Weekly Five! November 12, 2019

Tuesday, November 12, 2019 - 16:17 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing the Women’s World Cup team race, wrestlers and weights to watch and Iran hosting the Greco-Roman World Cup (November 28-29).

1. The Road to the Finals
In the 18-year history of the Women’s World Cup, Japan, China and the United States are the only teams to hoist the annual dual meet team trophy. But, dating back to 2003 when the United States claimed their lone team title, Japan or China has had a stronghold on women’s wrestling -- claiming 14 consecutive World Cup championships.

Japan and China met in the previous two World Cup finals, with Japan coming out on the winning end of both of those meetings. But, this year is slated to be a different story, as Japan and China will wrestle on Saturday night in Group A action for a potential spot in Sunday night’s gold-medal dual. That is, of course, if they both get past a fairly young and inexperienced Ukrainian team that’s looking to send shock waves through the wrestling world and make their first finals appearance since 2005.

Russia, the United States and Mongolia are the three Group B teams.

Though Mongolia has a pair of returning world bronze medalists, they likely won’t have enough firepower to match that of the Russian Federation or the United States -- who both have at least one world champ on their squad.

The premier Group B matchup between Russia and the United States, which will take place on Saturday afternoon, will feature four of the ten women’s wrestling world champions.

Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS), this year’s 62kg world champion, will lead the Russian Federation in the dual, while reigning world champions Jacarra WINCHESTER, Tamyra MENSAH and Adeline GRAY headline the entries for the Stars and Stripes.

The two teams with the best record after their pair of group matches will meet in Sunday’s gold-medal match. The third and fourth-place match will feature the two teams with the second-best record in their groups and the remaining teams will meet for fifth and sixth place.

Number of World Cup Titles
Japan: 10
China: 6
United States: 1

SCHEDULE
Saturday (November 16)
10:30 – Mat A: JPN vs. UKR / Mat B: RUS vs. MGL
12: 00 – Mat A: RUS vs. USA / Mat B: CHN vs. UKR
16:30 – Opening Ceremony
17:00 – Mat A: JPN vs. CHN / Mat B: USA vs. MGL

Sunday (November 17)
8:00 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in
10:30 – Finals 5/6
13:00 – Finals 3/4
14:30 – Finals 1/2
16:00 – Award Ceremonies

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) is one of five world champions that'll be wrestling at this weekend's Women's World Cup. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

2. Wrestlers to Watch: The Five World Champs
Five of the six teams entered into the Women’s Wrestling World Cup bring at least two returning world medalists – totaling 17 podium finishers from this year’s World Championships (Ukraine is the lone team without a 2019 world medalist entered). But, without a doubt, the five newly-crowned must-watch world champions are:

55kg - Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
57kg - Risako KAWAI (USA)
62kg - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
68kg - Tamyra MENSAH (USA)
76kg - Adeline GRAY (USA)

Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Ningning RONG (CHN) met in the world finals at 57kg just over a month ago. They could square off again at this weekend's Women's World Cup. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

3. Weights to Watch: 57kg and 76kg
The two can't-miss weights at this weekend’s Women’s Wrestling World Cup will be 57kg and 76kg. Both weight classes will feature the reigning world champion and the wrestler they defeated to win their world title. This means, there could be a pair of world finals rematches that take place this weekend.

Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Ningning RONG (CHN), who met in Nur-Sultan for the 57kg world title, could square off on Saturday night when Japan takes on China. That match will take place at 17:00 (local time).

Kawai is widely regarded as the top women’s wrestler in the world. Since winning her Rio Olympic title in 2016, Kawai has won three consecutive world titles. Her potential Chinese opponent, Ningning Rong, is a 2018 world champion and 2019 world runner-up. The highly emotional Chinese star is coming off a second consecutive year where she made the world finals, claimed a continental title and won at least three tournaments.

Two other wrestlers that could cause Kawai and Rong fits at 57kg are ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL) and Olena KREMZER (UKR). The 25-year-old Mongolian wrestler was a 2017 U23 world runner-up, while the Ukrainian wrestler was a 2018 U23 world bronze medalist.

