#WrestleCoralville

WW World Cup: Five must-watch bouts

By Vinay Siwach

CORALVILLE, US (November 23) -- The women's World Cup will be held alongside the freestyle one on December 10 and 11 in Coralville. With two days of intense wrestling action, a few match-ups are expected to light up things at the Xtreme Arena in Coralville.

The top five teams from the World Championships in Belgrade along with the All-World Team will assemble for the two-day tournament. The top team from the World Championships Japan will be joined by China, the USA, Ukraine and Mongolia.

Six teams are placed in two groups with Japan, Mongolia and Ukraine placed in Group A and the USA is joined by China and the All-World Team. Even before the final fixture, some mouth-watering clashes are expected in the group duals.

Here are five bouts that are a must-watch for the fans:

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) is a 2019 world champion at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

55kg: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) vs Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)

It may need the aligning of the stars for this bout to happen but a potential match-up between young star Khomenets and former world champion Winchester at 55kg is one of the top clashes to watch at the World Cup. Khomenets reached the final of the World Championships in Belgrade before coming up short against Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN). Winchester, despite an injury, reached the bronze medal bout and led before suffering a fall.

If the two meet, Khomenets counter-attacking style will be put to test as Winchester likes to build an early lead. The bout may see a slow start but expected some tight defense and a fierce battle as the two like to go for the attacks till the clock expires.

 

62kg: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (UWW) vs Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)

Tynybekova did not have a strong season, even missing out on a world medal. But the two-time world champion will be keen to end the season on a high. If it does happen, a bout against Sukhee will test Tynybekova who will start as the favorite. This year, Sukhee began on an impressive note, winning the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series and was a medal contender at the World Championships. But she fell in the opening round after a close 9-8 loss against Xiaojuan LUO (CHN).

That makes both wrestlers hungry for positive results before the end of the year. While Tynybekova has a solid defense, Sukhee has displayed an ability to secure falls from any position. This will be a challenge for Tynybekova as she has been struggling against the younger crop of wrestlers this year.

68kg: Irina RINGACI (MDA) vs Feng ZHOU (CHN)

Ringaci will be one of the biggest names in the All-World team heading to Iowa. And she will have added responsibility to take her team to the final being a former world champ and a bronze medalist from Belgrade. But with China clubbed in the same group, she will have to go past Zhou. The two met in the bronze medal bout in Belgrade and Ringaci won via fall. Zhou will be looking to avenge that 51-second loss. She was looking to throw Ringaci from a bodylock position but the latter had her arm around Zhou's neck and reversed the position with a headlock.

Having wrestled each other, the two will have their task cut out at the World Cup.

 

72kg: Amit ELOR (USA) vs Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (UWW)

A rematch and that too of a World Championships final can only be better. The USA's star wrestler Elor will be up against Bakbergenova when the USA and All-World team clash at the World Cup. Elor defeated Bakbergenova in the final of 72kg in Belgrade to capture her first world title. She caught Bakbergenova in a leg lace and finished the bout in a minute and 13 seconds. Elor will look to repeat the result in her home country even as Bakbergenova hopes to figure out a new way to counter Elor's dominance on the mat.

Bakbergenova not only has to find ways to attack, but she will also have to break Elor's strong defense. Elor, time and again, has shown how to come out of danger positions without giving up a point. Her only close bout in the last two years was the semifinal in Belgrade against the returning world champion Masako FUIRICHI (JPN). Elor won that 3-2.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR)Yasemin ADAR (TUR) won the 76kg gold in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

76kg: Yasemin ADAR (UWW) vs Yelena MAKOYED (USA)

Another clash on the cards in Iowa may see world champion Adar face Makoyed. Since becoming Turkiye's first-ever female Olympic medalist in wrestling in Tokyo, Adar won her second world title in Belgrade. As the leader of the All-World team in Iowa, Adar will look to use her experience to guide the team. On the mat, she will likely face Makoyed who showed stunning form in 2022. At the Matteo Pellicone, she won the gold after wins over established stars in Martina KUENZ (AUT), Epp MAE (EST), Francy RAEDELT (GER) and former U23 world champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the final. She won another Ranking Series gold in Tunisia by beating Dymond GUILFORD (USA). In the semifinal, she pinned world silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY).

Adar and Makoyed will be a thrilling clash with both expected to leave everything on the mat. Given the quality of the teams, it may come to this bout for a place in the final of the World Cup, adding value to an already important bout.

