Klippan Ladies

Adar, Gray and Wiebe Set to Collide in Klippan

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 - 14:41 By Eric Olanowski

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KLIPPAN, Sweden (February 14) -- Wrestlers from 20 countries will head to Klippan, Sweden to compete in United World Wrestling’s first women’s wrestling ranking series event of the season, the Klippan Lady Open.

Three previous world champions and two Olympic medalists are set to collide this weekend at the Klippan Lady Open. Erica WIEBE (CAN), Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Adeline GRAY (USA) are among the elite wrestlers competing in the 76kg weight class.

Erica WIEBE (CAN), 2016 Olympic champion, returns to international competition after taking an extended period of time off. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), returning world champion looks to reign supreme over the 76kg weight category, but three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) is looking to reclaim the top spot that she held from 2014 until the Olympic Games when Wiebe took the crown.

Other wrestlers to pay attention to will be Olympic bronze medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), Aline FOCKEN (GER), a 2017 world finalist and Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) the U23 world champion.

At 50kg, Yui SUSAKI (JPN), 2017 world champion and returning Klippan champion will have three top contenders to fight off. Chasing Susaki will be Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the two-time world and Olympic silver medalist, U23 world champion, Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and Alina Emilia VUC (ROM), 2017 world silver medalist.

The 53kg weight class is littered with age-level talent chasing Olympian Nina HEMMER (GER).

The three youngsters who are looking to make their presence known on the senior-level are Nanami IRIE (JPN), junior world champion, Beatrice Andrea ANA (ROM), cadet world runner-up and Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), a U23 world bronze medalist.

Competing for the gold at 55kg will be a pair of Russian’s in Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), a 2018 Yarygin finalist and Nina MENKENOVA (RUS), the U23 world bronze medalist who is looking to win her first senior-level tournament since the 2016 Torneo Citta a Sassari.

The remaining contender at 55kg is 2017 cadet world runner-up, Sena NAHAMOTO (JPN).

Vying for the top spot at 57kg is the top-tier trio of 2017 junior world champion Sae NANJO (JPN), Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 2016 world silver medalist and 2017 European champion and Tetyana KIT (UKR).

A pair of Russian Ivan Yarygin bronze medalists in Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) and Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) are leading the charge at 59kg.

The other potential gold medalist at 59kg is 2017 European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR). 

Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 2017 world bronze medalist will look to put a stop to 62kg tournament favorite, 2017 world finalist Yulia TKACH’s (UKR) quest to win her second Klippan Lady Open title.

Tkach won her last Klippan Lady Open in 2015.

At 65kg, it’ll be the threesome of Henna JOHANSSON (SWE), two-time Olympian, Petra OLLI (FIN), 2015 world silver medalist and U23 world runner-up Braxton STONE CAN who will be looking to stop Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS), the 2018 Ivan Yarygin runner-up from winning back-to-back titles.

Last month, tournament favorite Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) became the first American to win Yarygin titles.

If Mensah-Stock wants to continue her winning ways and claim the 68kg Klippan Lady Open title, she’ll have to go through two Olympians in Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Buse TOSUN (TUR). 

Rounding out the tournament, the two favorites at 72kg are Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Olympic bronze medalist and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), U23 world runner-up.

SCHEDULE 
Saturday - All weights 
Session 1 - 1:00pm (local time)
Session 2 - 5:00pm (local time) 
Sunday - All weights 
Session 3 - 10:00am (local time)
Session 4 - 2:00pm (local time) 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Best Move: Blades Suplex

Friday, February 14, 2025 - 15:22 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 14) -- Kennedy BLADES (USA) is making the suplex her own. After thrilling a packed Champs de Mars Arena with a majestic suplex at the Paris Olympics, the 21-year-old star began her 2025 season with two of them at the Zagreb Open last week.

"When I get behind, in my mind, I am like I have to execute this because it's so rare to hit a suplex," Blades said in Zagreb. "So every time I get behind in matches or big stages, I try to hit the suplex. I want to do it at the world stage because I know it will be on the highlights."

At the Zagreb Open, Blades was at 68kg, two weight classes down from 76kg, in which she won the silver medal at the Paris Games. She debuted at 68kg with a fall over Kendra DACHER (FRA) and another fall over world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE).

The first glimpse of her suplex in the match against Noémi SZABADOS (HUN). Close to a minute had gone in the bout when Blades used her reach for a outside single-leg. Instead of going for a takedown, she stood up and locked Szabados from behind and out came the throw.

However, the perfect arch was missing and it was awarded four points.

Blades wasn't satisfied. In Round 5 and leading 7-0, Blades countered Karolina POK (HUN) in a perfect set up for a suplex. Pok made a half-hearted attempt for a headlock but Blades snuck out and moved behind.

Pok knew it was coming. She did not resist and Blades did not relent. A picture-perfect arch, a beautiful throw, safe landing and a cheeky smile at the end. Blades was content.

"I just feel like when someone gets a headlock, they probably have to throw it really hard because growing up, I used to wrestle Greco in the summer," she said. "So my coach always taught us how to set up the suplex if they grab your head for a headlock and they don't go. When someone gets in a headlock position and they don't go super hard, then the suplex is there. If I would ever be in that position, I just go flat because I know that they can probably throw me. "

While it has become relatively easy for Blades to throw her opponents at 68kg, she still needs to tackle their speed and movement.

"I think at 68kg, the girls just feel lighter and that's what makes it a tiny bit easier," she said. "The difference though is that they wrestle a little bit more so my conditioning and footwork needs to be better. Whereas at 76kg, they're kind of hand fighting. It's more like strength. But at 68kg, it's speed and technique. It's hard to distinguish if it's easier or not, but I think the fact that I was able to lift the girls up easy was the best thing ever."

The suplex isn't new to Blades. She performed one at the U20 World Championships back in 2021, then at the Olympics and now in Zagreb. However, Blades picks the one in Paris as the best one so far.

"The best suplex is probably my Olympic one because that was straight back on her neck, on the Olympic stage, first match." she said. "I was on fire. I kind of want to see that the suplex I just hit because I think it was pretty nice. But the Olympic one is so hard to beat and I was in a pink singlet."