#development

UWW renews WISH partnership, 6 coaches to be in high-performance program

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - 07:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 31) -- Continuing its push for gender neutrality and to provide more opportunities for women to progress into leadership roles, United World Wrestling (UWW) has renewed its partnership with Olympic Solidarity for the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway, also known as the WISH Programme.

Six current and/or future coaches have been selected for the 21-month program, which has been developed in coordination with a team of specialists at the UK-based University of Hertfordshire. The program aims to help women coaches, who have the potential and ambition, to progress into high-performance coaching roles at national and international levels.

The WISH initiative took shape following a discussion between stakeholders on the ways to address the low percentage of women coaches at an elite level. At the Tokyo Olympics, for instance, even though 48 percent of the athletes were women, just 13 percent of the coaches were female. The program was thus launched to bridge this gap. 

Wrestling was among the six sports that were a part of the successful pilot program, which ran from 2019 to 2021.

In this edition, three-time world champion Martine DUGRENIER (CAN), former World Championship silver medalist Aline DA SILVA (BRA) and Australia’s Carissa HOLLAND are a part of the first group of 22 coaches from 20 NOCs and seven sports, who began their training in May. Olympic medalists Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ), Marwa AMRI (TUN) and Happiness BURUTU (NGR) will be a part of the next batch that starts training in August.

The participants were chosen on the basis of extensive selection criteria set by the WISH management group. The guidelines include the requirement of the candidate to be recognized by the national and international federations as well as the NOC of being, or having the potential to be, a part of the national delegation to major international tournaments, having no history of anti-doping or other ethics violation, ability to commit to the whole program and having good written and spoken English (min IELTS 6.5).

The training module includes eight online leadership sessions, eight leadership mentor sessions, four sport-specific mentor sessions and a five-day residential session in the UK. The IF supports the coaches selected for the program with direct funding of US $3,500 in addition to sport-specific mentor fees and travel, accommodation and developmental costs.

The WISH program is being managed by a steering group of representatives from Olympic Solidarity, Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations, International Federations and WISH management/University of Hertfordshire. 

#WrestleTirana

Rising star Bondar strikes third U23 European gold

Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 05:19 By United World Wrestling Press

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TIRANA, Albania (March 12) -- In five of the last six tournaments she’d competed before landing in Tirana, Iryna BONDAR (UKR) was unstoppable. She returned with a gold medal each time, and with every passing tournament, a halo blazed around her.

On Thursday, that nearly came down crashing. In an extraordinary final in the 62kg category at the U23 European Championships, Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) gave Bondar a mighty scare. The Ukrainian ultimately asserted her class but not before she endured anxious moments.

It all looked under control until Tandelova, who was down 1-0 for passivity, scored a arm-throw for a four-point takedown to go 4-1 up and stun the arena. Bondar fired back with a reversal and gut-wrench to make it 4-4 but heading into the break, Tandelova was in the lead because of her bigger throw.

The breather gave Bondar a chance to regroup and return stronger. She didn’t put a foot wrong defensively in the second period. Her hands close, like a boxer taking her guard, she planted her left leg almost a foot behind the right, making it tough for Tandelova to go for the single-leg takedown.

Tanelova, however, looked content only defending, but it was a strategy fraught with risk. And Bondar, who didn’t lose patience, was rewarded for her perseverance. With only 45 seconds remaining, Bondar went around the outside for a single-leg takedown to which her opponent had no answer. In the nick of time, Bondar snuck ahead and then did well to defend her lead to win a thrilling bout 6-4.

Not too long ago, another Ukrainian was in the fray for the gold medal but it wasn’t to be.

Twice in her 57kg final, former U20 world champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) was in deep adversity despite an early 4-2 lead. First, when she was put on activity clock with a little more than a minute left in the 57kg gold medal bout. With seconds running out, Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) grew confident that she’d reduce the 4-2 deficit by 1.

Filipovych, the senior European Championship silver medalist at 59kg, went for a single-leg attack but Martynava was on high alert and escaped to score a go-behind takedown during the activity clock for a 6-2 lead.

