U23 Worlds: Japan clinches team title; Ringaci wins gold

Saturday, October 28, 2023 - 00:15 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 27) -- Japan only sent nine wrestlers, with none of the seven world champions from last year returning, to the U23 World Championships. Yet, it clinched the Women's Wrestling team title comfortably in Tirana on Friday.

With no entries received at 68kg in the domestic selection trials, Japan was forced to skip that weight in Tirana but the second-string team won five gold and one silver to finish at the top with 159 points. Ukraine finished second with 144 points while the United World Wrestling team was third with 132 points.

Out of the five gold medals on offer on Friday, Japan won three with Mako OONO (JPN) winning at 53kg, Sara NATAMI (JPN) winning at 57kg and Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) winning the 62kg gold medal.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) won the 65kg gold while senior world champion Amit ELOR (USA) repeated as the champion at 72kg, claiming her eighth world title.

Mako OONO (JPN) celebrates after winning the 53kg final. (Photo: UWW / Ulug Bugra Han Degirmenci)

Oono got the ball rolling with a 10-0 win over senior world bronze medalist Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) in the 53kg final. Using her quick speed, Oono was able to counter most of Dragutan's attacks and finished the final with 2:17 left on the clock.

While the final was a one-sided affair, Oono was in serious trouble in her quarterfinals against Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) who scored in the first ten seconds of the bout and took a 2-0 lead. Malanchuk kept coming back with the low single on Oono's left leg but the Japanese defended well to not give up any more points. In the second period, Malanchuk shot a double-leg which Oono defended and scored a go-behind to lead 2-2 on criteria. That remained the winning margin for Oono.

This was Oono's fourth gold medal in international competitions as she has a U17 world title from 2018, an Asian U17 title from 2019 and an Asian U20 gold from 2022.

Sara NATAMI (JPN) defeated Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) 18-8 in the 57kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Senior Asian champion at 59kg in 2022, Natami was wrestling at 57kg and had to work hard for the gold against European silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE). Natami won the gold by beating Aliyeva 18-8.

Natami opened the scoring with a takedown and rolled Aliyeva to lead 6-0. As she scored another takedown, Aliyeva got her hold over Natami and sprung her on the side to score two points. That cut Natami's lead to 8-2. Aliyeva then locked Natami's hands and flung her for a four. Though she survived the pin, Natami gave up a stepout and saw her lead cut to 8-7 at the break.

All that action had taken a toll on Aliyeva as she broke down in the second period and gave up easy takedowns as Natami's lead swelled to 12-8. With a minute still left on the clock, Natami, with six more points, completed an 18-8 victory. The win also denied Aliyeva and Azerbaijan their first gold medal at the U23 World Championships.

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) won the world title at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) did not take that much time as she pinned Iryna BONDAR (UKR) in the final. Inagaki first blocked an attempted lift from Bondar to score two points and once the wrestlers were in neutral, she got Bondar by the arm and pinned her with 4:17 left on the clock.

Inagaki is now a two-time U23 world champion, four years after she won her first in 2019. She also has the U17 and U20 world titles to her name.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) pins Amina TANDELOVA (AIN) in the 65kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

After two bronze medals at the U23 Worlds (2019 and 2022), Ringaci won the gold medal in some style, pinning Amina TANDELOVA (AIN) in a minute and 28 seconds.

Ringaci won a bronze medal at 68kg at the senior Worlds last month but returned to 65kg for the Tirana tournament.

"I feel better at 65kg because I weigh around 67kg," Ringaci said. "When I am wrestling at 65kg, I have to cut only around two kilograms but for 68kg, I am underweight."

In the semifinal, Ringaci had a fierce battle with world silver medalist Macey KILTY (USA), winning 5-4 with her defense helping her sail.

"The semifinal opponent is a strong wrestler," she said. "I knew it was going to be a tough match. I am always getting ready to wrestle for six minutes."

Defending champion at 72kg Elor came to Tirana chasing her eighth world title and returned with it. She defeated Jyoti BERWAL (UWW) 10-0 in just 21 seconds to become a two-time U23 world champion, her third world title this year.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Mako OONO (JPN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN), 10-8
BRONZE: Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) df. Beatrice FERENT (ROU), 12-1

57kg
GOLD: Sara NATAMI (JPN) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), 18-8

BRONZE: REENA (UWW) df. Mia FRIESEN (CAN), 8-2
BRONZE: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Xochitl MOTA PETTIS (USA), 4-3

62kg
GOLD: Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Iryna BONDAR (UKR), via fall

BRONZE: Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 11-0
BRONZE: Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) df. Bhagyashree FAND (UWW), 10-6

65kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Amina TANDELOVA (AIN), via fall

BRONZE: Yuliia LESKOVETS (UKR) df. Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT), 3-1
BRONZE: MONIKA (UWW) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 5-4

72kg
GOLD: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Jyoti BERWAL (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 12-2
BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 3-3

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Romeo BERIDZE (GEO) vs. Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN)

SF 1: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) df. SUMIT (UWW), 9-4
SF 2: Romeo BERIDZE (GEO) df. Mert ILBARS (TUR), 3-1

67kg
GOLD: Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) vs. Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)

SF 1: Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) df. Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE), 11-0
SF 2: Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) df. HARUTO YABE (JPN), 3-3

72kg
GOLD: Dmitrii ADAMOV (AIN) vs. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)

