#WrestleBelgrade

10 must watch WW quarters at World Championships

Saturday, September 3, 2022 - 13:49 By Olivia Lichti

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 2) -- Competition day looms closer at the Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia, and women’s wrestling will feature some of the most exciting storylines of the tournament. For the first time, eight highest ranked wrestlers will be seeded at the World Championships which has allowed both veterans and young stars alike to find their place amongst the seeds.

Here are some of the most intriguing potential quarterfinal matchups, featuring faceoffs between world champions, Olympic medalists, and top up-and-comers.

These quarterfinals are far from guaranteed as many talented women will be in their brackets without a seed and will have a fair shot at upsetting the ranked wrestlers.

 

50kg: No. 2 Yui SUSAKI (JPN) vs No. 7 Mariya STADNIK (AZE)

Susaki has never lost to a competitor from anywhere but Japan since she first burst onto the scene in 2014. However, Mariya Stadnik has gotten about as close as one can get. Interestingly, Stadnik hasn’t lost to a non-Japanese opponent since 2014 either.

In 2018, Stadnik almost pulled off a win but Susaki scored a late stepout to win 2-2 on criteria at the Klippan Lady Open. 

Although Susaki has clearly pulled away from her Azeri opponent in recent years, winning 10-0 teching her in the semifinals in Tokyo last August, Stadnik is her most credentialed competitor in the bracket.

This match will feature two of the best pound-for-pound athletes in the world and thus shouldn’t be missed.

 

53kg: No. 4 Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) vs No. 5 Jonna MALMGREM (SWE)

Last year in Oslo, Krawczyk broke through and won her first world medal at the age of 30. She followed up that performance with a solid 2022 season, adding two Ranking Series medals to her resume and earning the number four seed.

However, 2021 U20 world champion Malmgrem picked up one of the biggest wins of her career when she pinned the Polish veteran in this year’s European semifinals en route to winning her first Senior continental title. This rematch could provide Krawczyk with the opportunity to avenge and a second-consecutive podium finish at Worlds, or allow Malmgrem to prove the Euros win wasn’t just a fluke and that she is a serious senior-level threat.

Andreea ANA (ROU)Andreea ANA (ROU) is a U23 world and senior European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg: No. 3 Andreea ANA (ROU) vs No. 6 Karla GODINEZ (CAN)

Ana and Godinez are both rising stars that have accumulated impressive results in the last year. Ana became the first Romanian woman to win a U23 World title in addition to earning U23 and Senior European titles.

Canada’s Godinez upset 2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) to win the Pan-Am gold, a feat she accompanied with a Zouhaier Sghaier silver medal.

Both these women will be integral parts of the future of 55kg and their matchup will showcase some of the toughest young talents in the world.

Presuming seeds hold, the winner here should face another rising star, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), in the semifinals.

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) is the defending world champion at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

57kg: No. 1 Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs No. 8 Anhelina LYSAK (POL)

Top seed and American legend Maroulis will be a huge favorite in this matchup against U23 world champion Lysak. This match makes the list purely because of Lysak’s volatile tendencies.

Lysak loves to lock up overhooks and go for big throws, a risk that has both helped and harmed her in her international career. She began representing Poland in 2021 after spending her age-level career in Ukraine and has earned a U23 world title, a pair of European medals and a Ranking Series gold medal since her transfer. She’s a formidable athlete, but Maroulis’ greater experience and wide range of skills should propel her to the finals.

 

57kg: No. 2 Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) vs No. 7 Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)

After unexpectedly winning a bronze medal in Tokyo last year, Nikolova was looking to add another feat to her list of accolades: earning her first European title. She managed to make her second European final this year in Budapest but her hopes of winning gold were dashed by U23 world champion Hrushyna, who defeated her 6-2.

Hrushyna qualified Ukraine for the Olympics at 57kg last year but was unable to compete due to an elbow injury. While she has yet to wrestle at a senior World Championship, her list of achievements and significant wins are impressive for an athlete of her age.

If Hrushyna can defeat Nikolova again, she’ll prove that she truly is a medal contender at 57kg though Nikolova will indubitably be hungry for victory.

 

62kg: No. 2 Lais NUNES (BRA) vs No. 7 Ana GODINEZ (CAN)

Nunes and Godinez have split matches this year, with Godinez winning their Pan-Am semifinal 7-5 and Nunes taking their Matteo Pellicone bronze medal bout 8-6. The matches have been razor-thin and both will be looking to gain the advantage in their rivalry should they meet in the quarterfinals in Belgrade.

