#Pankration

Ukraine, Kazakhstan dominate Pankration World Championships

Thursday, May 11, 2023 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (May 10) -- Athletes from 10 countries descended upon Tashkent to perform at the Pankration World Championships on May 2-4 and the action did not disappoint. The competition was held in two styles -- Elite and Traditional -- for both men and women.

Pankration is an ancient combat sport with a combination of wrestling and striking techniques, fought on a mat with protective gear and gloves.

At the World Championships, held for the first time since 2021, Pankration powerhouse Ukraine won five gold medals in the men's Elite competition while Kazakhstan captured four. However, Kazakhstan finished top of the team rankings with 190 points to Ukraine's 180, thanks to its other medals.

On the women's side, Ukraine was better and pipped Kazakhstan to take the top spot. Ukraine won six out of nine gold medals with the remaining three going to Kazakhstan. Ukraine finished with 165 points while Kazakhstan managed 162 points.

In men's Traditional, Ukraine and Kazakhstan both finished with 184 points but the former had five gold medals compared to four for Kazakhstan, giving them the first place.

But the ranks were reversed in women's Traditional as Kazakhstan finished with 190 points while Ukraine had 170 points. Ukraine only fielded seven athletes in nine weights which cost them the top rank.

RESULTS

Men's Elite

57kg
GOLD: Perdekhan SHYNDALIYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vitalii YAKYMENKO (UKR) 
BRONZE: Umidjon TODJIDINOV (UZB)

62kg
GOLD: Meirbek TULEGENOV (KAZ) df. Almaz SARSEMBEKOV (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Abdukarim ANVAROV (UZB) df. Anvar ABDULLAEV (UZB), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Sabit ZHUSSIP (KAZ) df. Yerkanat OSPAN (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Ihor ZHOVNIR (UKR) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), via knockout
BRONZE: Zafar RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Ali Allahverdi GULIYEV (AZE), 15-3

71kg
GOLD: Oleksandr HULIAIEV (UKR) df. Ivan KURELARU (UKR), 13-8

BRONZE: Ruslan SARIYEV (KAZ) df. Imran ABBASGULIYEV (AZE), via forfeit
BRONZE: Zhassulan AKIMZHAN (KAZ) df. Ali SHARIFOV (AZE), 14-0

77kg
GOLD: Aidyn TOLEPBAYEV (KAZ) df. Olzhas YESKARAYEV (KAZ), 12-6

BRONZE: Dostonbek BOZOROV (UZB) df. Asadbek SAIDOV (UZB), via submission

84kg
GOLD: Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) df. Samat SHAGYRAYEV (KAZ), 16-7

BRONZE: Andrei CIUBOTARU (MDA) df. Aditya BUKKI (IND), 12-2
BRONZE: Asroriddin MUKHRIDINOV (KAZ) df. Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB), 8-7

92kg
GOLD: Roman KIZIUK (UKR) df. Islom BALTAEV (UZB), 18-6

BRONZE: Jonibek NAMOZOV (UZB) df. Duman BALMUKHANOV (KAZ), 11-10
BRONZE: Kairatbek ZHAREKEYEV (KAZ) df. Andrii ROMANIUK (UKR), via knockout

100kg
GOLD: Bohdan HNIDKO (UKR) df. Diyar NURGOZHAY (KAZ), 17-7

BRONZE: Konstantin LI (KGZ) df. Martin NUSSMANN (GER), via forfiet

+100kg
GOLD: Oleksandr PYSANKO (UKR)
SILVER: Shakhmaral JETPISSOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Rustamhuja SAIDUMAROV (UZB)

Women's Elite

50kg
GOLD: Aidyn ABDIBAY (KAZ) df. Polina TUMAYEVA (KAZ), via forfeit

53kg
GOLD: Anna BEZHENAR (UKR)
SILVER: Ayan TURSYN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mukhlisa NABIJONOVA (UZB)

57kg
GOLD: Viktoriia SYNIAVINA SERHIIENKO (UKR) df. Anastasiia HOLINKO (UKR), 10-8

