#WrestleOttawa

Valencia Escoto Hace Historia para México en #WrestleOttawa Clasificatorio Olímpico

By Taylor GREGORIO

OTTAWA, Canada – Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) won her semifinal match at 57 kg, becoming the first woman in history from Mexico to qualify for the Olympic Games in wrestling.

In the preliminary rounds, Valencia collected wins against Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN), 5-1, and Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR) by pin.

To earn a spot in the Olympic Games, Valencia knocked off 2019 World champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) in the semifinal with another victory by fall. She went on to win the finals by injury default to take the gold medal.

In this weekend’s event, the top-two from each weight class will earn a bid for their countries to the 2020 Olympics.

The United States women’s freestyle team qualified its remaining four weight classes for the Tokyo Olympics, advancing all of its athletes to the Pan American Olympic Qualifier finals.

Thanks to medal-winning performances at 68 kg and 76 kg at the 2019 World Championships, the United States entered the weekend with two weights already qualified. On Saturday, it completed its team sending Sarah HILDEBRANDT (50 kg), Jacarra WINCHESTER (53 kg), Helen MAROULIS (57 kg) and Kayla MIRACLE (62 kg) to their respective finals.

Today was the first international competition for 2016 Olympic champion Maroulis since the 2018 World Championships. She took the 2019 season off due to injury.

In her first bout, Maroulis defeated returning World champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) with a 12-2 technical fall.

Maroulis wasn’t the only World medalist to qualify the weight for the USA.

Hildebrandt is a 2018 World silver medalist at 53 kg. This year, she moved down to 50 kg for the Olympics, which is the weight she qualified today.

In the semifinals, Hildebrandt defeated 2012 World champion and two-time World bronze medalist Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) with a dominant 11-0 performance.

Similarly, Winchester, the 2019 World champion at 55 kg, moved down a weight class to compete at 53 kg this year.

To qualify, Winchester defeated 2016 Pan American champion Samantha STEWART (CAN), 8-4, in the semifinals.

Brazil, Canada and Cuba also qualified multiple weight classes for the Tokyo Olympics.

Earning three spots for Cuba were Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (50 kg), Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (53 kg) and 2018 U23 World champion Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (68 kg).

Brazil picked up two spots with Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (62 kg) and 2014 World silver medalist Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (76 kg) advancing to the finals.

Nunes and da Silva were funded by the United World Wrestling Development Technical Assistance program, which allows athletes from developing countries the opportunities to compete at top-level events. Their qualifications for the Olympic Games would not have been possible without the support of UWW.

Host country Canada also qualified two spots, thanks to 2018 World silver medalist Danielle LAPPAGE (68 kg) and 2016 Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (76 kg).

The Pan American Olympic Qualifier wraps up tomorrow with the men’s freestyle competition.

En Espanol

OTTAWA, Canada – Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) gano su semifinal en 57 kg para convertirse en la primera Mexicana en clasificar a unos Juegos Olimpicos en lucha.

En las primeras rondas, Valencia derroto a Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN) y Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR).

Para calificar la categoria, Valencia vencio a la campeona mundial de 2019 Linda MORAIS (CAN) por puestaespalda y en la final, la Mexicana gano por lesion y para así quedarse con la medalla de oro.

En este evento, los dos mejores atletas de cada categoría calificaron a sus países a la justa Olímpica.

La cuatro integrantes del equipo de Estados Unidos avanzaron a las finales en sus respectivas categorías, con lo que clasificaron a Tokio 2020.

Gracias a que en el Campeonato Mundial de 2019 resultaron ganadores de medalla en 68 y 76 kg en el 2019, los Estados Unidos llegaron a este evento con dos categorias ya clasificadas, por lo que hoy completaron el equipo con Sarah HILDEBRANDT (50 kg), Jacarra WINCHESTER (53 kg), Helen MAROULIS (57 kg) y Kayla MIRACLE (62 kg).

Hoy fue la primera competencia internacional en 2 años para la campeona olimpica en Río 2016 Helen Maroulis, ya que no participaba en un evento de esta naturaleza desde el Campeonato Mundial 2018.

En su primero combate, Maroulis derroto a la campeona mundial 2019 Morais de Canada por superioridad tecnica.

