UWW development reaches beyond borders in landmark year

Thursday, December 22, 2022 - 08:29 By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- A programme that provides more opportunities for women to progress into leadership roles, courses designed to educate coaches and referees, opening the doors to world-class training facilities to wrestlers from across the globe by partnering with INSEP keeping in mind the Paris Olympics, a multitude of anti-doping initiatives and restarting the refugee camp projects.

As 2022 draws to a close, the United World Wrestling looks back at a series of initiatives undertaken all through the years with an aim to consolidate the present and leap into a better tomorrow. These programmes ranged from humanitarian to technical, governance to education.

One of the highlights of the year is the re-starting of the refugee camp project in Jordan. As a part of the International Olympic Committee’s Refugee Athletes’ promotion since the Rio 2016 Olympics, UWW President Nenad LALOVIC decided to promote wrestling in United Nations refugee camps across the world. The Refugee Camp in Jordan is in continuation of this programme.

Medals More Than Medals camp in Rome. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

The UWW closely collaborated with all the organisations involved in the development of sport, especially the Olympic Solidarity and the IOC. The UWW delivered technical courses in 19 countries and financially supported national competitions attached to the course. Technical support was also provided to host the continental as well as the senior world championships this year along with training camps for the U17 wrestlers.

Another successful programme of the UWW Development Department was holding the Regional Educational Development Tournament (REDT). The regional course and tournament centred on training and educating the coaches and referees were held in Mauritius – marking the first time the REDT was held in the Indian Ocean – followed by Vietnam and Cambodia. This program has contributed to upgrading the teaching skills of coaches and referees.

Participants during coaching course in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

With the support of Olympic Solidarity, the first-ever high-performance regional coaching course was also held in Budapest, Hungary. The participation of 32 coaches from seven countries in this course was a major milestone, more so as it was held at one of the powerhouses of world wrestling. A Technical Course for Coaches Level 1 combined with the Introduction to Refereeing course will also be held in Palestine in December.

The UWW also donated mats and training equipment to Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Albania, Australia, Jordan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Laying emphasis on education to prevent doping, the UWW held anti-doping education drives during the Senior World Championships as well as in collaboration with National Federations. The wrestlers were also educated about the consequences of doping, the testing protocols, the risks associated with nutritional supplements and therapeutic use exemptions.

Safeguarding the athletes and ensuring safe sport has been set as one of the key areas the UWW will invest in starting this Olympic cycle in order to have a healthy sporting environment for the athletes.

Keeping athletes at the heart, the UWW also continued to jointly collaborate with the Olympic Council of Asia and the Panam Sports which contributed to reinforcing the organisation’s professionalism and sharing the experience.

women Women Referee course held in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

This was also an important year in the steps taken in educating the coaches and referees.

Nearly 50 UWW Coach/Referee educators were certified through two courses that were held in Guatemala and Turkey. In addition to Olympic Solidarity courses, the educators held nine National Coach Courses and Introduction to Referee Courses, which were funded by National Federations or partially funded by the UWW.

The first-ever High-Performance Regional Course in Budapest, Hungary, was another landmark moment apart from the three new online courses that were introduced: Rules Modifications for 2022, Evaluation of Takedown and Control, Understanding and Developing the Whole Wrestler.

Other than these, additional coaching programmes were also created which allowed the UWW to have five different levels to the modules:

Level 1 – Introduction to Coaching and Safety
Level 2 – Introduction to Practice Planning
Level 3 – Periodization and Coaching Philosophy
Level 4 – Athlete and Programme Development
Level 5 – High-Performance Course

WISH Coahes who are selected for the WISH Program. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

For promoting the participation of women in the sport, the UWW supported six women coaches in the Women in Sport High-Performance (WISH) programme. Six current and/or future coaches were selected for the 21-month programme, which has been developed in coordination with a team of specialists at the UK-based University of Hertfordshire. The programme aims to help women coaches, who have the potential and ambition, to progress into high-performance coaching roles at national and international levels. This is the largest number of participants the UWW has supported in this programme.

Under the Referee Scholarship Programme, the UWW sponsored more referees than ever before. Fourteen referees were provided both the flight and accommodation for a promotion event while there were seven additional referees who were provided accommodations at the event. This is a record participation number for this programme.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Olympic Champ Ramazanov Shows No Signs of Rust on Return

Saturday, June 6, 2026 - 17:48 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 6) -- Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) had been sidelined from wrestling action for more than a year. He did not wrestle after winning the European Championships in April 2025.

The absence, however, was forced as Ramazanov was nursing an injury and also got operated. He missed the World Championships last year and the European Championships this year.

On Saturday, the Paris Olympic champion marked his return to action at the Ulaanbaatar Open at 86kg and won a silver medal. Not that he lost the final, but Ramazanov injury defaulted the final against Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI).

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) tries to bodylock Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) in the opening round bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 86kg weight class has seen quite a few changes since Paris 2024 but with the return of Ramazanov, without any signs of rust, it will be a tough-to-predict weight come the World Championships in October.

Before he forfeited his final, Ramazanov controlled all his bouts. He began with an 8-2 win over Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) which included a four-point throw. He then won 5-0 against Abdulmuslim ABULMUSLIMOV (RUS) in the quarterfinals, displaying his well-known upper body offence. The semifinal was a much easier affair as he blanked Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), 10-0.

Ramazanov's offence worked smoothly including his duckunders which he used multiple times on Saturday. He even kept his opponents quiet when he wanted to defend the lead.

A final against Nokhodi would have presented more insights into his form but Ramazanov, perhaps satisfied with his run, decided to skip the final.

