#ChinaOpen2018

World Champion Tkach Closes out China Open with First Gold of the Year

Saturday, June 23, 2018 - 14:34 By Eric Olanowski

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TAIYUAN, China (June 23) - Yuliia TKACH (UKR), the 2014 world champion improved on her second-place finish at the Klippan Lady Open, stopping China’s BAO Lingling (CHN), 4-1 in the 62kg finals to claim her first gold medal of the year. 

“I thought about the mistakes I made at the Klippan Lady Open and just wanted to win here. This is wrestling, and wrestling is my work and my life. I like wrestling and I’m happy that I took first place.” 

Tkach‘s lack of activity in the opening period of the finals put her in a 1-0 hole heading into the break. The three-time Olympian said, “I have to start wrestling if I want to win.” 

Last year's world runner-up got to work in the second period, scoring four points off a high crotch and a leg lace. “Overall, I thought I was aggressive. In the first period, not so much. But in the second period, I was go-go-go, and I was able to pick up the win.” 

At 68kg, fellow Ukranian Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) joined Tkach as a gold medalist after sticking Xiaoqian WANG (CHN) in the second China versus Ukraine match-up of the night.  

 

China wrapped up the final day of competition in Taiyuan with three gold medals, bringing their tournament total to four overall championship performances. 

TANG Chuying (CHN) captured the host nations first gold medal of the day, pummeling Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-0 in the 65kg finals.
 
In the first period, Tang led 1-0 before transitioning into two leg laces from a low-single. The Chinese wrestler held the 7-0 advantage heading into the final period. 

Tang closed out the match with a four-point throw, giving her an eleven-point technical superiority victory and China their second overall gold medal of the tournament. 

China's second gold medal went to WANG Juan (CHN) who won the 72kg Nordic tournament with four wins on the day, including a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Japan’s Masako FURUICHI (JPN). 

In the final bout of the tournament, Paliha PALIHA’s (CHN) second-period takedown helped her stop HUANG Yuanyuan (CHN), 3-1 in the all-China battle at 76kg, handing China their fourth gold medal of the tournament. 

TEAM SCORES 
GOLD – China (210 points)
SILVER – Russia (119 points)
BRONZE – Japan (110 points)
Fourth – Korea (90 points)
Fifth – Ukraine (65 points)

RESULTS
62kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Yulia TKACH (UKR) df. BAO Lingling (CHN), 4-1

BRONZE - CUI Fengfeng (CHN) df. HANG Jungwon (KOR), 5-1 

65kg (One bronze)
GOLD -  Chuying TANG (CHN) df. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-0

BRONZE - Na LU (CHN) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 6-4

68kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN), via fall 

BRONZE - QIN Suning (CHN) df. WANG Jiao (CHN), 12-2

72kg (One bronze)
GOLD - WANG Juan (CHN)
SILVER - Masako FURUICHI (JPN)
BRONZE - WANG Kunming (CHN)

76kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN), 3-1

BRONZE - Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) df. Eunju HWANG (KOR), 6-1

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds 2025: Forrest wins epic final to hand U.S. team title

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - 00:40 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 27) — For a second time this year, the United States and Iran were involved in a thrilling team title race in Freestyle at a World Championships with the U.S. eventually winning the title.

After being tied at 102 points each at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, the U.S. needed one win and Iran needed to win all three bouts on the final day of the competition.

The U.S. sealed the team title as soon as Jaxen FORREST (USA) won the 61kg final, giving his country an unassailable lead of 137 points over Iran, which finished second with 127 points. Japan was third with 85 points.

With the team title, U.S. won the top spot in Freestyle in all age-group World Championships while Iran won the title in senior Worlds.

Three gold medals already in pocket, the U.S. won a fourth one on Monday through Forrest who had an unforgettable bout against Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ).

Both teenagers, U20 world bronze medalist Forrest and U17 world champion Asan Uulu put on a match that will be remembered for ages. Both wrestlers settled in, Forrest came up with an over-underhook for four but Asan Uulu soon fired back with two takedown to make it 4-4. After a back-and-forth scramble, Asan Uulu managed to score a push out for a 5-4 lead.

But Forrest took a big lead when he threw Asan Uulu from quad pod position for four points. Kyrgyzstan’s lost challenge added one more point to make it 9-5.

Jaxen FORREST (USA)Jaxen FORREST (USA) scores a takedown against Umurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The two were not done yet. As soon as the second period began, Asan Uulu scored a stepout, Forrest got a takedown to make it 11-6. Asan Uulu managed to get a takedown and score via exposure. He took a 12-11 lead with a takedown on edge with 1:30 left.

There was more left in the match as Forrest got on a low single to get a takedown and as the wrestlers returned to standing, he threw Asan Uulu for a big four, the third of the match to make it 17-12. He was happy to give one takedown to Asan Uulu in the final 10 seconds and win the gold medal 17-14, in what was perhaps the match of the year.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) scores the match-winning takedown against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 65kg, SUJEET (IND) upgraded his bronze from last year to gold this year after he blanked world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the final, his third 10-0 technical superiority over Jalolov this year.

Sujeet began like favorite underhook and snapdowns and Jalolov was put on the clock. Sujeet scored a takedown during that period to lead 3-0 before a stepout made it 4-0, a lead which Sujeet carried into the break.

The second period was no different as Sujeet did not let Jalolov settle down. He scored using a counter takedown to lead 6-0 with 1:52 remaining. Jalolov tried to hit a far reaching leg attack but Sujeet throws thew himself backward before scoring a takedown. A double leg takedown to make it 10-0 with 1:06 remaining.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan went past Turkiye in the team race by one point, all thanks to Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) winning the gold medal at 97kg by beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2, in the final.

For a split second Suleimaniashvili was about to pin Yoshida but apart from that, Yoshida never looked in any kind of trouble. His body frame and power were too much for the Georgian who just folded in the battle.

Yoshida managed to score from various position and used the underhook to perfection to earn his first world title.

One of the most dominant wrestlers in this tournament, Arsen BALAIAN (UWW), capped off his incredible run with a 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 17-14

BRONZE: Akito MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Erdal GALIP (BUL), 11-1

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 7-5

86kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-5

97kg
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 7-1
BRONZE: Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 4-2