TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 20) - Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), the three-time age level world champion cruised to the 72kg junior world semifinals for the second time in her career. This is Larroque's second time competing in the Junior World Championships. Her first trip was back in 2016 when she brought home the gold medal.

Larroque wrestled Karuna KARUNA (IND) in the opening round and finished the match early, outscoring the Indian wrestler 10-0 in the opening period. The French superstar dominated Kamila KULWICKA (POL), 10-0, making tonight’s semifinals where she’ll meet Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR).

This semifinals matchup is a rematch of the 2018 U23 European championship gold-medal bout. A match that Larroque used three stepouts and a passivity point to win, 4-0. 

Umi IMAI (JPN) finishes a leg-lace in her quarterfinals matchup against Russia. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Meanwhile, Japan and Russia each inserted four wrestlers into tonight’s semifinals. More importantly, they’ll meet each other in two of those semifinal bouts. 

At 53kg, 2018 junior Asian champion Umi IMAI (JPN) will wrestle Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), and 2016 cadet world champion Atena KODAMA (JPN) will take on 2018 junior European bronze medalist Daria BOBRULKO (RUS) for a spot in the 62kg finals. 

The semifinals will begin at 17:15 and will be followed by the women's wrestling finals which begin at 18:00. 

SEMIFINALS 

53kg 
Umi IMAI (JPN) vs. Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) 
Alisha Sue HOWK (USA) vs. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

57kg
Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) vs. Mansi MANSI (IND) 
Qi ZHANG (CHN) vs. Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)

62kg
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) vs. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) 
Atena KODAMA (JPN) vs. Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)

65kg
Asli DEMIR (TUR) vs. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) 
Miyu IMAI (JPN) vs. Veranika EISMANT (BLR)

72kg
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Fanwen SHEN (CHN) 
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) vs. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)