Who's In?

Who’s In? Women's Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers

Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - 21:58 By Andrew Hipps

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (April 22) - In response to the IOC’s decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympic Games until the summer of 2021, United World Wrestling has announced that all Olympic qualification spots already earned will continue to be honored.

For the nations whose wrestlers qualified at the World Championships or Pan Am Qualifiers that means they are done, but for those who haven’t qualified in each weight category there will be events in March and April of 2021 to determine the remaining eight spots in each category.

We’ve broken down “Who’s In,” and which stars still need to qualify.

The top women’s wrestling nations are back at it this qualification year as Japan, China, and the lead in the race to accumulate the most Olympic qualifiers.

The United States is the lone nation with all six weight categories qualified in women's wrestling having qualified two weight categories at the 2019 World Championships and adding four more at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in Ottawa, Canada.

Japan qualified five of the six weight categories at the World Championships, while China qualified four. Both nations are expected to fill out their Olympic licenses at the Asian Olympic qualification event in March 2021

Let's look at where things stand in each of the six weight categories heading into the final four Olympic qualifying events.

50kg
In one of the more surprising developments at the 2019 World Championships, Japan failed to qualify 50kg in women's wrestling for the Tokyo Olympics. Yuki IRIE, who earned the spot over two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI, failed to reach a medal match in Nur-Sultan. 

That loss opened the door for Susaki to regain her spot and chase Olympic gold. Susaki came back to defeat Yuki at the All Japan Championships in December and the right to qualify the weight category at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. If she does, Susaki will be the immediate favorite to win the weight in Tokyo.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), a world bronze medalist and U23 world champion, will be looking to qualify at the European Olympic Qualifier.

53kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) won a world title in Nur-Sultan at 55k before making the move down to 53kg for an Olympic run. She took her energy to Ottawa this March where she qualified the weight category for the United States at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. 

Two-time world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA won gold at the Matteo Pellicone in January before adding a European title in February. She will be looking to secure her Olympic berth at the European Olympic Qualifier in March.

57g
Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA), who stunned Japanese wrestling great Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) to win gold at the Rio Olympics, returned to competition for the first time since the 2018 World Championships at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. She qualified the United States for the Olympics at 57kg by reaching the finals before forfeiting. 

Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) made history at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier by advancing to the finals to become the first-ever Mexican woman to qualify for the Olympics in wrestling. 

Three-time world medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) and 2020 European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR) will be among the favorites to qualify at the European Olympic Qualifier.

62kg
Four-time world medalist Yulia TKACH (UKR) has had a strong year, winning bronze at the Matteo Pellicone and gold at the European Championships, but is still looking to secure an Olympic berth at 62kg. She is currently ranked No.3 in the world. 

Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) is in search of her fourth trip to the Olympics. The 34-year-old Colombian won Olympic bronze medals in 2008 and 2012. She failed to qualify at last year's World Championships and at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. She will have one more opportunity to qualify at the World Olympic "Last Chance" Qualifier next April.

68kg
Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), a world silver medalist in 2018, qualified for the Olympic Games in March by winning gold at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. The Canadian star also claimed a bronze medal at the Matteo Pellicone in January.  

Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) punched her ticket to Tokyo by reaching the finals at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier and is one of three Cuban women to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won world medals in 2017 and 2018, but fell short of reaching a medal match last year in Nur-Sultan. She will be looking to secure her spot in the Olympics at the European Olympic Qualifier.

76kg
Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) captured gold at the Matteo Pellicone before securing her spot in the Tokyo Olympics at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. There will be several very accomplished women looking to qualify at the European Olympic Qualifier, including world champion Yasemin Adar (TUR), four-time world medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), and one of Russia's Olympic medalists, Natalia VOROBEVA or Ekaterina BUKINA. 

Vorobeva is a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and 2016 runner-up. A recent mother, she won the world championships in 2019 at the non-Olympic weight of 72kg.

#BeachWrestling

Zenkina, Khoma power Ukraine to top at U20 Beach Wrestling Worlds

Monday, September 29, 2025 - 09:52 By Vinay Siwach

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KATERINI-PIERRIA, Greece (September 28) -- Riding on inspiring performances by former world U17 champion Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) and European silver medalist Yelyzaveta KHOMA (UKR), Ukraine emerged as the best country at the U20 World Beach Wrestling Championships in Greece.

Out of the four gold medals on offer in women's category, Ukraine won two while Romania and Serbia won one each. In the men’s division, Iran dominated its way to the top of the team rankings.

Ukraine finished at the top of the team race with 85 points while the United States was second with 50 points. Serbia managed to finish third with 39 points.

Zenkina, a U17 World Championships silver medalist in 2022, showed her skills on the beach as well and won all her bouts, including the final, without giving up a point.

