#WomenInWrestlingForum

UWW to Virtually Host Women in Wrestling Forum

By Eric Olanowski

VEVEY, Switzerland (October 25) --- United World Wrestling will virtually host the ’21 Women in Wrestling forum November 29th and December 6. They've partnered again with the Switzerland based leading institution Women Lead Sports (https://www.womenleadsports.com) and the renowned expert Gabriela Mueller to bring you the Women Lead Sports Master Program. 

The admitted participants will be divided in two groups to best suit their time zones:
For Europe/Africa/Asia and Oceania  
• Session One 29.11.2021 from 9-11 hrs. CET.
• Session Two 6.12.2021 from 9-11 hrs. CET.
• Session Three Q&A and Graduation/Certificates 17.01.2022 from 9-10:30 hrs. CET. 

For Europe/Africa/Americas: 
• Session One 29.11.2021 from 14-16 hrs. CET.
• Session Two 6.12.2021 from 14-16 hrs. CET 
• Session Three Q&A and Graduation/Certificates 17.01.2022 14-15:30 hrs. CET.

WWF
Deqa, NIAMKEY, UWW Development Director, presents at the '19 Women in Wrestling forum. There were 50 female participants from 40 nations in attendance at the four-day forum in Istanbul. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

The core aim of the program is: to help women and supportive men in sports to lead, to get better results in their organizations, and to increase influence. The program is backed up by a successful track record (over a decade, updated to today's reality) – taught by experts and it includes strategies that really work.

The objectives of the Women Lead Sports Master Program are:
• To learn effective leadership strategies, techniques, and applicable tactics that work today. 
• To empower participants to shape the future of Wrestling as a global sport.
• To coach women to get elected, promoted, or nominated as leaders.
• To increase a diverse talent pool in leadership within UWW at all levels.
• The program has been adapted to the new normality in Post-Covid reality.
• To add concrete value in a unique training online experience and empower women leaders in every latitude who want to step up and lead.
    

We are enthusiastic and convinced that the online experience will be empowering and create real change in gender-balanced leadership teams of the future. This program will be conducted in English. Participants are required to obtain the adequate language proficiency to participate in discussions and group works. Both women and men are encouraged to apply through their national federations. 

Each federation could propose a maximum of two (2) candidates. If you're interested in attending the '21 Women in Wrestling forum, please apply by contacting your national federation. Applications sent by individuals will not be accepted.

We remain at your disposal should you have any questions. You may also contact the UWW Development representative who is responsable for your continent 

For Africa, please contact Vincent Aka: vincent.aka@unitedworldwrestling.org
For Americas, please contact Yuri Maier : yuri.maier@unitedworldwrestling.org
For Asia, please contact farnaz.panahizadeh@unitedworldwrestling.org
For Europe and Oceania, please contact development@unitedworldwrestling.org 

United World Wrestling looks forward to receiving your candidate proposals. Thank you for your support and commitment to advance gender parity in wrestling.

#UWWAwards

UWW's top ranked wrestlers in 30 weight classes

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 15) -- United World Wrestling has announced the top ranked wrestlers for 2025 in all 30 weight classes. The ranks of these wrestlers are defined by the ranking points achieved at the 2025 World Championships, Continental Championships and the four Ranking Series.

Here's the list of top wrestlers, according to UWW rankings, in all the weight classes:

Freestyle

The United States has three wrestlers who finished as the top ranked wrestlers in the weight classes. World champs Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg, Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg and Kyle SNYDER (USA) at 97kg are ranked one.

Bahrain has two wrestlers finishing as ranked one -- Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) at 79kg and Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) at 125kg.

World champion at 57kg Chongsong HAN (PRK) finished first and so did 61kg world champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW).

Iran, Japan and Slovakia also had one highest ranked wrestler as well with world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at 65kg and Yoshinosuke AOYAG (JPN) at 70kg. World bronze medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) finished top at 79kg.

57kg - Chongsong HAN (PRK)
61kg - Zavur UGUEV (UWW)
65kg - Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
70kg - Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)
74kg - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79kg - Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
86kg - Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
92kg - Trent HIDLAY (USA)
97kg - Kyle SNYDER (USA)
125kg - Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN)

Women's Wrestling

Best women's wrestling country, Japan, finished with three number one ranked wrestlers. Sakura ONISHI (JPN) at 59kg, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg and Ami ISHII (JPN) at 68kg, all world champs, are all ranked number one.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) is at the top at 57kg for Turkiye, ANTIM (IND) ranked topped at 53kg, Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) finished best at 55kg, Helen MAROULIS (USA) at 57kg and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) at 62kg.

Ukraine's got on the list as well with world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) ranked number one at 72kg. World silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) finished as best wrestler at 76kg. 

50kg - Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
53kg - ANTIM (IND)
55kg - Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)
57kg - Helen MAROULIS (USA)
59kg - Sakura ONISHI (JPN)
62kg - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
65kg - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
68kg - Ami ISHII (JPN)
72kg - Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
76kg - Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)

Greco-Roman

Uzbekistan emerged as the best country in Greco-Roman with three top ranked wrestlers. World champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) at 63kg, Alisher GANIEV (UZB) at 60kg and Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) at 72kg were best.

Georgia and Hungary got two wrestlers each at the top. World champion Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) earned himself the top rank at 55kg while Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) is at 82kg. For Hungary, Alex SZOKE (HUN) at 97kg and Darius VITEK (HUN) at 130kg earned the top rank.

Iran, Turkiye and Serbia earned one spots each at the top of the ranking. Olympic and world champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) became the top ranked wrestler at 67kg, Ahmed YILMAZ (TUR) at 72kg and world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) at 87kg.

55kg - Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
60kg - Alisher GANIEV (UZB)
63kg - Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)
67kg - Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
72kg - Abdullo ALIEV (UZB)
77kg - Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR)
82kg - Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
87kg - Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
97kg - Alex SZOKE (HUN)
130kg - Darius VITEK (HUN)

Each of the top ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes will receive Swiss Francs (CHF) 5,000.