Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 18:01 By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 23) -- Jonna MALMGREN’S (SWE) social media bio, glittering with gold medal emojis, will soon have a new addition.

A three-time European medallist [two gold and a silver], four-time U17 and U20 European medal winner, a U20 world champion and a Youth Olympics gold medallist, the Paris Olympic-bound wrestler added another title to her overflowing cabinet. The 23-year-old, on Thursday, won her second consecutive U23 European Championship gold medal here.

And she did it with minimal fuss, winning the final against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) 5-0.

Competing in the 55kg category instead of her usual 53kg, Malmgren conceded only two points in her four bouts and that too in her opening match against Tuba DEMIR (TUR). After that 10-2 win, she didn’t allow any of her opponents the slightest of chances to nick a point from her.

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) used a duck under to score two points over Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the gold medal bout, Vynnyk tried testing Malmgren’s patience by blocking her attacking channels but the Swede isn’t a one-trick wrestler, as she has shown in the past.

Malmgren’s wrestling style can outfox many. She is never steady on the mat. Her legs constantly shuffle back and forth, and she moves around in circles. Her hands are always trying to break the opponent’s defense and the prying eyes look for the tiniest of gaps that she could exploit with her breathtaking speed.

Her Ukrainian opponent learned it the hard way. If Vynnyk planned to keep the scoreline close, she succeeded to an extent. But it was always going to be tough to sustain that level of defense, especially with the risk of being penalized for passivity, which she was inside the first two minutes of the bout.

Malmgren upped the ante in the second period, using a duck under to add two points to her tally. Then, with a little more than a minute remaining, she got control of Vynnyk’s arm and neck before turning her over onto her back for two more points.

Malmgren ran to her corner to celebrate her second consecutive title, the kind of performance that will leave her in good stead in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) to win the 76kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It was a mixed day for Ukrainian wrestlers, who featured in three out of the five finals that were held on Thursday and lost two while winning one.

Minutes after Vynnyk lost to Malmgren, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) defeated Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) 9-2 in the final of the 68kg category. It was the biggest title so far of the 20-year-old former U20 European silver medallist’s career.

But Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) ensured her country didn’t end the opening day of women’s wrestling with zero gold medals.

The former U20 European Championship silver medallist won the first title of her career as she defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) 6-0 in a lopsided 76kg final.

Orlevych looked in sublime form and was in the attacking mode from the get-go. Within the first 60 seconds, the Ukrainian used a one-on-two and scored a takedown over Kuehn for two points.

Kuehn defended well for the rest of the period but mid-way through the second period, Orlevych was on the offensive again, using the arm-drag to push her opponent on the mat for a further two points. Desperate to make a comeback, a tired Kuehn went for a single-leg attack but missed and Orlevych caught her on the counter to add two more points and seal the bout.

Natallia VARAKINA (AIN), right, celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal after beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), left, in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier in the finals session, Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) won the gold medal in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) 8-8 on criteria in the 50kg final.

Varakina led 8-4 with only 10 seconds remaining but Demirhan cut the deficit to two points with a push-out and a caution to Varakina. As the clock ticked down, with just seven seconds remaining, Demirhan forced another takedown to level the scores at 8-8. However, as she tried to sneak in another point, the time was up and Varakina was declared the winner by the virtue of a higher-point hold.

Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 59kg final, a battle between two former U20 world champions, Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a close 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN). Hetmanava was leading 4-0 with 25 seconds left in the bout when Sidelnikova scored her first point using a stepout. Both got in a tangle and Sidelnikova tripped Hetmanava who fell on her back and in danger of a fall, surviving that position as the time ran out.

Sidelnikova challenged asking for four points but the judges upheld the original decision of two points and Hetmanava won the gold medal 5-3.

Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal on Friday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Ukraine puts three more in finals

Meanwhile, on Friday, Ukraine will have more chances to win a women’s wrestling gold medal at the U23 European Championships when their three more wrestlers take to the mat in the gold medal bouts on Friday.

Leading the way for them in Thursday’s early rounds and the semifinals was the U23 European Championship silver medallist and U23 Worlds bronze medal winner Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) at 53kg.

Malanchuk didn’t concede a single point en route to the final, beating Venera NAFIKOVA (AIN) 8-0 in the quarterfinals and Laura STANELYTE (LTU) 7-0 in the semis. She will face home favorite Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the final.

