U23 World C'ships

Demirhan Wins on Criteria, Japan Collects Six Gold Medals on the Weekend

By Taylor Miller

BYDOGSZCZ, Poland – The women’s freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships wrapped up today with three different nations winning gold medals on Friday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) trailed at the break, 2-0, in the 48 kg finals against Senior Asian Championships gold medalist Ritu RITU (IND).

Senior World bronze medalist Demirhan took over the lead, 4-2, on a takedown and caution and two. Ritu scored a takedown in the final five seconds, but it was not enough as she lost on criteria, due to the caution, 4-4.

It was Demirhan’s fifth World medal and first gold.

At 69 kg, fellow 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won her third World gold at three different age-group levels, defeating Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2016 Cadet Asian champion, with a 4-0 shutout.

Japan picked up their fifth and sixth gold medals of the women’s tournament with Miho IGARASHI (JPN) winning at 53 kg and Yui SAKANO (JPN) claiming victory at 60 kg.

Igarashi defeated Qi Zhang with a 12-2 technical fall en route to her fourth World gold medal, while Sakano won her second World title with a 7-3 decision over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR).

Overall, Japan took home six gold medals, one silver medal and the team title.

The last leg of the U23 World Championships, men’s freestyle, begins Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. ET).

Finals results
48 kg
Gold - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) dec. Ritu RITU (IND), 4-4
Bronze - Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) dec. Rina OKUNO (JPN), 4-4
Bronze - Jiang ZHU (CHN) tech. fall Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL), 10-0

53 kg
Gold - Miho IGARASHI (JPN) tech. fall Qi ZHANG (CHN), 12-2
Bronze - Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) dec. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR), 2-1
Bronze - Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) dec. Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA), 7-6

60 kg
Gold - Yui SAKANO (JPN) dec. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 7-3
Bronze - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) dec. Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR), 8-3
Bronze - Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) dec. Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA), 13-11

69 kg
Gold - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) dec. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 4-0
Bronze - Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) fall Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), 4:40
Bronze - Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) dec. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 4-2

 

#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling: Ukraine, U.S. best at U17 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

KATERINI, Greece (September 21) -- Ukraine and the United States emerged as the best teams at the Beach Wrestling World Championships at the U17 level in the men's and women's categories respectively.

The U17 and U20 World Championships was held in Katerini over eight weight classes in men's and women's categories. Ukraine won the men's part while the U.S. claimed the team title in women's despite not winning a gold medal in four weight classes.

Romania won two gold medals in the men's U17 with Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) beating Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0, in the 50kg final and Magor LORINCZ (ROU), who had finished ninth last year, dominated Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR) in the 80kg, winning the gold medal 5-0.

The two other gold medals were won by Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) and Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) at 60kg and 70kg respectively.

Gashymov was the gold medalist as Ukraine swept the podium, winning the silver and bronze medals as well. He defeated Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1, in the final.

Goguadze also faced compatriot Koba GOGUADZE (GEO) in the 70kg final and won the final via superiority.

Ukraine finished with 72 points to finish first with Romania second with 56 points. Georgia was third with 49 points.

The team title race was closer in women's as the U.S. finished first with 60 points with three silver medals. France, with two gold medals, managed to finish with 50 points and at the second spot. Ukraine was third with 39 points.

The 40kg weight class saw only two participants with Alexandra COVACI (ROU) beating Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1, in the final. Romania only got 25 team ranking points for the gold medal.

France won the gold medals at 60kg and 70kg. Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) defeated Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0, in the 60kg final to deny the U.S. a gold medal. A few minutes later, Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) defeated Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0, in the 70kg final to give France a second gold.

The U.S. also had a finalist at 50kg but Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) dominated the final to beat Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1, to win a gold medal for Japan as well.

RESULTS

U17 Men's BW

50kg
GOLD: Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) df. Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0

BRONZE: Stanislav DIACONU (MDA) df. Oleksandr KARA (UKR), 3-1

60kg
GOLD: Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) df. Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1

BRONZE: Stepan MINCHEV (UKR) df. Benjamin GRAHAM (USA), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) df. Koba GOGUADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Dmytro KURSENKO (UKR) df. Dmytro YEMETS (UKR), 3-2

80kg
GOLD: Magor LORINCZ (ROU) df. Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE) df. Andrii PAVLIUK (UKR), 4-2

U17 Women's BW

40kg
GOLD: Alexandra COVACI (ROU) df. Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1

50kg
GOLD: Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) df. Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Oleksandra KARBOVSKA (UKR) df. Sarina GUNN (USA), 3-0

60kg
GOLD: Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) df. Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0

BRONZE: Georgia CHASAMPALIOTI (GRE) df. Alina SVIRKO (UKR), 4-2

70kg
GOLD: Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) df. Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0

BRONZE: Sadie EVANS (USA) df. Anna NITSEVYCH (UKR), 4-0