#BudaWrestle2018

Wiebe, Gray to Meet in Semifinals; Mensah Dominates Soronzonbold

Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - 12:39 By Andrew Hipps

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 23) -- Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) and three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) both missed last year's World Championships. Both showed they are back by reaching the semifinals with come-from-behind victories in their quarterfinal matches on Tuesday at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The two wrestlers will now meet in the semifinals at 76kg.

Wiebe trailed 2014 world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) 4-2 with less than a minute remaining in the match before getting a takedown to take the lead on criteria. She added another takedown with 10 seconds remaining to seal the victory. 

Gray found herself in a 6-3 hole with a minute and 30 seconds remaining in her quarterfinal match against Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) before she secured a takedown and ran the Kazakhstan wrestler over for the fall with just over a minute remaining.

On the top side of the 76kg bracket, reigning world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) was unscored open in the opening session, picking up a 10-0 technical fall in her first match and following it up with a 7-0 victory in the quarterfinals over Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN). She will face local favorite Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) in the semifinals.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of Tuesday's opening session came from Tamyra MENSAH (USA), who dominated two-time world champion Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) 10-0 in the quarterfinals at 68kg. Mensah jumped out to an 8-0 lead after the opening period on the strength of three takedowns. She then put the match away early in the second period with another takedown.  Soronzonbold was coming off a 5-2 win over past world champion Jenny FRANSSON (SWE). 

Mensah now faces Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), who remains on track in her quest to add a senior gold medal to a resume that includes world golds at the U23, junior and cadet levels. Larroque opened her competition with two falls before earning an 11-3 victory over Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) in the quarterfinals. 

Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Feng ZHOU (CHN), both past world bronze medalists, will meet in the semifinals in the top half of the bracket at 68kg. 

At 65kg, Top-seeded Petra OLLI (FIN) survived a scare in her first match as she snuck past Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) 4-4 on criteria. She then punched her ticket to the semifinals with a 6-2 win over Ritu RITU (IND).

Her semifinals opponent will be Ayana GEMPEI (JPN), a world champion at the U23 and junior divisions. Gempei cruised to a 6-1 victory in the quarterfinals over Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE). 

On the bottom side of the 65kg bracket, Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), a 2010 junior world champion, picked up three takedowns en route to a 6-2 win over Forrest MOLINARI (USA). Lappage will now face Iryna NETREBA (AZE), who blanked Chuying TANG (CHN) 3-0 in the quarterfinals. 

Egypt has a semifinalist in women's wrestling in Samar HAMZA (EGY), who dominated Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) 12-1 in the quarterfinals at 72kg. Hamza is one win away from reaching the gold-medal match, but standing in her way is returning world bronze medalist Justina DI STASIO (CAN). Di Stacio is one of three semifinalists today for Canada, along with Lappage and Wiebe.

Three-time world bronze medalist Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) edged Buse TOSUN (TUR) 7-6 in the quarterfinals at 72kg, setting up a semifinal meeting with Juan WANG (CHN). Wang has been dominant thus far, picking up two technical falls and outscoring her opponents 23-1. 

The semifinals will take place at 4:45 p.m. local time. 

Semifinal Matchups

Women's Wrestling

65kg
Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) vs. Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) 
Iryna NETREBA (AZE) vs. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN)

68kg
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) vs. Feng ZHOU (CHN)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Tamyra MENSAH (USA) 

72kg
Justina DI STASIO (CAN) vs. Samar HAMZA (EGY) 
Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) vs. Juan WANG (CHN)

76kg
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) 
Erica WIEBE (CAN) vs. Adeline GRAY (USA)

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 GR & WW Day 3 Highlights

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 08:10 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 22) -- The U23 World Championships third day will see Greco-Roman action in 60kg and 82kg while Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 RESULTS

14:05: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) looks in good form as she reaches the semifinals at 50kg with a 10-0 win over Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN).