Both have impressed lately with Godinez winning the U23 world title last year and Nunes pulled off one of the season’s biggest upsets at the Yasar Dogu over when she beat top-ranked wrestler Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

Marwa AMRI (TUN)Marwa AMRI (TUN) will be hoping to win a medal at 62kg in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

62kg: No. 3 Kayla MIRACLE (USA) vs No. 6 Marwa AMRI (TUN)

Miracle had her senior-level breakout last year when she made her first World final, losing only to Tynybekova. She’s been somewhat absent internationally this year, though she did make the Pan-Am finals before forfeiting due to injury.

All signs point to her being ready to go in Belgrade but she’ll have a tough task in her projected quarterfinal opponent -- Tunisia’s Amri, who owns the distinction of being the first African Olympic WW medalist.

Amri’s 2022 season has been a successful one as she won a Yasar Dogu bronze, Mediterranean Games gold and an African title.

Miracle has clearly leveled up over the past year, but Amri has a well-adorned hitlist and years of experience that will make her tough to beat.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) is the returning silver medalist at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

65kg: No. 1 Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs No. 8 Mallory VELTE (USA)

In the United States, Forrest MOLINARI (USA) owned the 65kg world team spot ever since the weight was introduced in 2018. However, Velte changed that this year when she pulled two shocking upsets over the 2021 World bronze medallist to find herself on yet another world team.

Now, she’ll be chasing her second world medal, but up three kilograms from where she accumulated her first piece of hardware. Her projected quarterfinal opponent, top seed Morikawa, represented Japan in Oslo last year.

She defeated Molinari 6-2 in the semifinals but fell in the gold medal to Irina RINGACI (MDA). In Belgrade, Morikawa will look to claim her first world title since winning U20 gold in 2019. This match will be highly competitive and should be a great test for Velte at her new weight.

 

68kg: No. 2 Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) vs No. 7 Feng ZHOU (CHN)

In January 2020, Mensah was cruising to the Matteo Pellicone gold medal with an 8-0 lead over Zhou in the 68kg final.

But Zhou shocked Mensah by securing a trap-arm gut wrench and turned her three times -- enough to win 8-8 on criteria, snatching the gold.

Although Mensah since has defeated Zhou, the Chinese’s impressive top game will make even big leads seem volatile and allow her to keep the match in the margins till the final buzzer sounds.

 

68kg: No. 3 Blessing OBORODUDU (NGR) vs No. 6 Irina RINGACI (MDA)

2021 65kg world champion Ringaci has been very successful in her move up to the Olympic weight of 68kg, picking up U23 and senior European titles and a Ranking Series silver medal.

She faced off against Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Oborodudu earlier this year at Matteo Pellicone semis. She destroyed Oborodudu with an abrupt pin in a mere 32 seconds.

If she can pull off another win over Oborodudu in Belgrade with the dominance, she’ll cement herself as a true medal contender at her new weight for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Lopez closer to historic Olympic gold; Fumita, Elor enter finals

Monday, August 5, 2024 - 22:01 By Ken Marantz

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PARIS (August 5) -- Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) continued his quest for an unprecedented place in Olympic history, swatting aside all in his path on Monday. The last man standing in his way is a former compatriot who has already made history of his own.

Lopez earned a chance to become the first-ever athlete in any sport to win five gold medals in the same event at the Summer Olympics when he advanced to the Greco 130kg final on the opening day of the wrestling competition at the Paris Olympics.

"Very happy, very proud," Lopez said. "It's been a sacrifice for a career lasting so many years, and it's beautiful for the next generations so that they have something to aspire to."

Meanwhile, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) earned a chance to make up for his disappointing silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics at Greco 60kg -- and gained revenge in the process -- while young Amit ELOR (USA) looks poised to complete the "Golden Grand Slam" of titles by making the women's 68kg final.

Lopez, competing for the first time since winning his fourth gold at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, set up his date with destiny in Tuesday's final by defeating 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) 4-1 in the semifinals at the Champs de Mars Arena.

The 41-year-old Lopez got the first chance in par terre and made the most of it with a well-executed gut wrench to go up 3-0 in the first period.

Put on the bottom in the second period, Lopez went beyond just putting up stiff resistance. The Iranian-born Shariati, a veteran himself at 35, managed to lift the Cuban off the mat, but when he tried to force a roll, Lopez nimbly stepped over and gained control for a 1-point reversal.

Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI)Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) confirmed Chile's first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling by reaching the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Lopez, who has not lost a match since falling to long-time rival Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the final at the 2015 World Championships, will face Cuban-born Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) for the gold medal.

"It will be beautiful, special, not only for me but for the whole world," Lopez said of facing Acosta. "It's going to be a final between two Cubans, it's going to be spectacular. A result that the world will enjoy but particularly my brothers in Cuba."

