#WrestleRome

U17 World Championships Day 3 WW semis set

Wednesday, July 27, 2022 - 08:42 By Vinay Siwach

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ROME, Italy (July 27) -- Women's wrestling will begin on day three at theU17 World Championships in Rome, Italy. Five weight classes will be in action and these are 43kg, 49kg, 57kg, 65kg and 73kg. All the qualification bouts and semifinals will be held Wednesday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 WRAP

14:31: The final set of semifinals is at 49kg. European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) once again beats Sevval CAYIR (TUR). She had defeated her 8-5 at the European semis but the bout was closer in Rome as Mammadova managed to win 3-2. She will now face the Asian silver medalist Aiymgul ABYLOVA (KAZ) who beat Anja EPP (SUI) 7-2.

In the other semifinal, Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN) will face European silver medalist Fabiana RINELLA (ITA). Takeuchi leg-laced Anastasiia ZADVORNA (UKR) for an 8-0 lead before a duck under gave her the winning takedown. Rinella beat Sama MAHMOUD (EGY) 10-0. 

14:22: The 65kg semifinals are set. Zharkynai NURLAN KYZY (KGZ) pinned ANJALI (IND) and will now face Anju SATO (JPN) who defeated   Sydney PERRY (USA), 3-0. The other semifinal will feature Maria PANTIRU (ROU) who won 9-4 against Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY). She will face Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK) who came back from 7-1 down to beat Tsai YUAN (TPE) 8-7.  

14:18: The 57kg semifinals will see Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) trying to stop Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) and Gerda TEREK (HUN) facing Tuba DEMIR (TUR) which is a rematch of the European final in which Demir won.

14:14: The 43kg field is just mind-blowing. The four semifinalists include world champion Erica PASTORIZA (USA), European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR), Asian champion RITIKA (IND) and Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)

SF 1: Erica PASTORIZA (USA) vs Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
SF 2: RITIKA (IND) vs Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

14:10: If you are wondering how Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) is so good with those low singles, she trains at the JOC Elite Academy which has produced the likes of Yui SUSAKI and Nonoka OZAKI. Uchida beats Shelby MOORE ?? 10-0 to enter the 57kg semifinals

14:00: Asian silver medalist Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) beats Pan-Am champ Rupinder Kaur JOHAL (CAN) 10-0 at 73kg. She will now face defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) in the semifinals. Malik defeated Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL) 10-0. Malik vs Yertostik is a rematch from the U17 Asian final in which Malik pinned the Kazak wrestler. 
In the other semifinal, Makoto KOMADA (JPN) will face Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) vs. Lotta ENGLICH (GER) as she defeated Elmira YASIN (TUR) 4-4, thanks to her two takedowns again Yasin's stepouts. Zenkina beat Englich 5-1 in what was a battle of the European bronze medalists.

13:53: European champion at 57kg Tuba DEMIR (TUR) trailed Asian bronze Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ) 3-0 early in the quarterfinal but she gets a four-pointer just before the break to lead 4-3. She begins the second period with a double-leg for four and collects the fall to enter semifinal

13:37: Huge home win for Italy! Fabiana RINELLA (ITA) decimates Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) for a 9-2 win at 49kg. The home crowd loved every moment there.

13:30: Here are the quarterfinals for 43kg

Malak MOUSTAFA (EGY) vs. Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
Gulnura RUSLANOVA (UZB) vs. RITIKA (IND)
Dominika KONKEL (POL) vs. Erica PASTORIZA (USA)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) vs. Josephine WRENSCH (GER) 

13:13: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) led 5-0 against Shelby MOORE (USA) and was cruising to victory. Moore scored a takedown in the second period and used four leg laces to lead 10-6. Filipovych tries a four, but it's only awarded two, the referee calls for a pin but the mat chairman doesn't signal the same. A huge 11-8 win for Moore over Filipovych. 

13:00: European silver medalist Gerda TEREK (HUN) trailed 2-1 for a major part of her bout against Liza TOMAR (IND). But she scores two stepouts late in the bout to win 3-2 at 57kg

12:40: Three top bouts at 43kg. U17 Asia champion RITIKA (IND) begins with a 10-0 win over Melissa DOROFTEI (ITA). European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) is up against Maya JOHANSSON (SWE) and leads 3-0. She gets the fall after the break.

World champion at 40kg Erica PASTORIZA (USA) up against European silver medalist Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE). Pastoriza and Karimzada exchange exposures in the second period. But Pastoriza with an ankle pick and four. Karimzada gets a go behind at the end but Pastoriza wins 7-4

12:30: European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a fall over Ana ROTARU (ROU) in just over a minute of the bout. She is one of the favorites to win the 49kg gold

12:20: At 57kg, Shelby MOORE (USA) starts her day with a stunning 11-0 win over Michalina IGNASZAK (POL). Used the leg lace to perfection.

12:10: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) may have thought she had Gerda TEREK (HUN) in a hold but the Hungarian manages to survive a pin attempt and take the win at 57kg 5-2 

12:05: Pan-Am champion Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) begins her quest for a world title with a good win. She scored a few stepouts against European champion Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) in a 9-0 win. 

11:54: Quick results at 73kg as Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) pins European silver medalist Gabriela MAEVA (BUL) inside the first period, Euro bronze Lotta ENGLICH (GER) works hard for a 4-4 win over Heba IBRAHIM (EGY) and Elmira YASIN (TUR) controls her bout for an 8-1 win over Giorgia D'ANTIMI (ITA).

11:52: Blink and miss stuff from Japan's Makoto KOMADA (JPN) as she rolls to a 12-0 win over Gemma RUSSELL (RSA) in the opening round at 73kg.

11:50: A winning start for defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) at 73kg. She got a point for passivity and then a takedown against Kaiulani GARCIA (USA). In the second period, Malik was called passive but still won 3-1. 

11:30: Welcome to the third day of the U17 World Championships in Rome. Women's wrestling begins with three defending champions in action.

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0