#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Young Indian team hauls four WW golds at Ulaanbaatar Open

Friday, May 30, 2025 - 17:56 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 30) -- A young Indian team captured four out of five gold medals on offer in Women's Wrestling at the Ulaanbaatar Open on Friday.

Three teenagers -- NEHA (IND), MUSKAN (IND) and HARSHITA (IND) -- defeated opponents much experienced than them to win gold at 57kg, 59kg and 72kg.

Paris Olympian and Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) captured the gold medal at 53kg after beating Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 10-0, in the final. 

The fifth Indian in action on Friday, NEELAM (IND), won bronze medal at 50kg after she lost her semifinal but returned to beat Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) in the bronze-medal bout.

Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) defeated Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 7-6, in a thrilling 50kg final to clinch gold medal.

Neha, a former world U17 champion and world U20 bronze medalist, was the most impressive wrestler of the lot, winning gold in her debut senior international tournament.

In a Nelson bracket format, Neha got European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) in the first bout and showed nerves, taking a 7-0 lead. Kamaloglu hit a four-pointer in the second period but Neha managed to keep herself calm and clinched the victory. She pinned Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL) in her next bout before beating Ana PEREIRA (BRA), 11-0, in the semifinal. In the final, Neha wrestled Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) and kept it simple with a 4-0 victory.

"I was little hesitant because this is my first-ever senior tournament," Neha said. "But the competition was very similar to a U20 level competition."

Neha has lost only to Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) in her international career, once at World U17 Championships and then at the World U20 Championships. However, this year she wants to win the champion belt at the World U20 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"I want beat her and win the belt," she said.

MUSKAN (IND)MUSKAN (IND), blue, won gold medal at 59kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Muskan, 17, won bronze medal at the Asian Championships this year in Amman and has now added gold medal at the Ranking Series in the 59kg weight class, winning four bouts.

The weight had five wrestlers which meant all wrestlers had to wrestle each other. Muskan began with a fall over Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL) before a tough 5-4 win over European silver medalist Bediha GUN (TUR) in Round 2.

Both wrestler were put on activity clocks and both failed to score. Gun led 1-1 on criteria in the second period when Muskan tried a takedown but Gun used the momentum and threw Muskan on her back for two points. Muskan recovered and got two points of her won to lead 3-3 on criteria.

Soon after, Muskan scored a takedown to make it 5-3 with a minute left in match. In the final second, Gun got a step out but Muskan hung on for the win.

In her next two bouts, Muskan posted controlled wins over Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL), 8-2, and Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), 9-0, to win the gold medal.

HARSHITA (IND)HARSHITA (IND) posted four wins to capture gold medal at 72kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another former world U17 champion and Asian silver medalist, HARSHITA (IND), won gold medal at 72kg after winning four one-sided bouts.

After receiving a walkover in her first bout, Harshita blanked Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) 11-0 in the second bout and pinned Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) in the next one after building a 13-0 lead.

In the evening session, Harshita got taken down and turned by Tsogzolmaa DORJSUREN (MGL) but she was already leading 6-0 by then. Ultimately, she defeated Dorjsuren 14-4 to win the gold medal.

ANTIM (IND)ANTIM (IND) outscored her opponents 37-0 in four bouts to win gold at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Antim, world and Asian bronze medalist, was at her best on Friday, winning four bouts without giving up a point. She pinned Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) in the first bout before leg-lacing Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) for an 11-0 win.

In the semifinal, she managed a 10-0 win over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) before she got Malysheva in the final again as the weight class had only seven wrestlers divided in two group. Top two wrestlers from each group enter the semifinal where they clash in cross, making it possible for wrestlers from same group to reach the final.

The final against Malysheva was no different than the group stage bout as Antim used the leg-lace again and won the gold medal after another 10-0 win.

Natalia PUDOVA (UWW)Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) defeated Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) to win gold medal at 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 50kg, Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) held on for a 7-6 victory over Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) to claim the gold medal.

Pudova got on board first in the final after Demirhan was called for passivity. Demirhan took the lead in the second period by tripping Pudova with a knee-pinch for four points.

As Pudova tried to pressure for an attack, Demirhan was docked a caution point for singlet-grabbing, making the score 4-2. The Turkish wrestler tried an arm throw but was blocked by Pudova who managed to get a takedown to make it 4-4. A reversal for Demirhan kept the lead for her 5-4.

The next attempt for a headlock throw from Demirhan was awarded two points for Pudova which the Türkiye corner challenged but on review, it was seen that Pudova was attacking and Demirhan made only a defense attempt to throw which was not awarded a slip throw.

