Development

Aline Silva Awarded United World Wrestling’s Women in Sport Award

Tuesday, April 3, 2018 - 17:27 By Tim Foley

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (April 2) -- Aline SILVA (BRA) has been awarded United World Wrestling’s 2018 Women in Sport Award.

Silva, a 2014 world silver medalist 2016 Olympian, has spent much of the past 12 months creating an outreach program in her home city of Cubatã, Brazil, which provides educational and wrestling opportunities for girls.

"We are very proud of Aline," said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. "She is the type of female leader we want in our sport. She has taken her victories on the mat and is making a big impact with younger girls. We are honored to present her this award."

Silva will receive $10,000 from United World Wrestling and is expected to hire a coach and English teacher to help instruct 60 public school girls in Cubatã. The outreach program will also include weekly empowerment teachings with themes like leadership, personal development, and sexual and reproduction rights. 

“I think it’s important to want something big for yourself and others,” said Silva. “And for these girls I want to show them what it means to have a goal and how to strive for it everyday. I know that striving to reach a goal every day means you will make your dreams come true!”

Aline SILVA (r) became Brazil's first-ever world finalist in wrestling, earning silver at the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Photo: Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling)

Silva kickstarted her to-be-named outreach program with a trip to the Global Sports Mentoring Program at the University of Tennessee's Peace, Sport and Society Program. During her six weeks on-site, Silva created a plan of action to empower Brazilian women through sports and sought advice on ways to improve her new program.

“I want to thank President Lalovic and everyone at United World Wrestling for all their great work in promoting women’s wrestling and gender equality.”

Though busy with outreach and instruction, Silva isn’t slowing down on the mats. She is still training full-time and expects to compete at this year’s world championships in Budapest. Her goal is to medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Other applicants included Power Club (ESP), Johanna KIKAS (EST), Elham HEIDARI (IRI/CAN), Yevheniia PAVLOVA (UKR) and Fédération Française de Lutte who each showed commitment to advancing the gender equality through wrestling.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2025 Day 1 Semifinals Set

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- The first Ranking Series of 2025 is here. The Zagreb Open will see wrestling over four days with Freestyle starting things in 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg and 86kg weight classes.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | 2025 SEASON PREVIEW

13:35: The final semifinals of the session at 86kg. Zahid VALENCIA (USA) gets the better of Nathan JACKSON (USA) 12-2 and advance to the final. He will face Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) who blanked Trent HIDLAY (USA) 5-0.

13:25: David CARR (USA) rolls to a 12-2 win over Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) 12-2 and will face Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) who got the better of Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO).

13:15: Sina KHALILI (IRI) into the Zagreb Open final at 70kg as James GREEN (USA) pulls out of the semifinals citing an injury. He will face Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) who defeated Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) 10-5.

13:05: Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) gets his gut wrench going against Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) to win 14-4 at 65kg. He will face Joseph MC KENNA (USA) who defeated Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)

13:00: We just published a tribute to Mariya STADNIK (AZE) who retired on Monday after 22 years! Legend. Read it here.

12:50: The 61kg final is set and it's all-Iranian. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) and Ibrahim KHARI (IRI) won their respective semifinals to advance. The third Iranian in the weight class, Reza MOMENI (IRI) also has a chance to win a bronze medal as he lost the semifinals to Khari.

12:40: Spencer LEE (USA) with a 6-4 win over Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX). He led 6-0 before allowing Young to score a stepout and a takedown but that was all. He will wrestle Bazarganov in the 57kg final.

12:35: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) gives a reality check of senior level wrestling to Ahora KHATERI (IRI). The Azerbaijan wrestlers rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over the Iranian to move to the 57kg final. 

12:30: Semifinals of the day begin now. We have 57kg wrestlers coming on the mat now.

12:22: European champion and world medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) hangs on a for a 5-0 win over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE). He will wrestle in the semifinals at 74kg. 

12:12: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), who recently defeated Paris medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) in the Bundesliga, beats U20 world champion Ali REZAEI (IRI) 6-1 at 74kg. Kuramagomedov was on point in that bout.

12:00: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) gave up a couple of step outs against Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) but got the job done with a 5-2 win at 86kg to move into the semifinals.

11:45: Two solid bouts on Mat C. Joseph MC KENNA (USA) used a good four-pointer throw and completed a 7-4 win over Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE). In the next bout, Ali KHORRAMDEL (IRI) was leading Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO) 7-0 in the first period but struggled with the pace in the second as Otinashvili came back and made the score 13-9. As Khorramdel tried a desperate four-pointer, Otinashvili pinned him

11:35: James GREEN (USA), who is back after a year and a half of retirement, wins a close one over compatriot Alec PANTELO (USA) 4-3 at 70kg. He marked his international return at the 2024 World Championships at 70kg and finished 11th.

11:25: Paris silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) comes out and gets a 10-0 win over Luka GVINJILIA (GEO) in two minutes. He moves into the semifinals at 

11:10: Former U17 world champion and Iran's big bet at 57kg Ahora KHATERI (IRI) comes out off a hole! He was trailing 7-2 against Brandon COURTNEY (USA) with less than 30 seconds remaining but mounts a comeback and wins 7-7

11:05: Two-time Olympian and world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) with a little awkward start to the season. Up against Jarrett JACQUES (USA) in the opening round at 70kg, Muszukajev drops the bout 3-2. He lacked his speed and the conditioning is missing as well. Great win for Jacques.

10:55: Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) gave a tough fight to Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) at 57kg but RBY, popularly known as in the USA circuit, wins 9-6. He is on a potential clash with Spencer LEE (USA) in the semifinals

10:45: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) gets his typical defensive style out and hangs on for a controlled 4-0 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) at 57kg.

10:30: Welcome to day one of the Zagreb Open! This is the first of the four Ranking Series events which will award points to the wrestlers and help in the seeding for the World Championships in September which incidentally will be held in the same Arena Zagreb.