rankings

China Dominates Women's Wrestling Rankings with 6 Ranked No.1

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (March 8) -- China dominates the 2018 Ranking Series in women's wrestling with six wrestlers ranked No.1. 

China's top-ranked wrestlers include Chun LEI (50kg), Xingru PEI (57kg), Ningning RONG (59kg), Feng ZHOU (68kg), Yue HAN (72kg) and Qian ZHOU (76kg).

Other No.1-ranked wrestlers: Yongmi PAK (PRK) at 53kg, Saki IGARASHI (JPN) at 55kg, Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) at 62kg and Petra OLLI (FIN) at 65kg.

Olli claimed a gold medal at the Klippan Lady Open in February.  

Winners of the Ranking Series events each received 8 points, plus an additional point for ever entry in their bracket. Placement points (plus number entries) were also awarded to the rest of the top five finishers: runner-up (6), bronze (4) and fifth place (2).

Points will be automatically uploaded on the UWW homepage following the conclusion of all Ranking Series events, continental and world championships.

In case of a points tie between two or more athletes, the following will determine the highest ranked individual:

-              Highest number of participation in the ranking events*
-              Highest number of Gold Medals in the ranking events*
-              Highest number of Silver Medals in the ranking events*
-              Highest number of Bronze Medals in the ranking events*
-              The most classification points in the ranking events*
-              The most match won by superiority in the ranking events*
-              The most technical points scored in the ranking events*

* Continental Championship and UWW Select Ranking Events of the concerned year.

Should top seeded athletes not participate in the Senior World Championships or Olympic Games the same criteria will be applied to determine which athletes move into the seeding for the event.

50kg 
1. Chun LEI (CHN) // 24 Points
2. Vinesh VINESH (IND) // 22 Points
3. Yui SUSAKI (JPN) // 21 Points
4. Yuki IRIE (JPN) // 20 Points
5. Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) // 20 Points

53kg
1. Yongmi PAK (PRK) // 22 Points
2. Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) // 20 Points
3. Nanami IRIE (JPN) // 19 Points
4. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) // 18 Points
5. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) // 18 Points

55kg
1. Saki IGARASHI (JPN) // 21 Points
2. Hyemin OH (KOR) // 19 Points
3. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) // 17 Points
4. Lannuan LUO (CHN) // 17 Points
5. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) // 16 Points

57kg
1. Xingru PEI (CHN) // 22 Points
2. Sara NATAMI (JPN) // 20 Points
3. Sae NANJO (JPN) // 19 Points
4. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) // 18 Points
5. Yeseul KIM (KOR) // 18 Points

59kg
1. Ningning RONG (CHN) // 22 Points
2. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) // 20 Points
3. Bisola MAKANJUOLA (NGR) // 18 Points
4. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) // 18 Points
5. Sangeeta SANGEETA (IND) // 18 Points

62kg
1. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) // 22 Points
2. Xiaojuan LUO (CHN) // 20 Points
3. Yurika ITO (JPN) // 18 Points
4. Sakshi MALIK (IND) // 18 Points
5. Kayla colleen kiyoko MIRACLE (USA) // 17 Points

65kg
1. Petra maarit OLLI (FIN) // 18 Points
2. Kaur NAVJOT (IND) // 18 Points
3. Hannah Amuchechi RUEBEN (NGR) // 17 Points
4. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) // 16 Points
5. Miyu IMAI (JPN) // 16 Points

68kg
1. Feng ZHOU (CHN) // 21 Points
2. Danielle suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) // 20 Points
3. Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) // 19 Points
4. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) // 18 Points
5. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) // 18 Points

72kg
1. Yue HAN (CHN) // 18 Points
2. Anna jenny eva maria FRANSSON (SWE) // 16 Points
3. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) // 16 Points
4. Winnie GOFIT (NGR) // 15 Points
5. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS) // 14 Points

76kg
1. Qian ZHOU (CHN) // 21 Points
2. Adeline maria GRAY (USA) // 20 Points
3. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) // 19 Points
4. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) // 18 Points
5. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) // 17 Points
 

#WrestleZagreb

Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 14) -- For five minutes and 50 seconds in both the 74kg semifinals, there was little indication that the results will change. But 10 seconds were enough for Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) to change the outcome.

Valiev was down 4-2 against Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) but managed to elevate the latter's leg from an attack before tripping him on the edge for a two-point takedown, taking a 4-4 criteria lead with three seconds remaining.

Sidakov tried a desperate attack but gave up another takedown even in that short time as Valiev reached his first-ever World Championships final on debut in Zagreb, Croatia.

Takahashi was down 4-1 against Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but the Japanese scored a takedown and turned Salkazanov through a gut-wrench to lead 5-4. He still had 6 seconds to defend and he managed to do it with ease. Slovakia challenged for fleeing from Takahashi but that was lost which added an additional point to make it 6-4.

Valiev and Takahashi, both with clutch wins, will now clash in the 74kg final for the world title on Monday.

Three other weight classes were also in action on Sunday and the United States was the only country to put two wrestlers in the finals -- Levi HAINES (USA) at 79kg and Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg.

Haines, who stunned world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, scored a controlled 4-1 victory over Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) in the semifinals. Olonbayar got the first point via passivity of Haines but the U.S. wrestler scored a counter exposure for two points and take a 2-1 lead.

He scored a ankle pick for another two-point takedown and defended his 4-1 lead for the win and reach the final, a surprise in a tough 79kg bracket.

On Monday, he will try to stop Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) from becoming Greece's first-ever wrestling world champion in history. The European champion from Greece showed some of the most high-paced wrestling in the semifinal against world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) to win 8-3.

Nokhodi, was often stood squared-up, had no answered to Kougioumtsidis' constant attacks as the Greece wrestlers led 6-3 at the break. He scored a single-leg takedown in the second period and won 8-3.

Hidlay, who has switched levels in his career this year, reached the final at 92kg after destroying world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4, in the semifinals.

Nurmagomedov was in the match when the score was 5-4 with 2:23 left but Hidlay switch gears since, scoring a go-behind, a feet-to-back four-pointer and a takedown to finish with a technical superiority win.

He will face Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Gadzhimagomedov managed to hold off Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) for an 11-6. Firouzpour, who had multiple age-group world titles, kept shooting for Gadzhimagomedov's legs but the UWW wrestler kept countering those attack with lift exposures.

Gadzhimagomedov then sealed the win with stepout, handing him a 9-6 lead and a takedown finishing the match 11-6.

Harutyunyan pinned after Lee heroics

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) undoubtedly had the most impressive win of the morning session when he defeated Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) 14-3 in the quarterfinals.

The win put Harutyunyan as the favorite to advance to the final at 57kg. However, Asian champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) had different ideas. He hit a lateral drop on Harutyunyan in the semifinals and secured a fall to enter the final. Han is the first Freestyle wrestler from the DPR Korea to enter the final in 11 years.

Han will now try to become a world champion when he takes on Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in the 57kg final after the Kyrgyz wrestler took it to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), winning 8-0.

Abdullaev seemed to have burnt out from the earlier matches and had little fight left in him as Almaz Uulu scored points at his will in the semifinals including four stepouts.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) vs. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SF 2: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Levi HAINES (USA)

SF 1: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SF 2: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4
SF 2:  Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 9-6