CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (July 8) – World bronze medalists Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) and Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) took over the top spots at their weight categories after winning gold and bronze medals, respectively, at the inaugural European Games in Baku.

Lazinskaya edged world champion Yulia TKACH (UKR) in the gold medal final at 63kg to earn the top ranking at middleweight, while Yusein received some help after taking a bronze medal at 60kg to vault from eighth to the top of this non-Olympic weight category.

Yusein defeated world silver medalist Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) early but lost 4-4 on criteria to eventual Games winner Marianna SASTIN (HUN), who is bidding for a berth on the Hungarian team for Rio 2016 and is ranked No.3 at 58kg.

The two-time world silver medalist from Bulgaria also benefited from a pair of forfeit losses at 63kg by Petra OLLI (FIN) as the formerly top-ranked wrestler at 60kg tries to rehabilitate an injured knee.

Meanwhile, defending European champion Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS) managed to hold onto her No.1 ranking at 69kg despite an 11-9 loss to Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) in the Baku semifinals.

Vorobieva rebounded for a bronze medal, while Kratysh was forced to settle for her third straight silver medal in Europe after a 7-3 loss to 2013 world champion Alina STADNIK-MAKHINYA (UKR).

Japan’s four world champions remain in control of the four lightest weight categories, while Adeline GRAY (USA) sits atop 75kg and appears primed for the upcoming Pan American Games in Canada. 

At the lightest two weight categories, second-ranked Maria STADNYK (AZE) and Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) won gold medals in Baku with Mattsson taking a break from 53kg to grab the gold medal at 55kg.
Meanwhile, at 58kg, with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Risako KAWAI (JPN) holding the top two positions, third-ranked Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) got caught for a fall in the Baku semifinals and had to settle for a bronze medal as Sastin and rival Emese BARKA (HUN) moved to No.3 and No.4, respectively. 

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most recent or most notable result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings.

48kg – Maria STADNYK (AZE) racked up a fall and three technical falls on her way to the European Games gold medal to strengthen her position at No.2

Former junior star Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) defeated Valentine ISLAMOVA (RUS) on criteria in the Games’ semifinals to join the rankings at No.12 after taking the silver medal.
 
1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – European Games No.1 (2)
3. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (3)
4. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) – World Cup No.2 (5)
5. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Euro Games No.3 (6)
6. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) – Euro Games No.3 (4)
7. Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) – European U23s No.1 (7)
8. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) – Dan Kolov No.1 (8)
9. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) – Pan America No.1 (9)
10. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – German GP No.1 (10)
11. Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (11)
12. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) – Euro Games No.2 (not ranked)
13. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (12)
14. KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) – Asia No.3 (13)
15. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (15)
16. Alina VUC (ROU) – Euro U23s No.2 (15)
17. Natalya PULKOVSKA (UKR) – Dan Kolov No. 2 (16)
18. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) – Euro U23s No.3 (17)
19. Yuki IRIE (JPN) – Asia No.1 (18)
20. Rebecca MUAMBO (CMR) – Africa No.1 (20)

53kg – Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE), off to a slow start in 2015, took advantage of the decision by Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) to wrestle up a weight and claimed her first international title in over two years. Dorogan joins the rankings at No.9.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – Euro Games No.1@55 (2)
3. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Asia No.1 (3)
4. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Euro Games No.3 (6)
5. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – Klippan Open No.1 (5)
6. Olga KHOROSHAVSTEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (5)
7. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (8)
8. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Euro Games No.2@55 (14)
9. Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE) – Euro Games No.1 (nr)
10. PAK, Yong-Mi (PRK) – Asia No.2 (11)
11. Sayury CANON (COL) – Pan America No.1 (12)
12. Nina HEMMER (GER) – German GP No.2 (nr)
13. Roksana ZASINA (POL) – Euro Games No.2 (nr)
14. SUMIYA Erdennechimeg (MGL) – World Cup No.3 (7)
15. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) – Euro U23s No.1 (9)
16. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (10)
17. Mercedes DENES (HUN) – German GP No.3 (17)
18. Isabelle SAMBOU (SEN) – Dan Kolov No.2 (18)
19. Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) – Olympia No.1 (15)
20. Nanami IRIE (JPN) – Asia No.3 (16)

55kg – Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) fell to Mattsson in the semifinals but came back with a technical fall over junior world runner-up Tatyana KIT (UKR) in the bronze medal final. Sinishin, formerly a two-time European champ for Ukraine, takes over No.3 in the rankings.

Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) took the other bronze medal with an 8-8 criteria win over Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), winner of the Yarygin and German Grand Prix events, to climb to No.5.

1. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – World Cup No.1 (2)
3. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Euro Games No.3 (13@60)
4. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) – Euro U23s No.1 (5)
5. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – Euro Games No.3 (8)
6. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – German GP No.1 (3)
7. Karima SANCHEZ RAMIS (ESP) – German GP No.2 (4)
8. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (6)
9. DONG Jiahui (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (7)
10. Tatyana KIT (UKR) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
11. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (10)
12. Anri KIMURA (JPN) – Asia No.1 (11)
13. HAN Kum-Ok (PRK) – Asia No.2 (12)
14. Aishan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.3 (nr)
15. Patricia LIUZZI (ITA) – Euro Jrs No.1 (nr)
16. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) – Pan American No.1 (14)
17. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Paris GP No.3 (13)
18. Larisa SKOBLYUK (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (16)
19. Bediha GUN (TUR) – Euro Games No.7 (nr)
20. Sonia BAUDIN (FRA) – Euro Jrs No.3 (nr)

58kg – Former world champion Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and bronze medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) both struck gold at the European Games to climb to No.3 and No.4 in the rankings – as their duel for the 58kg berth on the Hungarian world team intensifies.

Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) earned her second bronze medal at a senior event at the European Games and dominated the field at the European junior meet to climb to No.9.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – World Cup No.1 (2)
3. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) – Euro Games No.1@60 (8)
4. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Euro Games No.1 (7)
5. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – Euro Games No.3 (5)
6. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.1 (5)
7. Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) – Euro U23s No.1 (4)
8. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Klippan Open No.1 (6)
9. Grace BULLEN (NOR) – Euro Games No.3 (No.18)
10. Tatyana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) – Euro Games No.2 (nr)
11. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
12. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Euro U23s No.2 (9)
13. Tatyana OMELCHENKO (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (10)
14. Joice SILVA (BRA) – Pan America No.1 (12)
15. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (13)
16. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (15)
17. SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) – Russian Open No.1 (11)
18. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – Euro U23s No.3 (20)
19. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (9)
20. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) – Cerro Pelado No.2 (14)

60kg – World bronze medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) vaults from No.8 to the top of the rankings despite finishing with “only” a bronze medal in Baku.

Yusein was helped with the move of 2013 world champ Marianna SASTIN (HUN) to 58kg and a knee injury to former No.1 Petra OLLI (FIN), who was saddled with a pair of forfeit losses at 63kg.

1. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Euro Games No.3 (8)
2. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Euro Games No.2 (9)
3. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – World No.1 (3)
4. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Euro U23s No.1 (1)
5. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – World Cup No.1 (4)
6. Nataya GOLTS (RUS) – Russian Open No.1 (2)
7. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Klippan No.2 (6)
8. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – German GP No.3 (7)
9. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – World No.2 (5)
10. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (10)
11. Kanako MURATA (JPN) – Asia No.2 (11)
12. Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (12)
13. Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) – Euro U23s No.3 (17)
14. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
15. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – German GP No.2 (15)
16. Jennifer PAGE (USA) – Pan America No.1 (16)
17. Veronika IVANOVA (BLR) – Euro Games No.3 (nr)
18. Giedre BLEKAITYTE (LTU) – German GP No.3 (19)
19. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Euro U23s No.3 (18)
20. Rim AYARI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (20)

63kg – World bronze medalist Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) emerged from a second period scramble with a four-point lead and held on for a 5-4 upset win over world champion Yulia TKACH (UKR) in the gold medal final of the European Games.

1. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – Euro Games No.1 (9)
2. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – World No.1 (1)
3. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Euro Games No.3 (3)
4. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Euro U23s No.1 (4)
5. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (2)
6. Jackeline RENTARIA CASTILLO (COL) – Medved Prizes No.1 (5)
7. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) – Asia No.1 (6)
8. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – German GP No.2 (7)
9. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.2 (8)
10. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – German GP No.1 (10)
11. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (12)
12. Andrea SIMON (ROU) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
13. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (15)
14. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (11)
15. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – World Cup No.2 (14)
16. Dalma CANEVA (ITA) – Dan Kolov No.3 (13)
17. Braxton STONE (CAN) – Canada Cup No.1 (nr)
18. Breanne GRAHAM (CAN) – Pan America No.2 (16)
19. Erin CLODGO (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (17)
20. Nadine WEINAUGE (GER) – German GP No.3 (20)

69kg – Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) defeated defending continental champ and top-ranked Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS), 11-9, in the semifinals of the European Games, but had to settle for the silver medal for a third straight year with a 7-3 loss to Alina STADNIK-MAKHINYA (UKR) in the final. 

2013 world champ Stadnik-Makhinya climbs to No.2 in the rankings, while Kratysh, lacing up the shoes for her first international meet of 2015, breaks into the rankings at No.9.

1. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – German GP No.1 (1)
2. Alina STADNIK-MAKHINYA (UKR) – Euro Games No.1 (5)
3. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – Dan Kolov No.5 (6)
4. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (4)
5. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) – Medved Prizes No.3 (2)
6. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (3)
7. Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG) – Klippan Open No.2 (8)
8. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – German GP No.2 (10)
9. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) – Euro Games No.2 (nr)
10. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (7)
11. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – World No.2 (9)
12. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.3 (11)
13. Fanny GRADIN (SWE) – Euro U23s No.1 (nr)
14. Leah CALLAHAN FERGUSON (CAN) – Canada Cup No.1 (16)
15. Anna SCHELL (GER) – German GP No.3 (17)
16. Yudaris RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (18)
17. Maria VRYONI (GRE) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
18. Nadeshda MUSHKA (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.2 (15)
19. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (19)
20. Enass MOUSTAFA (EGY) – Africa No.1 (20)

75kg – Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), winner of bronze and silver medals the previous two years, won her first continental crown at the European Games with a 5-4 win over 2014 bronze medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS). The win lifted Marzaliuk from 11th to No.5 in the rankings.

1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Asia Games No.1 (2)
3. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – German GP No.1 (3)
4. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Euro Games No.2 (5)
5. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Euro Games No.1 (11)
6. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. ZHOU Qian (CHN) – Asia No.3 (7)
8. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – Pan America No.3 (8)
9. Epp MAE (EST) – German GP No.2 (4)
10. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Klippan Open No.2 (9)
11. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – Pan America No.1 (10)
12. Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) – Pan America No.2 (12)
13. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) – Euro Games No.3 (19)
14. Maider UNDA (ESP) – Euro Games No.3 (nr)
15. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) – Euro Games No.5 (nr)
16. Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (13)
17. Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (14)
18. Andrea OLAYA GUTEIERREZ (COL) – Pan America No.3 (16)
19. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Asia No.2 (17)
20. Sabira ALIEVA (AZE) – Euro Jrs No.1 (nr)