Youth Olympic Games

Argentina Celebrate as Machuca Makes YOG Gold Medal Finals

Saturday, October 13, 2018 - 18:11 By Tim Foley

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BUENOS AIRES (October 13) – After a length early session that saw 56 matches per mat, Argentinian fans were treated to the news that after a 4-0 start Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) would be in tonight’s gold medal finale.

The 73kg grappler made easy work of all four opponents, capping her perfect morning session with a decisive victory over Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 5-2.

Wrestlers from 9 nations will be represented in the finals, with Uzbekistan position two athletes for gold.
 

Women’s Wrestling, 43kg

Simran SIMRAN (IND) v. Emily King SHILSON (USA)
Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) v. Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL)
Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA) v. Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Heloisa Elena MARTINEZ (BRA) v. Sara Gouda Farouk MAHMOUD (EGY)
Christianah Tolulope OGUNSANYA (NGR) v. Ella Mae DERRY (NZL)

Women’s Freestyle, 49kg

Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) v. Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Tiare Lynn Masako Dizon IKEI (USA) v. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR) v. Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Maria Jose MOSQUERA ROJAS (VEN) v. Paulina Jean DUENAS (GUM)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) v. Sopealai SIM (CAM)

Women’s Freestyle, 57kg

Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) v. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Irina RINGACI (MDA) v. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Mayra Alejandra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) v. Andrea Monserrat LOPEZ MARTINEZ (MEX)
Hala Wael Imbabi AHMED (EGY) v. Mansi MANSI (IND)
Lydia TOIDA (CMR) v. Kaetlyn Rae Okada QUINTANILLA (GUM)

Women’s Freestyle, 65kg

Xinru ZHOU (CHN) v. Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Oyun Erdene TAMIR (MGL) v. Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU) v. Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Yetzis Camila RAMIREZ MARQUEZ (CUB) v. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Sandra Elena ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX) v. Natacha Véronique NABAINA (CMR)

Women’s Freestyle, 73kg

Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) v. Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR) v. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) v. Julia Hanna Ellinor FRIDLUND (SWE)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN) v. Anika Elizabeth WHITE (CAN)
Vahide Nur GOK (TUR) v. Ioana Penina Nicole Uputaua LUDGATE (ASA)

#UWWAwards

UWW Comebacks of the Year 2025: Uguev, Maroulis, Amoyan

Friday, December 19, 2025 - 10:30 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 18) -- United World Wrestling’s 2025 Comeback Wrestlers of the Year are three wrestlers who refused to let their careers be defined by defeat and setbacks.

Freestyle Comeback Wrestler: Zaur UGUEV (UWW)

There was a time not too long ago where Uguev career trajectory was pointing him in the direction of becoming the greatest lightweight of this generation, but he hit a slump in 2023 and 2024, finishing fifth at the World Championships.

This year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist returned to top form. He went from an afterthought to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers -- reclaiming world gold for a third time in his career and first time since the 2019 World Championships with a 11-2 win over Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg finals.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

Women’s Wrestling Comeback Wrestler: Helen MAROULIS (USA)

For most, 2021 seems like yesterday. But for Maroulis, it’s been a grueling four years of waiting and working to reclaim her spot a top the world ranks. Despite having to completely change her style of wrestling due to lack of conditioning that stemmed from an allergic reaction to antibiotics before the World Championships, Maroulis found a way to bolster her resume with a fourth world title -- adding to her career wins 2015, 2018, and 2021, not to mention her three Olympic medals.

She did so with three quick pins in Zagreb before inside tripping Il-Sim SON (PRK) in dramatic fashion, stealing the world title as the clock expired.

After the match, the 11-time world and Olympic medalist said, "I had to really, really dig deep for that and, I don't know, before the last exchange started, I just had to dig deep and find it. It was just some scramble flurry and just that it came out my way. I'm grateful."

Greco-Roman Comeback Wrestler: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

Like Maroulis’ four-year battle to get back to the top, Amoyan found himself fighting an uphill battle to regain world gold since his last title-winning run in Oslo in 2021. But after moving up from 72kg to 77kg, he struggled. He fell one match short of his goal at the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, and again at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where he settled for a bronze medal.

But 2025 was different as the 26-year-old put on arguably the greatest Greco-Roman performance of the Zagreb World Championships, capping off his run to a second world title with an unexpected 9-1 thumping of reigning Olympic gold medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN).

"I became a world champion back in 2021 [at 72kg], but I really wanted to become world champion at 77kg. For two years, I struggled with injuries, and nothing was going as it should. Thankfully, at this World Championships I was prepared -- mentally, physically, and functionally -- and by God's grace I managed to triumph and become a two-time world champion."