Joining her in the title bout will be U20 European champion and U23 Worlds silver medallist Iryna BONDAR (UKR). Bondar wasn’t tested in her early rounds but was challenged in the semifinals by Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), who tried to make a late comeback. Bondar, however, prevailed 7-4 to set up a final encounter with Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) at 62kg.

The third Ukrainian in the final will be Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) who, like her compatriot, was dominant in all her bouts. She will face Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) in the 72kg gold medal match.

Paris-bound and former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will wrestle for the 65kg after she showed the gulf in class at the age-group level. She scored a 10-0 win in the quarterfinal and then handed another Paris-bound wrestler, Nesrin BAS (TUR), a 8-2 loss. She will take on Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) for the gold medal.

Koshkina dominated her semifinal 12-2 against Ingrid SKARD (NOR) but survived a scare in the quarterfinal against Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU). Trailing 10-5, Koshkina secured a fall over Zelenykh.

The 57kg final will be a battle between Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) df. Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-8

BRONZE: Ana Maria PIRVU (ROU) df. Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK), 6-2
BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Gabija DILYTE (LTU), 5-2

55kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 8-4
BRONZE: Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (AIN) df. Aliaksandra BULAVA (AIN), 13-3

59kg
GOLD: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN), 5-3

BRONZE: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ana Maria PUIU (ROU), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Amel REBIHA (FRA) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 10-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN) df. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Luciana BEDA (MDA), 5-3

76kg
GOLD: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 6-0

BRONZE: Zsofia VIRAG (HUN) df. Nazar BATIR (TUR), 4-2
BRONZE: Olga KOZYREVA (AIN) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall (5-4)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) vs. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)

SF 1: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Laura STANELYTE (LTU), 7-0
SF 2: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Sevval CAYIR (TUR), 11-0

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Volha HARDZEI (AIN), 8-0

62kg
GOLD: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 4-4
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 7-4

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)

SF 1: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 8-2
SF 2: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) df. Ingrid SKARD (NOR), 12-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) vs. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)

SF 1: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Olesia BEZUGLOVA (AIN), via fall (7-0)
SF 2: Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 2-1

#WrestleMonterrey

Freestyle history for Argentina, Mexico at Pan-Ams

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 07:28 By Vinay Siwach

MONTERREY, Mexico (May 11) -- On a historic day in Monterrey, Argentina won its first-ever Freestyle gold medal at the Pan-American Championships while Mexico ended its drought for gold with two golds on Sunday.

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG), who was silver medalist last year and has four bronze medals, defeated Joseph MC KENNA (USA) in a thrilling final to create history for Argentina. For Mexico, Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) won the gold medal at 57kg, thus ending a 32-year wait for the top medal at Pan-Ams. A few minutes later, Austin GOMEZ (MEX) also won gold to add his name to history.

The United States, however, was the best Freestyle team of the tournament as it won the team title after adding four more golds to the three it won on Saturday. It finished at the top with 230 points, way ahead of second-placed Canada which had 144 points. Mexico was third with 139 points.

Destribats came close to the historic gold medal last year but had to pull out injured in the final and won a silver medal. The story was different this year.

After a tough 4-4 win in the semifinal, Destribats was in for a tougher challenge against McKenna in the final. But his defense in the first period saw him escape McKenna's attacks. He scored a stepout and led 1-0 at the break.

Destribats was about to be hit with an inactivity call when he headlocked McKenna and tried to pin. The pin was called but not upheld as it seemed that McKenna may have lost consciousness due to the hold. However, McKenna sprung back on his feet as soon as the whistle was blown and Destribats let go.

The fall was cancelled but Destribats now led 3-0. McKenna got on the scoreboard with a stepout to cut the lead to 3-1. Destribats, who was avoiding engagement, was hit with the passivity call and as he failed to scored McKenna got a point.

McKenna hit a leg attack and put forward pressure even as Destribats tried to avoid exposure using a chestwrap. But two points were awarded to McKenna which gave him a 4-3 lead with 11 seconds left.

Destribats did not give up and used an inside trip to score. While he failed to execute the trip, he managed to take McKenna out of bounds for a point to take a 4-4 criteria lead as the scorer of the latest point. The U.S. challenged the call but lost it, making the score 5-4 for Destribats which he defended for the final five seconds.