Acosta assured Chile of its first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling when he outlasted Lingzhe MENG (CHN) 1-1 on last-point criteria in the other semifinal.

Acosta got the second of the two passivity points awarded, after which neither was able to turn the other. Meng was given a second chance in par terre with a minute to go but was unable to get any points off a front headlock.

Lopez expressed his joy that Acosta has clinched a medal after coming up just short in Tokyo by placing fifth.

"We've always been brothers, we've always been friends in wrestling, it's going to be beautiful for him, to win an Olympic medal and for me," Lopez said. "He deserves a medal. Chile has asked him to win that medal, and they have given him the support and the chance to compete."

Kenichiro FUMITA(JPN)Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) returned to the final after beating Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At Greco 60kg, Fumita advanced to the final by defeating nemesis Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), using a masterful 4-point throw to score a 4-3 victory over the two-time reigning world champion.

The victory avenged a loss to Sharshenbekov in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, when the Kyrgyz star prevailed 11-6 in a thoroughly entertaining throwfest that uniquely featured no passivity points.

On Monday, Fumita, a two-time former world champion himself, held tough on the bottom of par terre to go into the second period trailing 1-0. Early in the second period, he locked onto Sharshenbekov's right arm and hit an elegant back suplex for 4.

Sharshenbekov, who had not lost since June 2022 and had put together a streak of 10 consecutive tournament titles, went on the offensive and used a nice duck under for a takedown to cut the gap to 4-3.

But Fumita stood his ground and conceded nothing to clinch the win and earn a chance to make up for his devastating loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to Luis ORTA (CUB) and become Japan's first Greco gold medalist since Atsuji MIYAHARA (JPN) in 1984.

For Fumita, winning an elusive gold in Paris would be particularly special. "Paris is a special place because I won my first world title here in 2017," he told the Japanese media.

"I think that the wrestling gods are telling me that by making the final, I have to win the gold. I have one more match and I will give everything so that it will be said that Fumita is indeed strong."

Facing him in the final will be world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), who scored an exposure at the buzzer for a stunning 3-3 win on last-point criteria over Asian Games bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK).

Ri appeared headed to a 3-1 victory after getting a gut wrench from par terre in the first period and holding out on the bottom in the second. But Cao managed to get behind from standing in the waning seconds and, with Ri keeping a solid base and his knees off the mat, Cao pulled him back and over for a 2-point exposure just as time expired. In the final, Cao will look to avenge a 3-1 loss to Fumita in the quarterfinals in Belgrade.

Elor stormed into the women's 68kg final with a 10-0 victory over teenager Sol Gum PAK (PRK) as she looks to join Yui SUSAKI (JPN) as the only wrestlers to add an Olympic gold to titles on all four age-group levels at the World Championships.

Elor, a two-time world champion at 72kg who moved down to the Olympic weight, used a snapdown to get behind Pak for a takedown, then applied a lace lock and reeled off four rolls to end the match at 1:44.

"I've been training a lot with my coach to make sure that after I get a takedown, I don't overlook the thought of getting a turn," the 20-year-old Elor said. "Turns make a huge difference, and I think a lot of times, I'll get a takedown and I'll think, 'Oh, no no, let's just go back to our feet.'

"But it makes a huge difference, and you saw that in a match like that. One takedown, four turns, and the match is over. My immediate thought was, bring her legs together, you have to get at least one lace. And it worked for me."

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), blue, defeated Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) to enter the semifinal at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Looking to stop Elor will be Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), who won a clash of Tokyo Olympic medalists in the other semifinal to move one win away from becoming Krygyzstan's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

Zhumanazarova scored a second-period takedown, then fended off a late attempt by veteran Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) to score a 3-1 victory. That avenged a 3-2 loss to Oborududu in the quarterfinals in Tokyo, where the Nigerian went on to take the silver medal and Zhumanazarova came home with a bronze.

Earlier, Zhumanazarova pulled off a major coup by defeating two-time world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), building up a 6-0 lead before holding on for an 8-6 win.

Elor said she had prepared to face any opponent. "I like to focus on one opponent at a time, but before this competition, I thoroughly watched and analyzed all of my opponents," she said. "I honestly think that each and every opponent has their own challenges, and so however the bracket came out, I knew that I was ready for anybody."

Day 1 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg
SF 1: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Liguo CAO (CHN) df. Se Ung RI (PRK), 3-3

130kg
SF 1: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), 4-1
SF 2: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) df. Lingzhe MENG (CHN), 1-1

Women's Wrestling

68kg
SF 1: Amit ELOR (USA) df Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by TF, 10-0, 1:44
SF 2: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) 3-1