BRONZE: Lorenza SONGTHIANG (IND) df. Shokhida RAKHIMOVA (UZB), via forfeit

61kg
GOLD: Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB)
SILVER: Gulmira AZATBEK (KAZ)
BRONZE: Diana HRYHORENKO (UKR)

65kg
GOLD: Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR) df. Florika LUCHYCH (UKR), 5-1

BRONZE: Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Dana YERMAGAMBETOVA (KAZ), 17-11

70kg
GOLD: Amina NAKOPIUK (UKR) 
SILVER: Aikorik KUANDYKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Yogita KHADE (IND)

75kg
GOLD: Kateryna STEPANOVA SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Dinara ORALBAY (KAZ), 14-4

80kg
GOLD: Olena SUSHKO (UKR) df. Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ), 14-8

+80kg
GOLD: Kundias SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Aru JANGUTINOVA (KAZ), via forfiet

Men's Traditional

57kg
GOLD: Vitalii YAKYMENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yerbolat SHORA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Viacheslav VASEICHUK (UKR)

62kg
GOLD: Dmytro BARANOV (UKR)
SILVER: Alibi IDIRIS (KAZ)
BRONZE: Perdekhan SHYNDALIYEV (KAZ)

66kg
GOLD: Koshen AKANOV (KAZ) df. Ali Allahverdi GULIYEV (AZE), 12-0

BRONZE: Umedjon ESHMURODOV (UZB) df. Ruslan SARIYEV (KAZ), 8-8

71kg
GOLD: Daniyar KOISHYBEK (KAZ)
SILVER: Oleksandr HULIAIEV (UZB)
BRONZE: Iman AGHAPOUR (IRI)

77kg
GOLD: Adilbek KAIRGALI (KAZ)
SILVER: Olzhas YESKARAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Illia SUKHODIEIEV (UKR)

84kg
GOLD: Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) df. Andrei CIUBOTARU (MDA), 7-1

BRONZE: Akramjon DUSIMBAYEV (UZB) df. Turkman MAMMADLI (AZE), 4-2
BRONZE: Vadym ZHUKOV (UKR) df. Batyrzhan SEITKHAL (KAZ), via forfeit

92kg
GOLD: Nurtas ZHUMAGAZYULY (KAZ) df. Yuriy TITORENKO (KAZ), via submission

BRONZE: Andrii ROMANIUK (UKR) df. Danial LARI (IRI), via defualt

100kg
GOLD: Yurii CHYZHEVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Konstantin LI (KGZ)
BRONZE: Nurlan NURSEITOV (KAZ)

+100kg
GOLD: Oleksandr PYSANKO (UKR)
SILVER: Manarbek SHAIKHENOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Meirzhan KOZHANTAYEV (KAZ)

Women's Traditional

50kg
GOLD: Polina TUMAYEVA (KAZ) df. Aidyn ABDIBAY (KAZ), 11-5

53kg
GOLD: Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) df. Ayan TURSYN (KAZ), 12-0

57kg
GOLD: Anastasiia HOLINKO (UKR) df. Viktoriia SYNIAVINA SERHIIENKO (UKR), via cautions

BRONZE: Zhuldyzay IBRAYEVA (KAZ) df. Lorenza SONGTHIANG (IND), 8-2

61kg
GOLD: Diana HRYHORENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Gulmira AZATBEK (KAZ)
BRONZE: Akzhunis UTEGENOVA (KAZ)

65kg
GOLD: Meruyert IBRAYEVA (KAZ) df. Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR), 14-12

BRONZE: Florika LUCHYCH (UKR) df. Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE), 13-7

70kg
GOLD: Amina NAKOPIUK (UKR)
SILVER: Aikorik KUANDYKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Moldir UAKHITKYZY (KAZ)

75kg
GOLD: Kateryna STEPANOVA SHAKALOVA (UKR)
SILVER: Shakhnoza FAIZULLAYEVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Aizhan ANARBAY (KAZ)

80kg
GOLD: Olena SUSHKO (UKR) df. Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ), 13-1

+80kg
GOLD: Kundias SAGINDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Aisulu ARYSTANOVA (KAZ), 16-4

#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