#WrestleAthens

Uzbekistan closer to Women's Wrestling history at U17 Worlds

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 30) --  Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) is on the verge of creating history for Uzbekistan in Athens.

Wrestling at the World U17 Championships on Wednesday, Rakhimjonova became the first wrestler from Uzbekistan to reach the final of U17 Worlds.

 On Thursday, she will try to become the first wrestler to win a gold medal at any World Championships for Uzbekistan in Women's Wrestling.

She reached the 65kg final after beating European silver medalist Feenja HERMANN (GER), 6-1. In her earlier bouts, she had defeated Zuzanna HORBIK (POL), 6-4, and Alexandra MOISEI (MDA), 12-1.

Standing between her and the historic gold medal is Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND), who was one of India's four finalists on Wednesday.

Vishnoi, who outscored her opponents 41-0 in four bouts, defeated European U17 champion Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW), 7-0, in the semifinal. After a slow start, Vishnoi got two takedowns in the second period, adding to her two stepouts and one passivity point in the match.

Former world U17 champion KAJAL (IND) will get a chance to avenge her loss from Asian Championships after she reached the final against Asian champion Wenjin QIU (CHN) at 73kg.

Qiu had humbled Kajal 10-0 in the final of the Asian U17 Championships a month ago in Vietnam. But if Kajal is in the form she showed on Wednesday, her chances to avenge that loss are high.

She defeated Pan-Am champion Ella Jo POALILLO (USA), 11-0, giving no chance to Poalillo. Kajal hit a couple of double-leg as counters to take down Poalillo.

Qiu pinned Deborah GARCIA (MEX) in the other semifinal when the Mexican tried to outside trip her. Qiu stood her ground and slammed Garcia before securing the fall.

Another Asian U17 Championships final will be replayed on Thursday, at 57kg, as champion MONI (IND) and silver medalist Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) won their respective semifinals and book their spots in the gold-medal bout.

Usmanov used a four-pointer against Sayuki TANADA (JPN) and secured the fall in two minutes and 36 seconds. With the loss of Tanada, Japan was left with only one finalist on Wednesday when five weight classes were in action.

Moni, like she had done all day, kept her defense and scored takedown whenever she could find an opening. After a passivity point, Moni scored three takedown to beat Alina BAROEVA (UWW), 7-0, in the semifinal.

At 43kg, RACHNA (IND) and Xin HUANG (CHN) made it to the final after contrasting wins. Rachna defended her 1-1 criteria lead over Madison HEALEY (USA) to win and make the final, Huang put on a takedown masterclass to beat European champion Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW) 8-0.

Turner closer to second world title

She is already a world U17 champion but there has been no lack of motivation for Morgan TURNER (USA) as she chases another at U17 level.

Morgan spent only two minutes and 24 seconds on the mat to win her three bouts on Wednesday and reach the final at 49kg in Athens.

A gold medalist from 2023 and bronze medalist from 2024, Morgan will face Yu KATAOKA (JPN) for the gold on Thursday. Like in typical Japanese style, Kataoka used five different takedowns to win 10-0 in her semifinal against Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW).

Morgan used a cradle to secure a fall over Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW), a returning bronze medalist and European champion.

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: RACHANA (IND) vs. Xin HUANG (CHN)

SF 1: RACHANA (IND) df. Madison HEALEY (USA), 1-1
SF 2: Xin HUANG (CHN) df. Raniia RAKHMANOV (UWW), 8-0

49kg
GOLD: Morgan TURNER (USA) vs. Yu KATAOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Anhelina BURKINA (UWW), via fall (8-0)
SF 2: Yu KATAOKA (JPN) df. Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW), 10-0

57kg
GOLD: Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) vs. MONI (IND)

SF 1: Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) df. Sayuki TANADA (JPN), via fall (5-0)
SF 2: MONI (IND) df. Alina BAROEVA (UWW), 7-0

65kg
GOLD: Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) vs. Ashvini VISHNOI (IND)

SF 1: Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) df. Feenja HERMANN (GER), 6-1 
SF 2: Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) df. Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW), 7-0

73kg
GOLD: KAJAL (IND) vs. Wenjin QIU (CHN)

SF 1: KAJAL (IND) df. Ella Jo POALILLO (USA), 11-0 
SF 2: Wenjin QIU (CHN) df. Deborah GARCIA (MEX), via fall