Asian Championships women's wrestling brackets

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 - 15:25 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 20) -- The Asian Championships will move to women's wrestling beginning Thursday. The draws for all 10 weight classes were held Wednesday.

Japan is once again the favorite to win the team title, especially with China unable to compete in the Asian Championships for the third straight year.

Kyrgyzstan and India will also be hoping to crown a couple of champions as they have in the past tournaments.

50kg

The six-wrestler bracket is headlined by world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN). Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) opted to sit out the tournament.

Seeded number one, Yoshimoto has been clubbed with fourth seed Miran CHEON (KOR) and MANISHA (IND) in Group A. Two wrestlers from this group will qualify for the semifinal.

Group B will have second seed Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) and third seed Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB). The two will have to wrestle with Aigul NURALIM (KAZ) as well as she takes the third spot in the group.

53kg

World champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) will be wrestling at her first Asian Championships and nothing less than a gold is expected from her. She is the top seed and has Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) and Swati SHINDE (IND) in Group A. In most likelihood, Batkhuyag and Shinde will battle for the second semifinal spot from this group.

The other group has second seed Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) and third seed Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) wrestling it out for the two semifinal spots with HyunyoungOH (KOR).

55kg

The 55kg has only five wrestlers and each one has to wrestle against the other. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) is the top seed but former junior world champion Umi IMAI (JPN) is the favorite to win the gold here.

Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) will represent India while the host nation Mongolia will be represented by the 2017 U23 World bronze Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL). Sarbinaz JIENBAEVA (UZB) completes the bracket.

With no semifinals in the bracket, the winner of the most matches will be the gold winner.

57kg

One of the toughest weight classes, the 57kg can see the clash of world silver medalist and defending champion Anshu MALIK (IND) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) who won the world title at 55kg in Oslo. The two are in opposite groups and can clash in the final if they both top their groups and win the semifinal.

Malik has fourth seed Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) and Danielle LIM (SGP) in her group while Sakurai is with former Asian silver Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), junior world champion Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) and Hyungjoo KIM (KOR).

59kg

In another five-wrestler bracket, two-time defending champion Sarita MOR (IND) will be tested once as she has three-time World medalist Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) and 2018 Asian silver Sara NATAMI (JPN). Mor and Baatarjav wrestled in the final last year in Almaty and the Indian came out on top.

The other two wrestlers in the draw are Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) and Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB).

62kg

Two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is going for yet another Asian title and she is the favorite to win it.

Seeded number one, Tynybekova will wrestle Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) in the quarterfinal. Boldsaikhan had finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics.

In the other quarterfinal, Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) and Sachini WERADUWAGE (SRI) will wrestle and the winner will reach the semifinal against Tynybekova or Boldsaikhan.

The lower side of the bracket has world silver medalist and second seed Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) who will wrestle Hanbit LEE (KOR) in the quarterfinal. She is the favorite to reach the final against Tynybekova.

But for that, she would have to beat Lee and one of MANISHA (IND) or Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ) who was second to Yukako KAWAI (JPN) at the 2020 Asian Championships.

Tynybekova and Ozaki met in the opening round of the Oslo World Championships and the Kyrgyzstan wrestler won 6-4 against the former junior world champion.

65kg

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) will make her debut at the Asian Championships and like any other Japanese wrestler, is the favorite to win the weight class. After winning the silver at the World Championships, she has proved herself to be a force to reckon with.

Trying to stop her from winning gold in the five-wrestler bracket will be two U23 World silver medalists RADHIKA (IND) and Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL). The Indian a silver in 2021 while the Mongolian is a medalist in 2019.

Incidentally, Morikawa is a U23 world bronze medalist from 2018 at 68kg. The world junior champion also came agonizingly close to knocking off Sara DOSHO (JPN) to make the Japan team for the Tokyo Olympics.

Second seed Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB) and third Dariga ABEN (KAZ) will complete the bracket.

68kg

World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) will look to defend her title at 68kg in a seven-wrestler bracket. She is part of Group A which has Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) and Sujin PARK (KOR).

Group B will have a even more competitive as number two seed Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) who was second to Zhumanazarova in the '21 Asia final and won the U23 world bronze later that year.

Third seed Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) will be looking to upset the Mongolian. Matsuyuki was silver at the 2020 Asian Championships and is a former junior world champion.

Sonika HOODA (IND) is the fourth wrestler in the group and can surprise others to make the semifinal.

72kg

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) is chasing a gold medal after finishing with a silver at home in '21. For that, she will have to win the most bout in the five-wrestler group at 72kg.

The silver medalist at the World Championships is the top seed and will be challenged by 2022 Ivan Yarguin silver medalist and second seed Davaansasan ENKH AMAR (MGL).

NIKKI (IND), Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) and Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) close out the bracket.

76kg

She was close to winning the medal at the Olympics and won a bronze at the World Championships but Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) will be looking to pocket her first Asian title after finishing second last year.

