#WrestleSofia

Wrestlers from Six Different Countries Advance to Women’s Finals at #WrestleSofia

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR)

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Japan and China each put three athletes in gold-medal matches for the last day of women’s freestyle action at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. India, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and USA also have wrestlers in the finals.

There will be two head-to-head matchups between Japan and China in tomorrow’s gold matches.

2017 Cadet World champion Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) looks to win another gold medal but will have to face Xueing LIANG (CHN) at 46 kg.

The last bout of the night will feature two-time Cadet World champion Honoka NAKAI (JPN) at 69 kg, facing off against 2019 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Cun LIU (CHN). The two did not meet up in the Asian Championships as Nakai did not go.

Nakai won her last two gold medals at 65 kg.

Japan is also featured in the final at 61 kg, where 2018 Youth Olympic champion and 2018 Cadet World champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) will face off against 2019 Cadet European champion Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR).

At 53 kg, the third representative from China, Zhaojing SHI (CHN), will battle for gold. Shi, a 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist, takes on Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ), who was fifth in the world last year.

Shi and Bilimbek were at different weights last year.

The finals will take place on Friday at 6 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups
40 kg: Sterling DIAS (USA) vs. Komal KOMAL (IND)
46 kg: Xueing LIANG (CHN) vs. Hanano SAKURAI (JPN)
53 kg: Zhaojing SHI (CHN) vs. Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ)
61 kg: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) vs. Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR)
69 kg: Honoka NAKAI (JPN) vs. Cun LIU (CHN)

 

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Wrestlers, coaches successfully complete ITA anti-doping seminars

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 25) -- In it's aim to empower wrestlers and others to play clean, United World Wrestling was of the leading International Federations in the International Testing Agency's IF webinar series on anti-doping.

After the completion of the series, a total of 1906 certificates were delivered to wrestlers, coaches and support staff related to wrestling.

The ITA webinar series consisted of three sessions, held every Wednesday from April 9, moderated by either anti-doping specialists or former Olympians.

UWW made it mandatory for all wrestlers participating in the U17, U23, and Senior World Championships, as well as for wrestlers included in the Registered Testing Pool [RTP] list.

This was a significant jump for UWW in the sheer number of participants of the webinars. Last year, for the first season of the ITA IF webinar series in collaboration with UWW, participation was mandatory for wrestlers competing at the World U20 Championships in Pontevedra.

This was also the first time that UWW asked the athletes participating in Grappling and Pankration/Amateur MMA styles to attended the webinars, another leap in guiding, educating and informing the community on anti-doping rules and responsibilities.

All National Federations were made aware of these webinars through a circular from UWW.

"Clean sport education is a cornerstone for clean sport. UWW is bound by the World Anti-Doping Code to plan, implement and promote education, and it remains committed to safeguarding athletes’ health and the integrity of its sport. As part of the global anti-doping movement led by WADA, UWW is also part of a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport. In line with this, all associated Grappling & Pankration Federation must understand and recognize their role and put into place the rules, policies and systems necessary to fulfil their duties under UWW Anti-Doping Rules. UWW Associated Grappling & Pankration Federations are also responsible for providing anti-doping education to ensure that athletes receive proper guidance on clean sport," the circular read.