Maroulis no fue la unica medallista mundial quien califico su categoria para EE. UU. Hildebrandt medallista de plata en 2018, y Winchester ganadora de la medalla de oro en 2019 también consiguieron el boleto a Tokio.

Brasil, Canadá y Cuba también tuvieron m múltiples clasificados para los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio.

Cuba se quedó con tres plazas gracias a Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (50 kg), Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (53 kg) y campeona mundial U23 de 2018, Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (68 kg).

Por otro lado, Brazil recolecto dos lugares cuando Lais NUÑES DE OLIVEIRA (62 kg) y la medallista mundial en 2014, Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (76 kg) avanzaron a los combates finales.

Nuñes y da Silva fueron financiadas por el programa United World Wrestling Development Technical Assistance, que brinda a los atletas de países en desarrollo la oportunidad de competir en eventos de alto nivel. La clasificacion de ambas no sería posible sin el apoyo de UWW.

Canada califico dos categorías, gracias a la medallista de plata del mundial 2018 Danielle LAPPAGE (68 kg) y a la campeona olimpica debRío 2016 Erica WIEBE (76 kg).

El Clasificatorio Olímpico Panamericano termina mañana con los combates del estilo libre masculino.

Women’s freestyle finals results

50 kg
GOLD - Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), injury default
BRONZE - Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER) df. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL), injury default
BRONZE - Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) df. Rita Fatima ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX), 10-0

53 kg
GOLD - Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) df. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), injury default
BRONZE– Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU), 9-0

57 kg
GOLD - Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) df. Helen MAROULIS (USA), injury default
BRONZE – Linda MORAIS (CAN) df. Gabriela Nicole RAMOS DIAZ (PUR), fall

62 kg
GOLD - Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), injury default
BRONZE – Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) df.
Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN), injury default

68 kg
GOLD - Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) df. Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB), injury default
BRONZE -
Luz VAZQUEZ (ARG) df. Leonela AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU), 3-2
BRONZE - Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL) df. Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER), 4-2

76 kg
GOLD - Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA), injury default
BRONZE – Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Andrea OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL), injury default

Women’s freestyle semifinals results

50 kg
Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Jessica MACDONALD (CAN), 11-0
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) df. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO, 6-4

53 kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN), 8-4
Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) df. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU), 5-4

57 kg
Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR), 11-0
Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) df. Linda MORAIS (CAN), fall 3:45

62 kg
Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN), 12-3
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN), 3-1

68 kg
Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER), 5-0
Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) df. Leonela AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU), 10-0

76 kg
Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU), 5-0
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) df. Andrea OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL), 2-1

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Triple delight for Turkiye as Bas leads gold rush

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 11) -- For Nesrin BAS (TUR), returning in the U23 European Championship after winning the senior continental title last year would have felt like finishing high school after earning a master’s degree.

Two years after claiming the U23 European gold, the 22-year-old star from Turkiye never looked troubled as she galloped to the top of the podium, beating Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 6-2, in a nerve-wrecking 68kg final on Tuesday.

Bas might never have looked troubled en route to the final, blanking Laura GODINO (ITA) 10-0 and Viktorya RADZKOVA (UWW) via fall, but in Skobelska, she met a hungry and brave rival.

Returning silver medalist Skobelska, despite two medical timeouts for bleeding, did not show any signs of slowing down to protect her injury. In fact, she charged more purposefully and went 2-1 up.

Bas, however, proved why she is considered one of the finest young stars of the sport right now. She did not panic as she tried to make a comeback into the match. Bas summoned all her experience and strength to execute a throw-by and scoring the first takedown for a 4-2 lead. The score remained 4-2 until the closing stages of the bout and when in the last 10 seconds, Skobelska tried to counter-attack, leaving her defence vulnerable and conceding two more points to put the result beyond any doubt.

Bas led Turkiye’s golden hat-trick Tuesday. Minutes before her final, it was Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who set the ball rolling in the 55kg.

Facing Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) in the title showdown, she made short work of her opponent to win 7-0. Demir opened the bout sedately, catching Samoil’s ankles to push her out of bounds for the first point of the final. Seconds after she went ahead, Demir thought she had a spectacular four-point throw but upon Samoil’s successful challenge, it was deemed to be just a two-pointer. However, it still gave the young Turkish wrestler a healthy 3-0 lead at the break.

