World Champ Tynybekova Captures Title in Dominant Fashion

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 - 20:15 By Andrew Hipps

Links:
Day 4 Photos
Interview with Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Interview with Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 15) -- World champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) made it look easy in Belgrade, Serbia, winning the gold medal at the Individual World Cup with four consecutive dominant victories over two days, outscoring her opponents 47-2, capped off by a 14-0 technical superiority in the 62kg final on Tuesday night.

Tynybekova wasted little time scoring in her final against three-time European champion Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT). The 27-year-old Kyrgyzstani women's wrestler shot a double leg and scored four points early in the match to go up 4-0. She built her lead to 9-0 after two more takedowns and a step out. Needing just one point to finish the match, Tynybekova shot a double leg and lifted Grigorjeva off her feet before bringing her to the mat for a five-point move to put an exclamation point on the match.

All five women's wrestling champions crowned Tuesday came from different nations.

Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) won by technical superiority in the 50kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

World bronze medalist Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) claimed the gold medal at 50kg with a 10-0 technical superiority over Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR). Poleshchuk picked up an early takedown before locking up a gut wrench and turning the Ukrainian four times to finish the match in the first period.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) took the title at 53kg with a 5-1 victory (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) used a big second period to help her earn a 5-1 win over Roksana ZASINA (POL) in the 53kg final. The two wrestlers traded passivity points, with Zasina scoring the second one in the final period to take the criteria lead. Midway through the second period, Prevolaraki hit a four-point throw to go up by four, which was enough to earn the victory.

Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) shut out Annika WENDLE (GER) in the 55kg final (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) cruised to a decisive 9-0 shutout over Annika WENDLE (GER) to claim gold at 55kg. Kurachkina scored two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-0 at the break. She added a third takedown early in the second period before countering an attack from Wendle for a two-point exposure and adding a point off a step out.

Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) celebrates after earning the title at 72kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) won the gold medal at 72kg with a 5-2 victory over Buse TOSUN (TUR). Yaneva scored her first point off the activity clock before picking up two takedowns to lead 5-0 at the break. Tousun would get on the scoreboard in the second period with two step outs, but the Bulgarian would earn the victory.

Russia finished with four medals on Tuesday. In addition to Poleshchuk's gold at 50kg, three Russian women earned bronze medals: Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (53kg), Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (55kg) and Liubov OVCHAROVA (62kg).

Ukraine earned a pair of bronze medals from Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (62kg) and Alla BELINSKA (72kg).

Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and Lisa ERSEL (GER) won the bronze medals at 50kg.

Also winning bronze medals on Tuesday were Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) at 53kg, Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) at 55kg and Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK) at 72kg.

Women's Wrestling Medal Match Results

50kg
GOLD: Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) by VSU1, 13-2
BRONZE: Lisa ERSEL (GER) df. Gloria Estefanny ASCA VILCAPOMA (PER) by VSU, 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL) by VPO1, 5-1
BRONZE: Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS) df. Nina HEMMER (GER) by VPO1, 12-4
BRONZE: Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) by VPO, 3-0

55kg
GOLD: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Annika WENDLE (GER) by VPO, 9-0
BRONZE: Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) by VPO, 7-0
BRONZE: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Pinki PINKI (IND) by VSU, 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) by VFA, 14-0
BRONZE: Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) by VPO1, 1-1
BRONZE: Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) by VPO1, 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR) by VPO1, 5-2
BRONZE: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) by VFA, 6-2
BRONZE: Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK) df. Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG) by VFA, 2-2

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Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships

Sunday, June 15, 2025 - 08:03 By United World Wrestling Press

NEWARK, United States (June 14) -- The United States Women's Wrestling team for the World Championships is fixed. The final selection of the team was held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey with three-time Olympic medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) among those making the cut.

The 'Final X', a tournament to select the team's final 10 wrestlers, saw five experienced stars and five young athletes who earned their spot on the World Championships team.