At 76kg, the two best women’s heavyweights in the world, Adeline Gray and Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), could square off in a rematch of September’s 76kg finals, but that all depends on how the group stage plays out. Additionally, Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) and ZHOU Qian (CHN) will also wrestle at 76kg. Bukina is a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, and Zhou is a 2015 world runner-up.

Reigning world champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) leads a loaded Russian team into Tehran for the Greco-Roman World Cup. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

4. Iran Set to Host Greco-Roman World Cup (November 28-29)
Iran is gearing up to host the Greco-Roman World Cup for the seventh consecutive time. The two-day Greco-Roman World Cup kicks off November 28-29 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium and will feature six teams -- which is the first time the event has housed less than eight teams since 2008.

The Russian Federation, who are the defending champions, are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Iran did it in 2011 and ’12. To earn their eighth overall World Cup team trophy, they’ll rely heavily on reigning world champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS), who’ll wrestle at 72kg.

In addition to Mantsigov, Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN, Stepan MARYANYAN and Sergey SEMENOV are will also compete on Russia's team at the Greco-Roman World Cup. The trio were all 2018 world champions, but Maryanan, who finished with a silver medal at this year’s World Championships, is the lone reigning medalist in the group of three.

Outside of Russia’s loaded squad, six reigning world champs will travel to Tehran to compete in the Greco-Roman World Cup.

The biggest storyline heading into the dual meet event is the potential Rio Olympic finals rematch between Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) and Shinobu OTA (JPN), which could be looming at 67kg.

Borrero and Ota both won world titles in Nur-Sultan, but the Japanese wrestler will begin his ascent from his title-winning non-Olympic weight of 63kg to the Olympic weight of 67kg, where the Cuban wrestler is the current world-title holder. Shortly after winning his world title last month, Ota announced that he'd climb up 4kg to 67kg to make a run at improving his silver medal from the Rio Olympic Games, where he fell to Borrero in the finals.

In addition to Borrero, Mantsigov and Ota, the Greco-Roman World Cup will also welcome three other world champs. The returning world champs are: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO).

Reigning World Champions Entered
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
60kg - Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
67kg - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
67kg - Shinobu OTA (JPN)
72kg - Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
82kg - Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)

Two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) highlights the list of entries at the Bill Farrell. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

5. Bill Farrell Live on FloWrestling.org
The New York Athletic Club will host the first qualifier for America’s Olympic Team Trials, the Bill Farrell Memorial (November 16-17). The highest finisher at the six Olympic weight classes in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling will cement their spot at April’s Tokyo Olympic Team Trials.

Our friends at Flowrestling.org have the streaming rights to the event and have provided an early list of participants who are expected to compete.

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#WrestleAmman

U20 Worlds: Elor keeps it simple to win third title

Saturday, August 19, 2023 - 10:03 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 18) -- It's rare for a wrestler who has all the world titles on offer to return to a U20 World Championships. But then, Amit ELOR (USA) is a rarity.

Besides the 2019 U17 World Championships semifinal loss, Elor has gone on to win a U17 world title, three U20 world golds, a U23 world title and even a senior world gold. So why does a wrestler who has captured the imagination of the wrestling world, return to an age-group world championship for the third time?

She has a simple explanation to offer.

"You'll only be under 20 years for so long I am going to take advantage of getting to compete at as many world championships as I possibly can," Elor said. "The ultimate goal is to go to the Olympics and hopefully win the Olympic gold, so whatever I could do to challenge myself and give more experience. I will definitely take those opportunities."

The 19-year-old has competed in seven World Championships and managed to win seven medals (six golds, one bronze) in a short period of four years. Despite her credentials, Elor thinks every bout is a challenge in itself.

"I won the senior World Championships at 18," Elor said. "I believe that anybody up and coming can be a rising star. The U20 field can have just as challenging opponents as the senior level and I think it's a great preparation for the senior World Championships."

Elor perhaps is being respectful to her opponents. Fair enough. But when she steps on the mat for her bouts whether it's a team trial or world championships, Elor likes to demolish them.