Demir defended staunchly in the second period, surviving a barrage of attacks from Samoil. And in the closing stages of the match, Demir dug deep to counter an attempted whizzer from Samoil which was initially not score. Moldova challenged the decision, hoping to get four points for the win but on review, it was scored two points for Demir's takedown as she defended Samoil's toss and two more for exposure. Demir eventually won 7-0 open Turkiye’s gold medal account.

Demir’s trophy cabinet will now boast of a full set of age-group continental gold medals, having earlier won the U17 and U20 European Championships.

In the final bout of the day, Elmira YASIN (TUR) defeated Olga KOZYREVA (UWW) 10-5 to win the gold medal and cap off a remarkable day for Turkiye.

In an action-packed final, Yasin was put on the activity clock. With less than five seconds remaining for her to score, Yasin carried out a double-leg attack on Kozyreva. The referee judged it as a four-pointer but Kozyreva challenged the call and after a review, it was declared as a two-point throw.

But it swung the momentum in the favor of Yasin, who again initiated a double-leg attack to throw Kozyreva off-balance before slamming her on the mat back-first for a four-pointer. Kozyreva again challenged the call but this time, it was called four but she was awarded a point for taking Yasin out-of-bounds after the throw.

Yasin had the chance to win the match on technical superiority when she blocked a headlock attempt from Kozyreva and scored a takedown and lead 9-1. However, she failed to perform her lace. Yasin then went for a double-leg but lost her balance and fell with Kozyreya controlling her. That gave Kozyreva two points and a front chest-wrap turn made it 9-5. But Yasin scored a reversal and defended her 10-5 lead for the victory.

At 50kg, in an entertaining final, Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) scripted an impressive recovery to beat Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW) 7-5 after going 0-3 down at the start of the second period.

Pudova scored a reversal after Yanotava's takedown and scored a turn to take a 3-3 criteria lead. With a little more than a minute left, Pudova mistimed an attack and Yanotava made the most of it, using double underhooks to turn Pudova for two and lead 5-3.

But Pudova didn’t give up easily, making another comeback with only 30 seconds left to play. After a scramble, Pudova managed to hit a double-leg and Yanotava tried the front chest throw but Pudova blocked it and got Yanotava on her back to the mat for two points. An exposure turn made it 7-5 for Pudova who cliched the gold medal.

In the 59kg final, Zagreb Open winner 18-year-old Hiunai HUBRANOVA (AZE) defeated former U20 world champion Aurora RUSSO (ITA) 4-0 to make it two golds out of two tournaments this year.

Bondar aims third straight gold

Meanwhile, U23 and U20 world champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will hope to complete a hat-trick of U23 European Championship gold medals after she stormed into the 62kg final, where she will face Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) on Wednesday.

Bondar reached the final with a technical superiority win and a fall, first overcoming the challenge posed by Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW) 13-2 and then pinning Naemi LEISTNER (GER) in the semifinal.

If she is successful on Wednesday, she will add another feather to her cap, having already won the title in 2023 and 2024.

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW), 7-5

BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Maria CAZALLA TORRES (ESP), 12-0
BRONZE: Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE) df. Songul KAVAK (TUR), 9-3

55kg
GOLD: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 7-0

BRONZE: Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) df. Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (UWW), 6-0
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Kamila KASPROW (POL), via fall (12-0)

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Aurora RUSSO (ITA), 4-0

BRONZE: Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) df. Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR), 14-6
BRONZE: Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) df. Evgeniia OGORODNIKOVA (UWW), 4-3

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 6-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) df. Laura GODINO (ITA), 3-2
BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), via fall (7-3)

76kg
GOLD: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Olga KOZYREVA (UWW), 10-5

BRONZE: Hanna PIRSKAYA (UWW) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 5-4
BRONZE: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Veronika NYIKOS (HUN), via fall (6-0)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW)

SF 1: Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), 3-2
SF 2: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 12-0

57kg
GOLD: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Georgiana LIRCA (ROU), 5-3
SF 2: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Inna ALIMOVA (LTU), 12-1

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 10-0
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alicja NOWOSAD (POL), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) vs. Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW)

SF 1: Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Viorica ADAM (ROU), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Daniela TKACHUK (POL) vs. Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Veronika VILK (CRO), 8-4
SF 2: Daniela TKACHUK (POL) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall (4-4)