SF 1: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Michael PORTMANN (SUI), 9-2
SF 2: Dmitrii ADAMOV (AIN) df. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 15-6

82kg
GOLD: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs. Aues GONIBOV (AIN)

SF 1: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 11-0
SF 2: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Mustafa OLGUN (TUR) vs. Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN)

SF 1: Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) df. Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), 9-0
SF 2: Mustafa OLGUN (TUR) df. Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN), 7-4

Development

Strengthening the Skills of Coaches, Referees, and Administrators for the Development of Wrestling in Africa

Friday, April 4, 2025 - 13:03 By United World Wrestling Press

El Jadida, UWW Africa Center – (April 4) --- United World Wrestling Africa, under the leadership of its President, Fouad Meskout, Vice President of United World Wrestling, is firmly committed to the development of wrestling on the continent. In collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation, a certification training was organized from March 23-29, 2025.

As a prelude to the 2025 African Championships, which will be held in Morocco in early May 2025, the UWW Africa Center in El Jadida hosted an extensive training program designed for coaches, referees, and administrators across Africa. This seven-day intensive program aimed to enhance the technical and administrative skills of key stakeholders in the development of wrestling on the continent.

A Pan-African Participation
Representatives from several African nations participated in this training session, demonstrating the growing commitment to developing wrestling across the continent. The participating countries included Angola, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tunisia, South Africa, Guinea, and Morocco.

List of Participants:

Angola: Nseke Tiago Ndonga
Burkina Faso: Zinzere Wendpoulougo Augustae Daniel, Debe Blaise, Kabre Ousseni (President of the Federation)
Côte d'Ivoire: Coulibaly Yire Mariam Solange, Assalé Adje Jean-Claude Pamphille
Cameroon: Tsam Megom Gervais, Ngono Eyia Epse Ngoumou Edwige
Tunisia: Aymen Lamloumi
South Africa: Davel Donawan
Morocco: Kabil Driss, Najih Abdelhak, Ouled Ben Taliaa Redouane, Hatimi Youssef
Guinea: Sow Mamadou Bodo (Secretary General of the Federation)

Participants walk through a training session with UWW Development Officier, Vincent AKA. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

A Well-Structured and Comprehensive Program

During this training, participants followed an intensive curriculum focused on the three key domains of wrestling development:

✔ Coaches: Technical and methodological skill development, training plan design, performance management, and athlete safety.
✔ Referees: Advanced rule analysis, positioning on the mat, competition management, and communication.
✔ Administrators: Official communication management, utilization of UWW digital tools (Athena Platform, UWW Academy, Development Programs).

Under the supervision of renowned experts, including Vincent AKA (Coach Trainer and UWW Development Officer), Kamel Bouaziz (Referee Trainer), and Youssef Bouaziz (Administrator Trainer), participants received high-level training, equipping them with new skills to effectively contribute to the growth of wrestling in their respective countries.

Testimonials from Participants
📌 Kabil Driss (Coach, Morocco):
"I am proud and very happy to have participated in this training. We have built an extraordinary friendship with my fellow referees, coaches, and administrators. Thank you for your competence and warm participation in this seminar in Morocco. A big thank you to Mr. AKA, an exceptional leader in the development of wrestling in Africa. Your training and collaboration, as well as your educational system, have allowed us to learn and improve our understanding of our respective roles."

📌 Donovan Davel (South Africa):
"First of all, I would like to thank the Moroccan Wrestling Federation for organizing this wonderful training week. I also want to express my gratitude to the entire center’s team for their kindness and warm welcome. To the trainers Mr. Vincent, Kamel, and Youssef, your teaching was exceptional. It was a great privilege to be part of this program. I am convinced that we will all share this experience and the valuable knowledge gained in our respective countries to continue developing our beloved sport."

📌 Assalé Adje Jean-Claude Pamphille (Côte d’Ivoire):
"We return to our homeland with a great impression and a mind full of valuable knowledge. I cannot continue without reiterating my gratitude to our three trainers: our compatriot Vincent Aka (Coach Training Module), Bouaziz Med Kamel (Referee Training Module), and Youssef Bouaziz from the IT department (Administrator Training Module). Their expertise was undeniable. We return home with the necessary skills to improve our federation’s operations, especially for the benefit of our athletes."

Participants learn about the extensive training program designed for coaches, referees, and administrators at the UWW Africa Center in El Jadida.

Closing and Future Prospects
The training concluded on March 29, 2025, with an assessment of the knowledge acquired and a certificate award ceremony hosted by members of the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation. This initiative aligns with United World Wrestling Africa’s mission to professionalize and structure wrestling across the continent.

Present at the closing ceremony, Kabre Ousseni, the newly elected President of the Burkinabé Wrestling Federation, expressed his gratitude:

"I would like to thank the members of the Royal Moroccan Wrestling Federation for their presence, which added prestige to this ceremony. I also take this opportunity to commend President Fouad Meskout for his continuous efforts in developing wrestling on the continent."

With these newly acquired skills, the trained coaches, referees, and administrators are now better equipped to train and develop wrestling in their respective countries, contributing to the growth of this sport across Africa.

President Fouad Meskout emphasized:
"We are on the right track to overcome challenges together, and we will continue to organize development activities ahead of the African Championships."

U23 Worlds: Japan clinches team title; Ringaci wins gold

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Strengthening the Skills of Coaches, Referees, and Administrators for the Development of Wrestling in Africa