#UWWLIVE

UWW LIVE: Netherlands' First European Finalist Jessica Blaszka

By United World Wrestling Press

Jessica BLASZKA (NED) is the most successful Dutch women's wrestler ever. 

In 2015, Blaszka earned a bronze medal at the World Championships competing at 48kg and became the first Dutch women's wrestler to qualify for the Olympics. 

She claimed her first medal (bronze) at the European Championships in 2019, and this past February broke through to reach the gold-medal match at the 2020 European Championships at 53kg, before falling to two-time world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR). 

Blaszka joined Eric Olanowski to talk about her history-making silver medal performance in Rome, training in @japanwrestling, and her potential path to qualifying for the #Tokyo202ONE Olympics.
 

#UWWAwards

Top Five Team Performances of '21

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- What a year 2021 will go down as. A year of uncertainty turned out to be a year full of remarkable performances. After the conclusion of the anthems and the team trophies where hoisted, five memorable performances stood out as this year’s most impressive collective showings of the season.

5. Iran’s ?? #WrestleOslo GR Team:
Despite falling six points shy of winning the team title in Oslo, Iran’s Greco-Roman unit, headed by world and Olympic champ MohammadReza Geraei, captured six medals – including four podium-topping finishes.

4. Kyrgyzstan’s ?? #WrestleOslo WW Team:
Kyrgyzstan’s women’s wrestling team has been on a meteoric rise to the top of wrestling's world stage since Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA’s emergence in ’17. This year, their team continue to defy odds, having a trio of medalists at the World Championships – including two gold-medal winners.

3. Ukraine’s ?? #WrestleBelgrade WW Team:
Alina AKOBIIA led the Ukraine’s women’s squad to their first-ever team world title at the U23 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. They had five finalists and three champs.

2. The Russian ?? Olympic Committee’s #WrestleTokyo FS Team:​​​​​​​
Led by five-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid SADULAEV, The Russian Wrestling Federation went 5-5 in medal matches and had three wrestlers claim Olympic golds.

1. Japan’s ?? #WrestleTokyo WW Team:
The top team performance of ’21 goes to Japan’s women’s wrestling team at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Sisters Risako and Yukako KAWAI were two of the host nations quartet of Olympic champs.