On Friday in Amman, Elor won her third U20 world title, outscoring her opponents 36-0 in four bouts. It's not 40-0 or more because one win was a fall. The final was a 10-0 win over Bukrenaz SERT (TUR) after Elor got the leg lace.

While the secret to success could be different for different wrestlers, Elor likes to keep it simple.

"I think it's just discipline and consistency in my training," she said. "It's all the hard work over the years that adds up. It's believing in myself and having a great support system and pushing past hardships. On the competition day, all that hard work starts to pay off."

However, Elor does visit that day in Sofia when she lost to Honoka NAKAI (JPN). Lead 1-1 on criteria, Elor got hit by an arm spin by Nakai who converted it into a takedown to lead 3-1. Elor had 22 seconds to win but Nakai played the time.

"My first world championships, I got a bronze and I really think a lot of that was because of lack of experience," she said. "Ever since then, I'm like I have to compete as much as I can, as long as my body is healthy. These competitions are great stimulation for senior worlds and Olympics so I love them."

And what lessons she takes from Amman?

"I learned how powerful I can actually be and a lot of things are just your mindset and the feelings you have at the moment," she said. "Even if you feel things in those moments, you'll get past those feelings and you have to just believe in yourself that anything is possible."

USA The United States finished third in the team standings. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Elor and her United States teammates not only battle their opponents but had to go through a few hardships off the mat as well.

A day after arriving in Amman, most of the Freestyle and women's team complained of food poising as they made at least one trip to the hospital every day. Kennedy BLADES (USA), who won a bronze medal at 76kg, had to be run to the hospital hours before her bout.

The U.S. still managed to finish third in the team race which was won by India and Japan finishing second. Elor credited the team for its performance and how it comes together for any big tournament.

"It's been challenging for the whole team and we had a lot of hardships," she said. "But we stayed strong and we are going to come back stronger after this. It's been a challenge for me as well and it's one of the hardest tournaments I have been to. It was a great experience for us to push through and still compete."

Eniko ELEKES (HUN) celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 65kg weight class. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Elekes gives Hungary gold

Eniko ENEKES (HUN) may not have been the first Hungary wrestler to win the U17 world title in women's wrestling but she made sure she becomes the first from Hungary to win the U20 world title. In 2021, Elekes became the second woman wrestler from Hungary to win U17 world gold and two years later, she added a U20 world title in Amman on Friday.

Wrestling Antim KUNDU (IND) in the 65kg final, Elekes used her counters to great effect and came out on top 9-2.

"I won the U17 gold and last year was not the best for me. So I am glad this happened," she said.

Last year, Elekes finished 10th in Sofia after losing her opening round bout and later the repechage. But this year, Elekes made it to the final after some strong wins.

"My toughest match was the final against India," she said. "And the Turkiye bout was also strong as well."

Elekes defeated U17 world silver medalist Duygu GEN (TUR) 5-1 in her opening bout. Kundu tried making a stronger case but Elekes was up for the task, countering Kundu's attempted leg attacks.

"I don't like to think and plan what I would do," she said. "I like to go with the flow. My reaction is very fast so I don't like to plan."

Though she is the first world champion in her family, Elekes' father Endre represented Hungary at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in 68kg Freestyle. The family tradition made it easier for Elekes to decide what sport she wanted to pursue.

"I grew up on the mat," she laughs.

Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) hits a clutch four to win against Ichika ARAI (JPN) in the 57kg final. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 57kg, Ichika ARAI (JPN) was stunned by Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) when the Ukrainian hit a four-pointer with 20 seconds on the clock. Arai worked hard for a 3-0 lead and had 20 seconds to survive the final. But Filipovych shot a double-leg from neutral and got four. Japan challenged but lost and Arai, despite a leg-hold, failed to score three points she needed to win.

The loss meant that Japan finish the U20 World Championships in Amman with only one gold, at 68kg, and second in the team title race that it won last year. Japan had won eight gold and a total of 10 medals in Sofia last year.

Weekly Five! November 12, 2019

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U20 Worlds: Elor keeps it simple to win third title