13:55: Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL) takes out Alperen BERBER (TUR) at 82kg. Tabaev was down 4-1 but got the par terre in the second period and scored a suplex which was scored two points as he led 4-4 on criteria. Tabaev countered Berber for another takedown later for a 6-4 lead. Berber, visibly frustrated being down, is docked two points for aggressive wrestling. Tabaev defends his lead to win 8-4.

13:35: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits a double leg attack to get the first four points on her match against Haticenur SARI (TUR) at 72kg. Then gets the half nelson for a fall and move on to the semifinals.

13:25: It all happened in the first period but Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) gets the fall over Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) at 50kg despite trailing 7-5. Carvajal used the gut-wrench to lead 7-2 but Kerymova scored a reversal and then got the Cuban in a danger position before securing the fall, seven seconds before the break.

13:22: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) is a menace! He goes front headlock and Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) with two big throws and he leads 7-0 before he pressures Satayev to give up a takedown and Gutu into the semifinals at 82kg.

13:15: Off the whistle and Koto GOMI (JPN) hits a body lock for four against former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM). Gomi then tries an arm throw but blocked by Aghajanyan. Both wrestlers move out of zone in par terre but Armenia challenges for a point. Challenge is lost which makes Gomi's lead 5-0. Aghajanyan scores a takedown to make it 5-2 but Gomi answers with a stepout. A takedown from Gomi to start the second period as he extends his lead to 8-2. Gomi blocks an attempted throw from Aghajanyan and gets two more points to win 10-2 at 60kg.

13:10: Kylie WELKER (USA) with a five! She moves behind Nyla BURGESS (CAN) and performs a suplex to to get the five points. Three turns and it's all over as she wins 11-0.

12:55: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) with a massive comeback against Svenja JUNGO (SUI) at 50kg. Jimenez was down 6-0 before scoring two takedowns to make it 6-4. She then hit a four-pointer to take a 8-6 lead. Jungo with a few fake shots but Jiminez with an easy 12-6 win.

12:40: Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) hands Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) at 6-3 defeat at the 50kg. Three different takedowns by Carvajal while Yonehara could only manage points in the last minute.

12:35: Returning silver medalist Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB) exchange four-pointers but Belelashvili breaks Bobonazarov in the second period to beat him 10-7 at 82kg.

12:30: Alperen BERBER (TUR) survives an onslaught from Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in their 82kg bout to win 5-3. Aliyev started the second period with takedown and then also got the par terre position but failed to score any points as Berber defended his lead.

12:20: U17 world champion Yuqi LIU (CHN) manages to hold off Diksha MALIK (IND), 9-3, in her opening bout at 72kg. Liu has medals at all age-group World Championships but is chasing her first at U23 level.

12:10: Alexandru GUTU (MDA) hits a massive give on Reon KAKEGAWA (JPN) in the 82kg bout! Gutu is looking for his second U23 world title. 

12:00: After another round of repechage, wrestling continues with 1/16 finals. At 72kg, Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits her trademark four-pointer to pin Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR).

11:15: Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) locked Hanny KUMARI (IND) with a double arm lock and threw her for four before securing the fall with three seconds left. Katenka was down 4-2 with 10 seconds left when she went for the move.

11:10: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) starts her campaign at 50kg with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE). Pudova is one of the favorites for gold at this weight class

11:00: Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) was more cautious of Andela VASILJEVIC (SRB) in their 50kg match as Vasilkevic did look like novice. Yonehara works five takedowns to beat Vasiljevic

10:45: Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) hits a takedown in the final 25 seconds to see off Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) at 82kg. Mohmedi enjoyed a 3-1 lead and seemed headed towards a win. However, Abdiiev dragged him down for a takedown and then got a stepout as well to win 4-3.

10:30: Returning champion Kylie WELKER (USA) with a quick technical superiority win over U20 world silver medalist PRIYA (IND) at 76kg. Welker is a recent senior World Championships bronze medalist

10:20: After the repechage bouts, we are straight into the qualifications in GR 60kg, 82kg and WW 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.