Then, with 22 seconds remaining, Filipovych went for a double-leg takedown. However, Martynava blocked it by double-underhook and counter-attacked to pocket two more points and win 8-2.

Since winning the U20 European Championship gold three years ago, Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) has come agonisingly close to a top-of-the-podium finish thrice: bronze medals at the U23 European and World Championships in 2023, and a silver last year at the continental U23 competition.

As she stepped on to the mat for one last time in this age-group, Mammadova looked determined to change the color of her medal. Six minutes later, she did. The 23-year-old from Azerbaijan defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW) 3-0 to be crowned champion in the 53 kg category.

Mammadova earned a passivity point around the minute-mark and then executed an almost-perfect headlock throw to go 3-0 up at the break. In the second period, Karpushkina threw the kitchen sink at her opponent and tried combinations of leg holds. But a wily Mammadova kept evading her grasp and successfully defended her lead to win the gold medal.

In the 65kg final, Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) needed only 1 minute and 22 seconds to beat Eniko ELEKES (HUN) by fall and win the gold medal. 

The former U20 world and European champion from Hungary Elekes took the lead inside the first minute with a two-point takedown but her joy did not last long as Tsiarenia returned with a vengeance as she stopped a head-outside leg-attack from Elekes with a whizzer and kept the Hungarian's back on the mat to secure the fall.

Tsiarenia, thus, claimed her first-ever international gold medal and also avenged her 11-0 loss to Elekes from the 2023 World Championships in which Elekes won gold and Tsiarenia claimed bronze.

Like her, Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW), too, won her first-ever title by overturning a two-point deficit to beat Daniela TKACHUK (POL) 4-3 at 72kg.

Tkachuk led 2-0 and had Bratchikova in a double-leg hold but failed to finish. Bratchikova forced Tkachuk to let go of her legs and as the Polish wrestler spun to score a takedown, two points were awarded to Bratchikova for exposure.

Bratchikova made it 4-2 when she defended a double-arm lock from Tkachuk and stepped over to score two points. Tkachuk managed to escape the fall while Bratchikova was penalized for a foul. As the bout resumed in par terre with 29 seconds left, Tkachuk tried to roll but Bratchikova held her ground to emerge victorious.

Baidusov eyes gold on return

Former world U20 champion Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) will be favorite to win his first U23 European Championship title when he takes on Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) in the 77kg final Thursday, the penultimate day of the competition.

Baidusov, returning to international competition for the first time since winning the U20 world gold in 2021, dropped just one point in his three bouts. In the semifinals, he shocked Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) with a stunning underhook throw. He added a roll and in another sequence, he scored via front chestwrap for two to beat Gutu 9-0.

Another world U20 champion Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) did not have the same luck as he fell in the quarterfinals against Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) who made it to the 87kg final and will take on Alperen BERBER (TUR), senior European champion, who finally has a U23 European medal after two previous failed attempts.

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Maria FERONE (ITA), 5-4
BRONZE: Viktoryia VOLK (UWW) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), via fall (5-1)

57kg
GOLD: Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-2

BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Inna ALIMOVA (LTU), 10-0
BRONZE: Georgiana LIRCA (ROU) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 9-2

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), 8-4

BRONZE: Alicja NOWOSAD (POL) df. Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW), 7-6
BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Luisa SCHEEL (GER) df. Viorica ADAM (ROU), 4-0
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 8-2

72kg
GOLD: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 4-3

BRONZE: Haticenur SARI (TUR) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), 6-6
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Paula ROTARU (ROU), 13-2

Greco-Roman Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Elmir ALIYEV (AZE), 2-2
SF 2: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SARP (TUR), 9-0

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Romeo BERIDZE (GEO), 6-3
SF 2: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Miroslav EMILOV (BUL), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) vs. Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER)

SF 1: Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Michal ZELENKA (CZE), 5-5
SF 2: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) vs. Alperen BERBER (TUR)

SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 4-1
SF 2: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) df. Hamza SERTCANLI (SWE), via injury (3-1)

97kg
GOLD: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via injury (1-1)
SF 2: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) df. Yusuf BAKIR (TUR), 3-1