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

 

#development

Legendary Coach Trujillo Arrives in Kyrgyzstan to Hone Greco Talent

By United World Wrestling Press

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 24) -- Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ (CUB), the recipient of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award, is on a mission to change the Greco-Roman landscape. 

After spending two months in China, Trujillo is in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to help the country's U23 national team as it prepares for the U23 Asian Championships next month in Vietnam.

Trujillo was welcomed in Bishkek on Thursday and he visited the national academy and from Monday he will join the national camp to guide the team for the tournament.

Raul TRUJILLORaul TRUJILLO, left, in Bishkek.

Last year, Trujillo signed a development contract to work with UWW with a focus on youth development, coach education, and high-performance training systems.

Trujillo has been a long time coach and lifelong mentor of Mijain LOPEZ, guiding him through the most dominant stretch of his historic career.

Kyrgyzstan recently hosted the Asian Championships in Bishkek and had a successful campaign in Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling. The country finished second in team standing in Greco, fourth in Women's Wrestling and fifth in Freestyle.