Watari, Sukhee, Chimdee, Mongolia, Japan, female wrestling, Rahimi

World Champs Showcase Opening Day of Asian Games Wrestling

Saturday, September 27, 2014 - 03:00 By William May

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INCHEON, Korea (September 27) – World champions Eri TOSAKA (JPN) and SUN Yanan (CHN) appear headed for a showdown at 48kg on the opening day of wrestling competition at the Asian Games on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 2013 world champion Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) looks forward to a likely replay of last year’s championship final with Amit KUMAR (IND) at 57kg at Dowon Gymnasium in central Incheon, Korea.

Also featured in Saturday’s world champion showcase will be SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL), who won the 60kg crown in female wrestling at the world championships in Tashkent earlier in the month.

The only weight category without a world champion to be contested on the first day is 70kg in men’s freestyle, where world bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) could face a rematch with Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) in the semifinals.

Female Wrestling

48kg – Tosaka repeated as 48kg world champion in Tashkent, while 2013 world champ at 51kg Sun was largely inactive this year – except for a World Cup appearance in which she was edged 6-4 by Tosaka. 

Yun opens in the top half of the bracket with Asia champion Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ), while Tosaka faces a potential quarterfinal pairing with Asian runner-up ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) and a semifinal showdown with 2013 Asia champion PAK Yong-Mi (PRK).

63kg – Sukhee’s biggest obstacle to reaching the finals could well be Rio WATARI (JPN), who will try to show she is better than her one-and-done showing in Tashkent against former world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL).

From the lower half of the bracket, 2013 Asia champion XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) and 2013 world bronze medalist Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) could meet in the semifinals for a chance to meet Sukhee. 

Men’s freestyle

57kg – Former world champion Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) slipped to a bronze medal in Tashkent after a criteria loss to 2009 world champ YANG Kyong-Il (PRK). He opens his bid for an Asian Games gold medal with Asian championship bronze medal winner Samat NADYRBEK UULU (KGZ). 

Rahimi could face Asian champion Rasul KALIEV (KAZ) in the semifinals for a chance to face the survivor of the crowded upper-half of the bracket.

Amit KUMAR, 2013 world runner-up, leads off with Asian bronze medalist Fumitaka MORISHITA (JPN), while Yasar Dogu winner BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) would square off with JONG Hak-Jin (PRK).

Jong won the Takhti Cup tourney in February ahead of Kaliev, world champ teammate Yang and Batbold. 

70kg – After a bronze medal in Tashkent, Abdurakhmanov looks forward to his first win at a major international event but will likely have to get by Asian champion Hosseinkhani in the semifinals. Abdurakhmanov won by criteria over Hosseinkhani on a late takedown in Tashkent.

Abdurakhmanov, however, cannot look past Asian runner-up Somirsho VOKHIDOV (TJK).

#WrestleAthens

China wins two golds; India defends women's team title

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 19:07 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- India managed to win its second straight women's team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece on Friday. India finished with 151 points, thanks to its two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in 10 weight class.

The United States, which did not finish on the podium last year, bounced back in style and finished second, just nine points behind India with 142 points. Japan was third with 113 points. The U.S. and Japan both had two champions as well.

China had three champions in Athens and a silver medalist. However, it only had nine wrestlers and three of them did not contribute any points to the team total. It finished fourth with 107 points. Third-placer in 2024 Kazakhstan managed to earn itself a top-five finish with 69 points.

After the 73kg gold medal on Thursday, China added two more on Friday through Min ZHAO (CHN) at 69kg and Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) at 53kg after the two won their respective finals in contrasting fashion.

Zhao, wrestling at her first international tournament, did not have much trouble seeing off European 17 champion Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2, in the 69kg final.

The 15-year-old managed to open the scoring by a ankle pick of the far foot of Sahin and then turned her for two more points. Sahin scored two points when she tried to cradle Zhao but that was the only dominating move of the match for her.

Sahin tried a leg attack but Zhao countered hit with a headpinch and got four points. She hit another one for two points to lead 10-2. A deep single gave her another takedown for a 12-2 technical superiority win. Germany challenged but there was nothing to be reviewed. A lost challenge awarded Zhao another point to make her score 13-2.