Nokhodi is the latest entrant in the growing list of new stars at 86kg. He made a late move from 79kg to 86kg at Ulaanbaatar Open but had no trouble reaching the final. He began with two wins via technical superiority and one 10-5 win over Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ) in the semifinals.

Sagar JAGLAN (IND) won gold medal at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In other Freestyle action, Sagar JAGLAN (IND), a former U17 world champion and U20 world silver medalist, also found home in a weight class.

Jaglan moved around weight classes in 2025, competing at 79kg and 86kg. In 2023, he won multiple medals at 79kg before a shoulder injury ruled him out for more than a year. In the only tournament he competed internationally in 2025, Jaglan finished fifth at the U23 Asian Championships at 86kg.

In his first tournament in over a year, Jaglan began returned to 74kg and excelled at the Ulaanbaatar Open, winning gold. While JAIDEEP (IND) has been at 74kg for India for sometime, Jaglan knocked him off in the quarterfinals and later won semifinals via technical superiority.

Up against Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS) in the gold-medal bout, Jaglan was called passive in the first period as Eshinimaev went up 1-0. Jaglan took the lead when he pushed the Russian out of bounds for two points. Russia challenge the decision but lost it to add one more point to Jaglan's score.

Eshinimaev did well to get to Jaglan's legs late in the final and he elevated the Indian's one leg. A two-point takedown would have given Eshinimaev the criteria lead but Jaglan hopped around defending any attempts of takedown. Eshinimaev managed to score a stepout with only seven seconds left on the clock.

Jaglan defended his 3-2 lead with ease to win his first-ever Ranking Series gold medal.

Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) defeated Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 6-3, in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 92kg, defending champion Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) managed to defend his gold medal against Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), thanks to the clock which saved him from being pinned.

Saadulaev had a comfortable 5-1 lead with 20 seconds left when Dauletbekov managed a cradle for two points and then held Saadulaev on the mat. The referees called the fall but it was only after the clock had expired. Kazakhstan challenged asking for two more points but Saadulaev was exposed only once and did not come in neutral before Dauletbekov went for the fall.

The lost challenge of Kazakhstan added one more point to Saadulaev's score as he won 6-3.

Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK) celebrates after pinning Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

DPR Korea Wins 3 Golds

The first of the three gold medals was won by Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK) who pinned Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) in the 55kg final. Choe, a Paris 2024 bronze medalist, began with a sweep single for two points and then turned Masuda for two more and lead 4-0. Choe scored another takedown for two more points and then pancaked Masuda for a fall.

World silver medalist Ok Ju KIM (PRK) then dominated Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 10-0, to capture the gold medal at 62kg. Kim used her strong slideby to score the takedown and after some effort, she managed to turn Dudova for a 4-0 lead. Before the break, Kim also managed to score a step while defending anything that Dudova threw at her.

Dudova pressured Kim in the second period and she pushed her to the zone. But Kim flung Dudova for a four-pointer to extend her lead to 9-0. Bulgaria challenged the call but on review, it was clear that Dudova did not score any points. The lost challenge gave the winning point to Kim.

Hyon Gyong Mun (PRK) scores the final two points on Shuai ZHANG (CHN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

A hat-trick of gold was completed by Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) who claimed the 65kg title with a 14-2 technical superiority win over Shuai ZHANG (CHN).

Mun began with a four-pointer using an over-under grip but Zhang caught Mun's arm and scored two points as well. However, Mun reversed the position but she got the point only after a challenge to lead 5-2. A stepout further extended her lead to 6-2 with a stepout before the break.

Mun's strength was little too much for Zhang as she opened the second period also with a takedown and then a huge throw for four points. Zhang tried to roll out of the grip but ended up giving two more points as Mun confirmed her win.

Host Mongolia claimed a gold medal through former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) who won the 68kg final 8-2 against Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS). After the first takedown, Enkhsaikhan hit a double-leg blast for four points to lead 6-0 but gave up two points when setting up the next takedown.

The second period went scoreless for 2:50 but Enkhsaikhan hit another double-leg for two points to confirm her win in the final.

KAJAL (IND) added another gold for India, which won two golds on Friday, by claiming the 76kg gold over Damola OJO (NGR). Kajal opened the final with a takedown to lead 2-0 and then a stepout to make it 3-0. Ojo was called passive in the second period which gave one more point to Kajal who scored two different takedowns to win 8-0.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

55kg
GOLD: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) df. Natsumi MASUDA (JPN), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL), 11-0
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ), 8-4

62kg
GOLD: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 10-0

BRONZE: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) df. Huan YANG (CHN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANSI (IND) df. NITIKA (IND), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) df. Shuai ZHANG (CHN), 14-2

BRONZE: Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) df. PULKIT (IND), 6-3

68kg
GOLD: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS), 6-2

BRONZE: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Gantsetseg BATSUKH (MGL), via fall (4-4)
BRONZE: Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) df. Sol Gum PAK (PRK), via fall (6-0)

76kg
GOLD: KAJAL (IND) df. Damola OJO (NGR), 8-0

BRONZE: PRIYA (IND) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 8-0
BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 7-3

Freestyle

74kg
GOLD: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) df. Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS), 3-2

BRONZE: JAIDEEP (IND) df. Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL), 15-4
BRONZE: Tumen BODIEV (RUS) df. Sangho HAN (KOR), 3-1

86kg
GOLD: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) df. Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), 10-0
BRONZE: Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) vs. Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ)

92kg
GOLD: Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 6-3

BRONZE: Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL), 4-1
BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Punit KUMAR (IND), via fall (4-0)

UWW development reaches beyond borders in landmark year

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Olympic Champ Ramazanov Shows No Signs of Rust on Return