Pudova now led 7-5 and was given the par terre advantage but she failed to score any points from that position. A stepout got Demirhan closer but she still dropped the bout 7-6.

Photo

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 7-6

BRONZE: NEELAM (IND) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), 9-1

53kg
GOLD: ANTIM (IND) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) df. Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL), 5-2

57kg
GOLD: NEHA (IND) df. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), 4-0

BRONZE: Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA), via fall

59kg
GOLD: MUSKAN (IND)
SILVER: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL)
BRONZE: Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)

72kg
GOLD: HARSHITA (IND)
SILVER: Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
BRONZE: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)

#WrestleCasablanca

Nigeria perfect in Women's Wrestling; Egypt wins Freestyle title

Monday, May 5, 2025 - 09:08 By Vinay Siwach

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (May 4) -- Nigeria entered nine wrestlers in Women's Wrestling at the 2025 African Championships and all nine are going back home with gold medals.

The country emerged as the top nation in Women's Wrestling and by some distance. It had had 225 points, 109 points more than second-placed Algeria which won one gold -- at 57kg, a weight class that did not feature a Nigerian wrestler. Egypt finished third with 115 points. Hosts Morocco finished a close fourth with 113 points.

After Nigeria won four gold medals on Saturday through Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) at 53kg, Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg, Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) at 68kg and Damola OJO (NGR) at 76kg, it added five more on Sunday.

Mercy GENESIS (NGR) defended her 50kg gold medal with a clean 11-0 win over Cheima CHEBILA (ALG) in the final. That was her fourth victory via technical superiority.

Soon after, defending champion Adijat IDRIS (NGR) dominated Achouak TEKOUK (ALG) in the 55kg final, winning the gold 11-1, her fifth technical superiority win similar to Genesis.

Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR), who won gold medal at 55kg in 2022 and 2023, returned after two years and showed no signs of rust due to the break. She also won five bouts, three via fall and two via superiority. In the final, she defeated Rahma BEDIWY (EGY) via fall after building a 10-0 win.

Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR) too defended her 65kg gold medal but needed some effort as Cara DU PLESSIS (RSA) posed a threat in the final. But Mughenbofa secured a fall over Du Plessis, denying the South African a historic gold.

South Africa was searching for its first Women's Wrestling gold at the African Championships since 2000 and Du Plessis fell short. However, she became the first South African wrestler to reach the final since 2015.

In a round-robin bracket, Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) clinched the 72kg gold medal to maintain a perfect record for Nigeria which had nine wrestlers participating in the tournament and all nine won gold medals.

Omar MOURAD (EGY)Omar MOURAD (EGY) won the 74kg gold medal at the African Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Egypt maintain Freestyle dominance

After clinching the Greco-Roman team title, Egypt won the Freestyle team title as well. It scored 182 points to finish at the top followed by Morocco with 110 points and Algeria was third with 105 points.

Egypt won four gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes. Two wrestlers did not win any medals but added 12 points to the total to help the country to the title.

The young pair of Omar MOURAD (EGY) and Aabdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY) won gold medals at 74kg and 97kg respectively. Hassan ELSAYED (EGY) upgraded his bronze to gold at 61kg while Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) returned to the African Championships after two years to win the 86kg gold medal.

Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) celebrates after winning the 92kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

But the story of the tournament was Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR), who won the 92kg gold medal after a stunning performance with four wins, all without giving up a point. The gold medal was Cameroon's first in Freestyle at the African Championships since 1998.

Abossolo, who had not won a medal at the African Championships in his past three attempts, defeated Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR) via fall in the final after building a 9-0 lead.

The 25-year-old Abossolo scored  takedown and turn while Newlife was on activity clock to lead 5-0. He hit an arm throw for four points and then held Newlife on the mat for a fall with 2 minutes remaining on the clock.

In other weight classes, Oussama ASSAD (MAR) gave hosts Morocco the lone gold medal in Freestyle at 125kg. His win ended Egypt's 11-year golden streak at the African Championships as the last time a non-Egyptian wrestler won gold at 125kg was in 2014 when Slim TRABELSI (TUN) won gold.

Paris Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) completed a hat-trick of gold medals at 57kg after he sneaked through a thrilling 10-8 win over Salah KATEB (ALG) in the final. 

Kateb opened the scoring with a arm-throw for four points but Iuna Fafe recovered to block Kateb for a pin which he survived and scored a reversal for a 5-2 lead. A point was awarded to Kateb as Iuna Fafe headbutted, a reaction to open hand hitting from Kateb. A second into the restart, Kateb was docked a point for open hands.