Facing compatriot Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR) in the +70kg final, Zenkina got the first point when Konstantynova failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity period. Zenkina then scored via snapdown which forced Konstantynova to touch the sand with her knees.

Zenkina defended her 2-0 lead for the remaining 27 seconds to claim her second world title, the first coming at U17 level in 2021.

Khoma was equally dominant in her run to gold at 60kg but needed strong defense in the final against local favorite Evdoxia PAPADOPOULOU (GRE) to win the gold medal.

The final was off to an electric start with both wrestlers giving it a go and scoring points. It was Papadopoulou who scored the first point with a stepout and took a 1-0 lead. However, Khoma fired back with a snapdown with Papadopoulou's elbow touching the sand and she took a 1-1 criteria lead.

Papdopoulou tried forcing a stepout when Khoma used double underhooks to throw the Greece wrestler who landed on her elbow, giving one more point to Khoma. In the next exchange, Khoma tried a whizzer but she touched her head on sand before Papadopoulou's which cost her one point and the lead exchanged hands. Now, the Greece wrestler led 2-2 on criteria with two minutes remaining in the match.

Khoma wasted no time in launching her next attack and pushed Papadopoulou towards the edge of the ring. As Papadopoulou tried to counter throw, Khoma kept her balance and forced her opponent to touch the sand. This gave Khoma the winning score of 3-2 as in Beach Wrestling, the first wrestler to three points wins.

Ukraine's third finalist Alevtyna LIASHENKO (UKR) was not so lucky as she lost the 50kg final to Ana ROTARU (ROU) via fall. Rotaru hit a blast double to open the scoring in the final and take a 1-0 lead. She used a similar technique to score her second point and lead 2-0 with 53 seconds left in the match.

She left nothing to chance and hit a perfect headlock throw for three points, ending the match 5-0, and victory via fall. [A three-point move in Beach Wrestling is considered fall].

Serbia won its first-ever gold medal at the U20 World Championships after European silver medalist Masa PEROVIC (SRB) scored a fall over world U17 champion Alexandra MOISEI (MDA) to claim the top medal at 70kg.

Moisei scored the first point of the final with hip toss and take a 1-0 lead and extended it to 2-0 by avoiding a trip attempt from Perovic who fell head first and lost another point. Moisei was going for the winning third point when Perovic attempted a lateral drop. While backstepping to avoid the drop, Moisei lost her balance and Perovic used that to her advantage and dropped Moisei on the back for three points and the win.

Iran's golden double

A day after winning the U17 World Championships team title in men's category, Iran continued to dominate Beach Wrestling by winning the U20 team title as well.

Like its U17 team, Iran won two golds in U20 competition to finish at the top of the team rankings with 77 points. Moldova finished second with 57 points while Ukraine was marginally behind at third with 55.

After missing out in the final in the first two weight classes, Ramtin RAVANBAKHSH (IRI) and Mersad SHAKERI (IRI) made sure Iran doesn't miss out on the finals by reaching the gold medal bouts at 90kg and +90kg respectively.

Ravanbakhsh showed impeccable defense in the final against Alexandru BORS (MDA), a former U17 World Championships silver medalist in Freestyle, at 90kg to win the gold medal. In fact, he had to beat Bors twice.

The two first met in a Group A match, which Ravanbakhsh won 1-0, before facing again in the final, where the Iranian repeated the result.

Shakeri was more active in his matches but was tested by Kostiantyn ZADOIANCHUK (UKR) in the final. He, however, managed to hold on to a 2-0 victory.

Shakeri hit a powerful snap which completely unbalanced Zadoianchuk who touched the sand with his knee and Shakeri got the first point. Shakeri got his second point with a stepout which Zadoianchuk had no chance to defend.

At 70kg, Eduard LENARD (ROU) dashed the hopes of local fans by beating Ilias KARNAVAS (GRE) in the gold medal bout in just 44 seconds.

Karnavas was sure that he got the first point as he pushed Lenard towards the edge but Lenard managed to keep himself inside and not give up the point for stepout. As Karnavas kept pushing, Lenard hit a counter whizzer for a point to dramatically turn the advantage around and lead 1-0.

As Karnavas got on a single-leg attack in another sequence, Lenard dropped him on his back with a whizzer which was scored as three points, giving the win to the Romanian. Karnavas challenged the call but on review, the original call for three points was upheld and Lenard was announced as the winner.

Moldova earned itself a gold medal at 80kg as Gabriel OJOG (MDA) scored a victory via fall over Zurab MAMULADZE (GEO) in the final. Mamuladze tried to hit a big move on Ojog who blocked it and landed on top of Mamuladze to score three points and the victory.