to strike with a takedown on the edge for two points. But Polska scores a takedown and turn for 4-2 lead. Valchuk cautioned and bout restarts in par terre and Polska turns her two more times for a 9-2 lead. Just before the break, a takedown and another turn for 13-2 victory for Polska. 

12:35: Na HU (CHN) with a huge under-over arm throw to plant Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) and gets the fall to enter 50kg quarterfinal.

12:22: At 60kg, European U20 champion and 2024 U17 world champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Kacper SOBCZYK (POL). He used the gut-wrench to turn him

12:20: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with an 9-0 technical superiority win over Omer ILDES (TUR) at 82kg. He controls Ildes and plants him on the mat for four outside the zone. He scores a takedown and turn to win 8-0. Turkiye challenge only to lose one more point.

12:17: European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) with a technical superiority win over Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) at 82kg. Shkarin looked in complete control.

12:15: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), a senior European bronze medalist at 55kg, gets three turns from par terre and he downs Danila CHARAPENKA (UWW) 8-0, at 60kg in Samokov.

12:12: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW), a returning bronze medalist at 60kg, hands Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) a 8-5 defeat. Cortez was a silver medalist at 55kg last year but cannot match Dzhavadian in this bout

12:05: Omer ALTAS (TUR) with a takedown in the final minute after being down 2-1 to beat Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) at 60kg. First loss for Iran in Greco-Roman.

11:55: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) fails to hold on to his 6-1 lead in the second period against SURAJ (IND) and drops his 60kg Greco-Roman 1/8 bout 8-6. Suraj did not get any par terre but scored a takedown and got four when De Souza tried to throw him.

11:50: At 50kg, European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) pins Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN) and advances to the quarterfinals in which she will face Ilona VALCHUK (POL)

11:45: SAARIKA (IND), Asian U20 champion, works to an controlled 10-0 win against European U20 bronze medalist Sevval CAYIR (TUR) at 53kg and enter the quarterfinals.

11:40: A 15-4 victory for KAJAL (IND) after she survives a big four-point throw from Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL) at 72kg. Kajal managed to compose herself and worked for a technical superiority win. Kajal is a former world U17 champion and won silver medal at 73kg at this year's World U17 Championships.

11:35: Veronika VILK (CRO), the country's first-ever world champion in Women's Wrestling at any level, starts with a fall over Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ) at 72kg.

11:25: Yuqi LIU (CHN), the returning silver medalist at 72kg, begins her campaign with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE). Leg lace for the win.

11:20: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) with a 34-second fall over Ai SAKAI (JPN) at 72kg as she moves into the quarterfinals. Sakai with a double-leg but Robinson with a lat drop and fall. Robinson is looking even more dominant than last year.

11:00: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) starts his run for a U20 world title with a victory over Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN). Yoshida is a former U17 world champion and senior Asian champion but finished with a bronze at the World U20 Championships last year. Yoshida and Szinay scored stepouts but the Japanese scored a takedown and side suplex for four points. Hungary challenge for a foul but there is non. A stepout in the second period and Yoshida wins 9-1.

10:45: Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) with a takedown and six three turns to win 8-0 against Dragos DRAGA (ROU) at 82kg.

10:35: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) gets both par terre advantages in his opening bout against Takuma NAKASHIMA (JPN) at 60kg and scores from both to win 5-0.

10:30: Returning silver medalist Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) with a big headlock and four against Kristin PETROV (BUL) to secure the fall at 60kg.

10:20: Defending champion at 72kg Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) wastes no time in finishing her opening bout against Elvira ERSSON (SWE) with a lace and a double-leg for four. She is the favorite to win gold again

10:15: In the first bout at Greco-Roman 60kg, Asian U20 champion and former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) rallies in the second period to score six turns after a takedown to beat Salamat MURATULY (KAZ)