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Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic and three-time world champion, continued her amazing run of excellence by pinning Amanda MARTINEZ, winning the best-of-three series 2-0 at 57kg. In the first bout, Maroulis scored a first-period pin in 1:51, then was able to put away Martinez in 4:43 in bout two.

This will Maroulis' 12th world team selection to go along with her three Olympic appearances. Apart from three world gold medals, Maroulis has four other medals at the World Championships.

Blades, who won silver medal at the 2024 Olympics, finished off a two-match sweep over Brooklyn HAYS at 68kg. Surprisingly, this will be Blades' first appearance at the World Championships. Blades won the first match over Hays, 10-4, and the second 5-2.

Macey KILTY and Kylie WELKER, Blades' teammates at Iowa University, also made the team with convincing victories. Both Kilty and Welker are past world medalists.

Kilty downed Aine DRURY with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, with both matches ending in the first period. Welker, a 2024 world bronze medalist, defeated Dymond GUILFORD in two straight bouts. Welker opened her offense in the second match, she broke open a 1-1 tie with eight second-period points for a 9-1 win. Her first match was a razor-thin 2-1 victory.

2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER needed all three matches to defeat Abigail NETTE at 59kg. Nette scored a pair of second-period takedowns to beat Winchester, 6-4, in the first bout. In the second match, Nette took a 6-1 lead but a four-point Winchester takedown made it 6-5 before she scored two more takedowns for a 9-7 win. In the deciding third bout, it was all Winchester, who secured a 10-0 technical fall.

The other five wrestlers will be competing in their first senior World Championships, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Adaugo NWACHUKWU needed three matches to defeat two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg. Nwachukwu had a strong second period to win the first match 14-8. In the second bout, Miracle scored a late step out point to tie it at 3-3 and got another point on a failed challenge for a 4-3 victory. In the deciding third match, after trailing 2-0, Nwachukwu scored eight straight points and went on to win 8-4.

At 50kg, world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ swept her series over veteran Erin GOLSTON. Jimenez began with a 10-2 win over Golston before closing out with a 12-2 technical superiority win in the second bout.

Felicity TAYLOR had a two-match sweep over Brianna GONZALEZ. After winning the first bout 2-1, Taylor scored a takedown and two tilts for a 6-4 victory in the second.

Cristelle RODRIGUEZ, a 2024 world U20 champion, swept her series over high school star Everest LEYDECKER. While the first bout was a close 12-8 win for Rodriguez, she rallied to a 5-1 win in the second.

Alexandria GLAUDE got the 72kg spot after 2024 Olympic champion and two-time world champion Amit ELOR did not compete for personal reasons.

RESULTS (Best of three)

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ df. Erin GOLSTON, 2-0

Bout 1: Jimenez df. Golston, 10-2
Bout 2: Jimenez df. Golston, 12-2

53kg
Felicity TAYLOR df. Brianna GONZALEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 2-1
Bout 2: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 6-4

55kg
Cristelle RODRIGUEZ df. Everest LEYDECKER, 2-0

Bout 1: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 12-8
Bout 2: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 8-5

57kg
Helen MAROULIS df. Amanda MARTINEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall
Bout 2: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall

59kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER df. Abigail NETTE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nette df. Winchester, 6-4
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 9-7
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 11-0

62kg
Adaugo NWACHUKWU df. Kayla MIRACLE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 14-8
Bout 2: Miracle df. Nwachukwu, 4-3
Bout 3: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 8-4

65kg
Macey KILTY df. Aine DRURY, 2-0

Bout 1: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0
Bout 2: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0

68kg
Kennedy BLADES df. Brooklyn HAYS, 2-0

Bout 1: Blades df. Hays, 10-4
Bout 2: Blades df. Hays, 5-2

72kg
Alexandria GLAUDE df. Amit ELOR, via forfeit

76kg
Kylie WELKER df. Dymond GUILFORD

Bout 1: Welker df. Guilford, 2-1
Bout 2: Welker df. Guilford, 9-1

World Champ Tynybekova Captures Title in Dominant Fashion

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Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships