#WrestleSofia

World Olympic Games Qualifier Entries

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - 16:03 By Eric Olanowski

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (April 28) -- The final qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the World Olympic Games Qualifier, kicks off next Thursday (May 6-9) in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is set to welcome 474 athletes from 84 different nations. 

Coming into Sofia, 14/16 Olympic licenses have been claimed. Wrestlers who reach the finals in their respective weight classes punch their nations tickets to August's Tokyo Olympic Games.

Tokyo Olympic Qualification Events:
- '19 World Championships (six)
- '20 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 European Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 African & Oceania Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 Asian Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 World Olympic Games Qualifier (two)

Freestyle

57kg
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE)
Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR)
Aso PALANI (CAN)
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Simon Kamau WAINAINA (KEN)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Chakir ANSARI (MAR)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX)
Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Richard Antonio GARCIA ANDRADE (PAN)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Vilson NDREGJONI (ALB)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Marcos Wesley DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA)
Ruhan Hyusnyu RASIM (BUL)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Wber Euclides CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
TBD - (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA) 
Gilbert Mbevoni KABOCHE (KEN)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Mohammed J M Th A ABDULKAREEM (KUW)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Chamara Milinda Perera WEERASINGHEGE (SRI)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR)
Jordan Michael OLIVER (USA)
Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB)
Hussein Abdullah Hussein Abdullah AL AZZANI (YEM)

74kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Leon Juan Carlos PERALTA LANAS (CHI)
Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Amit Kumar DHANKHAR (IND)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Abdullrahman Ibrahim A IBRAHIM (QAT)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Alymuhammet OVEZMYRADOV (TKM)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Akhmed Adamovich MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Bedopassa Buassat DJONDE (GBS)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Istvan VEREB (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
John Odhiambo OMONDI (KEN)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Abdullah F A SALEEM (KUW)
Domenic Michael ABOU NADER (LBN)
Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
Noel Alfonso TORRES CHACON (MEX)
Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
Mihai Nicolae PALAGHIA (ROU)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97kg
Nathaniel Tuifao TUAMOHELOA (ASA)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Taira SONODA (JPN)
Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN)
Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Nicolai CEBAN (MDA)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Haroon ABID (PAK)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Amadu O KAMARA (SLE)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR)
Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Param Pal SINGH (AUS)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Tetsuya TANAKA (JPN)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Donghwan KIM (KOR)
Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR)
Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU)
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Dilmukhammed NURMUKHAMEDOV (UZB)

Greco-Roman

60kg 
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Sachin RANA (IND)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Mohammad F Kh M J ALAJMI (KUW)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX)
Stig Andre BERGE (NOR)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Merdan ALLAYAROV (TKM)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)

67kg 
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL)
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
Enyer Manuel FELICIANO (DOM)
Marcos SANCHEZ SILVA MEJIAS (ESP)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN)
Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Nilton Gonzalo Marcos SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)
Anthony Javier PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Yuisralembert CARRION PEREZ (ESP)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Bakhit Sharif K BADR (QAT)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Muhammetberdi MAMEDOV (TKM)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR)
Jesse Alexander PORTER (USA)
Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

87kg 
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM)
Yoji KAWAMURA (JPN)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Mark Omumasaba INGUYESI (KEN)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Julius MATUZEVICIUS (LTU)
Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA)
Alvis Albino ALMENDRA JIMENEZ (PAN)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)
Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK)
Shageldi ANNAYEV (TKM)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)
Thomas Rahontsiiosta BARREIRO (CAN)
Phillip Raweriio BARREIRO (CAN)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Amir ALAWAD (EGY)
Jesus GASCA FRESNEDA (ESP)
Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Peter OEHLER (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Kaito MIYAMOTO (JPN)
Yuta NARA (JPN)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Seungjun KIM (KOR)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Pontus Johan LUND (SWE)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)
Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM)
Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Alexandros PAPADATOS (GRE)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Luca GODINO (ITA)
Arata SONODA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Murat RAMONOV (KGZ)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Women's Wrestling

50kg 
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Mia Lahnee Ramos AQUINO (GUM)
Seema SEEMA (IND)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Thalia Jihann MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)


53kg 
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Laura Gabriela PEREDO TORRES (MEX)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN)

57kg 
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Shinhye LEE (KOR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Jessica Lise BROUILLETTE (CAN)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)
Iva GERIC (CRO)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Ashley Chantelle ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB)
Nathaly Josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

68kg 
Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Eun Sun JEONG (KOR)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Ambar Michell GARNICA FLORES (MEX)
Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)
Soleymi Antonieta CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Pooja POOJA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)

#WrestleSamokov

Onishi repeats as U20 world champ; Blaze wins 61kg gold

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - 21:52 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- Four bouts, a combined score of 40-0, and a total time on the mat of five minutes and 24 seconds -- all matches finished inside the first period.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) put on one of the most dominant performances at the World U20 Championships, becoming a two-time world champion by winning the 59kg gold in Samokov, Bulgaria, on Wednesday.

The Japanese wrestling phenom spent less time on the mat than a full six-minute wrestling match and won all bouts with a 10-0 score, just like she did in 2024. Onishi has now outscored her opponents 80-0 over the two tournaments.

After three wins on Tuesday, Onishi faced Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE) in the final. She locked Samuelsson's legs around her head, turning her four times after the takedown. She used the technique on three of her four wins.

"I didn't want to finish quickly. I wanted to focus on winning each point and play the match with that focus," Onishi said.

Onishi feels that she has improved technically since last year, especially after winning the senior Asian Championships in which she faced stiff competition.

"I've been working on improving in various ways," she said. "I wanted to aim even higher in terms of technique and physical strength. The fact that I wasn't defeated in the senior category boosted my confidence. Winning the Asian Championships and Ranking Tournament in Tirana also boosted my confidence."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI (JPN) uses her trademark lace against Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Next for Onishi is the senior World Championships in September as she prepares to win the world title in Zagreb as well. To prepare for that she wanted to test herself again in this age group.

"The World Championships are coming up, and I think this category is just one step in the process," she said. "I think I've taken a good step forward, and I definitely want to win the senior World Championships."

Ray HOSHINO (JPN)Ray HOSHINO (JPN) works on a takedown against SRISHTI (IND) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan won its second gold medal through Ray HOSHINO (JPN), who also won her second World U20 title. Hoshino, the 2023 world U20 champion, showed no signs of rust in her 7-0 hammering of SRISHTI (IND) in the 68kg final in Samokov.

Srishti, a returning bronze medalist, tried to score on Hoshino, but the Japanese wrestler overpowered her and clearly had a better game plan for the final bout.

Hoshino scored the first takedown of the final and then added a step-out to take a 3-0 lead. She then scored a go-behind to extend her lead to 5-0 at the break. An ankle pick during Srishti's attack gave Hoshino her third takedown of the match and a 7-0 lead she kept until the end.

India crowned one champion on Wednesday when TAPSYA (IND) defeated the European U20 champion, Felicitas Domajeva (NOR), 5-2, to win the 57kg gold medal.

In a match decided by a single move, Tapsya scored a takedown and used an arm-bar to pin Domajeva, who survived the attempt but fell behind 5-0 as she had already conceded a point for passivity.

In the final seconds of the bout, Domajeva scored a takedown, but it was harmless to Tapsya, who defended any turn attempts to win 5-2 and India's first gold in Samokov.

The loss ended hopes for Domajeva to win the first world U20 gold medal for Norway in 37 years. She had became the first Norway wrestler to enter the World U20 Championships final in Women's Wrestling in 15 years.

Marcus BLAZE (USA)Marcus BLAZE (USA) celebrates, like his roommate at Penn State Masanosuke ONO (JPN), after winning the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U.S. defends Freestyle title

Marcus BLAZE (USA) upgraded his bronze medal from last year to a gold medal, and Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) won the gold medal in the 86 kg weight class as the United States successfully defended its freestyle team title at the World U20 Championships. With five gold medals, the U.S. had its best showing in the competition's history since 1984.

Blaze, who lost to the Japanese world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) last year, defeated a former world U17 champion Ahora KHATERI (USA), 10-0, in the final, his fourth win via technical superiority.

With his gold medals at the World U17 and U20 Championships, Blaze joins an elite group of wrestlers who have won world titles at both the U17 and U20 levels.

In Samokov, Blaze demonstrated that he will be a formidable opponent at the senior level as well. He wrestled with solid positioning and scored with various techniques. In the final match, he wrestled Khateri patiently, scoring five stepouts in the first period. A caution against Khateri made it 6-0, and then a go-behind and turn by Blaze made it 10-0.

"I feel good," Blaze said. "I wrestled pretty well. Throughout the tournament, I just kept getting better and better. I feel good about it. Our coaches gave me a game plan, and I stuck to it."

Before the final match, Blaze received a text message from his high school coach, Scott BURNETT, who explained Khateri's wrestling style and told Blaze to "suffocate" his opponent.

"When I was really young, my coach always said to be in a great position the whole time," he said. "Before the final, he told me to suffocate my opponent, and I feel like that's what I did out there."

Marcus BLAZE (USA)Marcus BLAZE (USA) is now a world U17 and U20 champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In his international career, Blaze has lost only once — to Ono in 2024 — but now, both wrestlers train at Penn State in the United States. After winning the gold medal, Blaze imitated Ono's 2024 celebration after the Japanese had won gold at the U20 World Championships.

"I live with Ono; he's my roommate," Blaze said. "He's a great person. At that time, he was just way better. I'm thankful to be able to wrestle with him every single day."

The second gold medal for the U.S. came from McEnelly, who defeated Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (UWW) 8-0 at 86 kg.

McEnelly prevented Islamgereev from attacking his legs and wrestled at a fast pace throughout the final. He scored four takedowns to shut out Islamgereev.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

57kg
GOLD: TAPSYA (IND) df. Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR), 5-2

BRONZE: Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (UWW) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Anna STRATAN (KAZ) df. Tindra DALMYR (SWE), 9-3

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Karin SAMUELSSON (SWE), 10-0

BRONZE: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Ella FINDING (CAN), 4-1
BRONZE: Yifan ZHU (CHN) df. Aubre KRAZER (USA), 5-3

68kg
GOLD: Ray HOSHINO (JPN) df. SRISHTI (IND), 7-0

BRONZE: Eduarda RODRIGUES BATISTA (BRA) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 9-8

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Marcus BLAZE (USA) df. Ahora KHATERI (IRI), 10-0

BRONZE: Omar AYOUB (PUR) df. Adlan SAITIEV (UWW), 8-6
BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (UWW) df. Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM), 12-11

86kg
GOLD: Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) df. Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (UWW), 8-0

BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM), 4-2
BRONZE: Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) df. Ryogo ASANO (JPN), 9-3