Before Destribats, only three other wrestlers from Argentina had made it to the finals at Pan-Ams in Freestyle with Yuri MAIER (ARG) being the last one in 2013.

Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) battles Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Mexico rejoiced as Bravo Young won the gold medal at 57kg to start the evening session. He blanked Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR), 12-0, for the gold medal which was the first for Mexico in Freestyle since 1993.

Felipe GUZMAN (MEX), the Olympian from 1996, was the last wrestler to win gold for Mexico at the Pan-Ams in Freestyle.

Bravo Young, who moved to Mexico in 2024 before Paris Olympics, used different techniques including sweep single, double-leg attack to score four takedowns and lead 8-0. He finished the match with a fireman's carry for four points.

Austin GOMEZ (MEX), red, celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Soon after, Gomez, who also transferred to Mexico before the Paris Olympics, posted an 11-0 win over Ian PARKER (USA) in the 70kg final to win the gold medal.

Gomez blanked his opponents 33-0 in three bouts that he wrestled for the gold medal. In the final, Gomez tossed Parker with a headlock for four and then turned him twice using the same for an 8-0 lead. The U.S. challenged for two points as Parker held Gomez on the mat for a moment but it was lost on review, making the score 9-0 for Gomez.

A double-leg blast from Gomez was enough for him to finish the final and win 11-0 and the second gold medal for Mexico on Sunday.

U.S. wins four golds

The gold medals for the U.S. on Sunday began when Evan WICK (USA) won all four of his bouts in the round-robin bracket at 79kg. Wick outscored his opponents 40-0 in four bouts to clinch the gold medal, first of Sunday and fourth overall for the U.S.

Trent HIDLAY (USA) added to the count by winning the 92kg gold medal, winning all four of his bouts in the round-robin.

Justin RADEMACHER (USA) scores a takedown against Arturo SILOT (CUB) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

At 97kg, Justin RADEMACHER (USA) held on to a 5-4 victory over Arturo SILOT (CUB) in the final to clinch the gold medal, the seventh straight year a U.S. wrestler has won at 97kg.

Rademacher was the first to strike, scoring a takedown on the edge for two points. After a bit of struggle, Silot managed to get on board with a takedown and take a 2-2 criteria lead. Rademacher hit back instantly, scoring with a single-leg attack and reclaiming the lead 4-2.

In the second period, Rademacher was awarded a point as both wrestlers went out after a scramble but it was Silot who put his hand outside the zone first. Silot hit back with a counter takedown to cut the lead to 5-4 with two minutes left on the clock. However, Rademacher defended his lead first with attacks and later by seeing off any attacks that Silot did.

Rademacher survived a flurry in the final 10 seconds, including a challenge for fleeing, to win, as Silot tried making sense of the match as he walked off the mat.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) showed little mercy for his 125kg opponents, winning the gold medal via a fall Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN) in the final, which included a slam which left the crowd in awe.

A double-leg attack gave Hendrickson the first four points of the final and he later locked Deschatelets from behind, lifted him well above the mat and slammed him for a five-pointer. He secured the fall in 24 seconds to finish the final.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) df. Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR), 12-0

BRONZE: Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA) df. Eduardo PALAS SEQUEIROS (PER), 7-0
BRONZE: Liam CRONIN (USA) df. Pedro MEJIAS (VEN), 5-4

65kg
GOLD: Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Joseph MC KENNA (USA), 5-4

BRONZE: Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ (VEN) df. Matias MUNOZ (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE: Peiman BIABANI (CAN) df. Matheus DA LUZ (BRA), 10-0

70kg
GOLD: Austin GOMEZ (MEX) df. Ian PARKER (USA), 11-0

BRONZE: Sixto AUCCAPINA (PER) df. Jorge GATICA (CHI), 12-2
BRONZE: Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN) df. Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Evan WICK (USA)
SILVER: Shane JONES (PUR)
BRONZE: Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA)
SILVER: Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
BRONZE: Edwin MORALES (PUR)

97kg
GOLD: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Arturo SILOT (CUB), 5-4

BRONZE: Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Ricardo BAEZ (ARG), 11-0

125kg
GOLD: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Jose DIAZ (VEN) df. Maxwell LACEY (CRC), 3-2
BRONZE: Gino AVILA (HON) df. Rizieri CHAVEZ (MEX), 10-0

Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

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Freestyle history for Argentina, Mexico at Pan-Ams