Jiaqing JIANG (CHN)Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) defeated Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The second gold medal for China came from Jiang who had to defend with all might to beat Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final and win the world title.

Jiang got a 6-0 lead against Elison but the U.S. wrestler mounted a comeback in the second period. She scored a takedown to cut the score to 6-2. Another takedown helped her make it 6-4. Jiang got one point for reversal and extended her lead to 7-4. Elison got Jiang for a big throw but the referees called it a foot-stomp, a second earlier, and did not score any points.

There was one more sequence where it seemed that Jiang had her three points touch on the mat but neither referees score nor the U.S. corner challenged. She eventually won 7-4.

Fernandez repeats

The U.S. did get one gold medalist on Friday. After Morgan TURNER (USA) became a two-time world champion on Thursday for the U.S., Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) also achieved the feat as she defended her 61kg title against YASHITA (IND) in the final.

Fernandez was never slow to start and Yashita was on the backfoot straightaway. Yashita was put on the activity clock and Fernandez did not wait for it to end and got the takedown. She led 3-0 before another takedown made it 5-0. She turned Yashita using a leg-lace and made it 9-0.

There is no waiting game for Fernandez as she performed one more leg attacked for a takedown and finished the bout 11-0.

"A little pressure [as I] went into it," Fernandez said. "I just want that really bad. It just come together. I was just keep on wrestling. I could just keep on wrestling and test myself and just see what things I need to get better to be the best of myself. I just love to wrestle so. Every opportunity again, I want to think it."

Fernandez, who is still 16 and eligible for the U17 competitions next year as well, can became the first U.S. wrestler to win three gold medals at the World U17 Championships.

"All you can say is that next year, that's my goal," she said.

Hanano OYA (JPN)Hanano OYA (JPN) won the 46kg gold medal in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan also claimed a gold medal Thursday to win its first gold medal of the tournament.

Hanano OYA (JPN) put on a defensive masterclass in the 46kg final against Janka SILLEI (HUN) and won the gold medal with a 3-0 score line. Oya got her first point when Sillei was put on activity clock but the Hungarian failed to score in the 30 seconds.

In the second period, a hard-fought takedown gave Oya two more points and then she locked Sillei and held her position in the final seconds to avoid any upset.

"I can't believe I actually won, but when I stood on the podium and sang the national anthem at the end, I was so happy," Oya said. "I'm really grateful to my teachers and everyone who supported me."

Talking about the final, Oya said that while she was not able to score many points, she was content that she did not let her opponents score on her as well, especially in semifinal and final.

"The opponent in the final [Sillei] was very strong, and there were no opportunities to score. It turned into a very close match," she said. "I don't know how to describe it. The same was true for the [bout against] United States in the semifinals. The Hungarian wrestler in the final were also very strong, so I realized that I need to practice even harder and aim for higher goals."

History for Uzbekistan

No woman from Uzbekistan has ever been a world champion in wrestling but Friday will be registered as a historic day in Uzbekistan's history.

Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB), the Asian U17 champion, became the first-ever women's world champion in wrestling from Uzbekistan. She defeated An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0, in the 40kg final and created history for her country.

Before Shonazarova, three other Uzbekistan wrestler had reached the final of Women's Wrestling at different World Championships but no one was able to win gold until Shonazarova changed that.

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) df. An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0

BRONZE: Asema ASANGARYEVA (KGZ) df. Valia HARSAN (ROU), 2-0
BRONZE: Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) df. Finja STRAUCH (GER), 6-0

46kg
GOLD: Hanano OYA (JPN) df. Janka SILLEI (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA) df. Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW), 12-2
BRONZE: Maria GKIKA (GRE) df. Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), 4-3

53kg
GOLD: Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) df. Epenesa ELISON (USA), 7-4

BRONZE: Rion OGAWA (JPN) df. Margarita IARYGINA (UWW), 8-0
BRONZE: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ), via fall (10-0)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. YASHITA (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Barbara BAGER (HUN) df. Varvara ALISEYENKA (UWW), 3-0
BRONZE: Zalina TOTROVA (UWW) df. Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), 8-0

69kg
GOLD: Min ZHAO (CHN) df. Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2

BRONZE: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) df. MANISHA (IND), 5-2
BRONZE: Shakhizada DAULETZHAN (KAZ) df. Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), 4-1