Iuna Fafe got going soon after and scored two step outs to reduce Kateb's lead to 6-5 with 1:25 remaining on the clock. But Kateb made it 10-5 as he countered a forward pressure from Iuna Fafe with a underhook sidethrow for four points.

Iuna Fafe challenged the four-point call and on review it was scored only two points as his knees were still on the mat when he got thrown. He had 31 seconds to recover from 8-5 to win the final.

A moment of brilliance from Iuna Fafe with 20 seconds on the clock saw him score a takedown and then a turn using figure 4 to win 10-8. He broke out into a dance celebration making his hands as tiger claws, symbolizing a hunt on the mat.

Algeria did win a gold medal through Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG) who blanked Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR), 10-0, in the 79kg final.

At 65kg, Stephen IZOLO (NGR) defeated Farouk JELASSI (TUN), 5-1, to give Nigeria a gold medal, the country's first in Freestyle at African Championships in five years.

The 70kg gold medal went to Tunisia after Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN) defeated Mohamed AHMED (EGY), 10-0, in the final, his third technical superiority win in three bouts.

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Mercy GENESIS (NGR) df. Cheima CHEBILA (ALG), 11-0

BRONZE: Malak AHMED (EGY) df. Chloe BREWIS (RSA), via inj. def.

55kg
GOLD: Adijat IDRIS (NGR) df. Achouak TEKOUK (ALG), 11-1

BRONZE: Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN) df. Sara ETTAKI (MAR), 3-1

59kg
GOLD: Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) df. Rahma BEDIWY (EGY), via fall (10-0)

BRONZE: Chahd JELJELI (TUN) df. Rayane HOUFAF (ALG), via fall (10-0)

65kg
GOLD: Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR) df. Cara DU PLESSIS (RSA), via fall (8-2)

BRONZE: Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY) df. Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN), 12-2
BRONZE: Lec ANDE (CAF) df. Vihanshy KANAPETRADU (MRI), 8-2

72kg
GOLD: Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
SILVER: Yasmine BOUREGBA (ALG)
BRONZE: Rosie TABORA (COD)

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Salah KATEB (ALG), 10-8

BRONZE: Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR) df. Lenerd VAN SCHALKWYK (RSA), 7-2
BRONZE: Omar FAYE (SEN) df. Ben TARIK (MAR), 10-7

61kg
GOLD: Hassan ELSAYED (EGY) df. Didier DIATTA (SEN), 8-6

BRONZE: Radouane SISSAOUI (ALG) df. Rabby KILANDI (COD), 9-8
BRONZE: Khalil BARKOUTI (TUN) df. Ndjidda BOUBA (CMR), via fall (10-0)

65kg
GOLD: Stephen IZOLO (NGR) df. Farouk JELASSI (TUN), 5-1

BRONZE: Wotna NDOC (GBS) df. Godefroid KALUBI (COD), 13-1
BRONZE: Said ELGAHSH (EGY) df. Rida DJEFFAL (ALG), 15-4

70kg
GOLD: Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN) df. Mohamed AHMED (EGY), 10-0

BRONZE: Gabriel MUANDA (COD) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), via fall (13-4)
BRONZE: Tope ADEBAYO (NGR) df. Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR), 6-1

74kg
GOLD: Omar MOURAD (EGY) df. Saad BOUGUERRA (ALG), 10-0

BRONZE: Ebierelayefa ANDREW (NGR) df. Jesse VAN BAALEN (RSA), 11-0
BRONZE: Caetano ANTONIO SA (GBS) df. Joao BARBOSA (CPV), 10-4

79kg
GOLD: Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG) df. Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR), 10-0

BRONZE: Mbaye DIOP (SEN) df. Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN), 5-2
BRONZE: Andy MUKENDI (COD) df. Alfred DANIEL (SLE), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Siny SEMBENE (SEN), via fall (2-1)

BRONZE: Matteo MONTEIRO (CPV) df. Iliassou BONI (BEN), 12-1
BRONZE: Houssem OUCIF (ALG) df. Walid CHEIKH LAHLOU (MAR), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) df. Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Mohamed AHMED (EGY) df. Mamadou DIOUF (SEN), 8-4

97kg
GOLD: Aabdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY) df. Gino INTCHALA (GBS), 14-3

BRONZE: Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD) df. Ayoub NASSR ELLAH (MAR), 11-1

125kg
GOLD: Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
SILVER: Youssef ABOUDAWABA (EGY)
BRONZE: Issah FUSEINI (GHA)