The top-seeded wrestler is in Group A of the six-wrestler bracket with Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) and Sudesh KUMARI (IND). Kagami was a junior world champion and U23 world silver medalist in 2019. Medet Kyzy was bronze at the same event.

The lower group has second seed Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), Ariunnjargal GANBAT (MGL) and Valentina TORENIYAZOVA (UZB).

The Kazakhstan wrestler would like to reach her first Asian Championships final after missing out on all of her previous attempts. She finished seventh in the 2019 edition. A 2018 U23 world bronze medalist Yerkebayeva is likely to reach the semifinal from this group.

A winner between Ganbat and Toreniyazova will be the other semifinalist from the group if Yerkebayeva wins all her bouts.

#WrestleAlexandria

#WrestleAlexandria Senior African Championships 2024 Preview

Thursday, March 14, 2024 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 13) -- At last year's African Championships, Nigeria entered finals in all 10 women's weight classes. Out of the 10, it won six gold medals and four silver medals.

Nigeria will look to better its performance from 2023 at the African Championships which will be held on March 18 and 19 in Alexandria, Egypt. The U17 and U20 African Championships will be held before the senior competition at the same venue.

After a two-day break, the African and Oceania OG Qualifiers will also be held in Alexandria, making the African Championships even more important as the countries participating in the first event will be eligible to participate in the qualifiers.

Nigeria will be led by world bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 57kg as she returns to competition for the first time since September. She had skipped last year's championships but a gold medal in Alexandria will earn her 10000 points. A win will ensure that Adekuoroye tops the 57kg rankings.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will defend her 68kg gold medal. Oborududu has failed to repeat her performances since winning that silver in Tokyo. However, she won the African title for a record 10th time last year.

The 65kg champion Khadija JLASSI (TUN) is now jumping up to 68kg and will look to challenge Oborududu in the new weight class.

At 50kg, Mercy GENESIS (NGR) is returning to defend her gold as is Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) at 53kg, Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 59kg and Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) at 72kg.

Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) finished with a silver medal at 62kg but with Marwa AMRI (TUN) moving into coaching, she will be the favorite to win the gold medal in Alexandria.

The 76kg weight class can throw some interesting match-ups as 72kg bronze medalist Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) has moved to the Olympic weight class. She will likely face Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) who won a silver medal at 76kg last year.

Yousiff HEMIDA (EGY) was African champion in 2022. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Freestyle

The six Olympic weight classes will see intense battles. 57kg champion Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) will be the favorite to win the gold medal but bronze medalist Khalil BARKOUTI (TUN) is returning.

The 65kg weight class will see a new champion as only bronze medalist Zohier IFTENE (ALG) is returning for the African Championships. But it will be difficult to count out Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY), Wotna NDOC (GBS), Yassine JAA (MAR), Sylvio DIATTA (SEN) and Mohamed BEN HAFSIA (TUN).

Last year's silver medalist Bacar NDUM (GBS) will start as the favorite at 74kg as Amr REDA (EGY) has decided to skip the championships for the qualifiers.

It will be a similar story in 86kg as only bronze medalist Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) is returning to upgrade his medal. The 2023 gold medalist Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) will be looking to qualify for Algeria later and he will be replaced by Oussama ABDELLAOUI (ALG) for the championships.

At 97kg, none of the 2023 medalists are entered and a new African champion will be crowned. Fares YAHI (ALG), Abdelrahman ABOUHEIBA (EGY) and Anas SAMIR (MAR) will fancy their chances for the same.

Egypt will be looking to keep the 125kg medal to itself and that responsibility will be on Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) who is replacing the gold medalist Diaaeldin KAMAL (EGY). However, silver medalist Hamza RAHMANI (TUN) hopes to change the color of his medal.

At 61kg, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) is returning to defend his gold medal while 79kg silver medalist Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) is entered as well.

U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) is the favorite at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

World bronze medalist and defending champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will be eyeing his eighth African Championships title as he enters the competition at 130kg. He has two African Games gold medals as well.

Mohamed has dominated the super heavyweight class for years in the continent and is likely to have smooth sailing to the gold again.

With most of Algeria's first team entered for the Olympic Qualifiers, Egypt has a huge chance to win gold medals in multiple weight classes. Last year, Egypt and Algeria shared five gold medals each in Greco-Roman.

At 60kg, Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) will look to defend his gold medal but 55kg champion Mohamed DRIDI (ALG) has jumped up a weight class to challenge Mahmoud. Also in the mix is Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE) who finished with a silver medal.

No medalists from last year are entered at 67kg, leaving the weight class open for a new champion. U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) will be the favorite to win the gold. He won a silver medal at the 2022 championships. Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) and Oussama NASR (TUN) can challenge Alameldin.

The 77kg will see returning champion Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) hoping to win a second straight gold medal. Algeria has entered Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) and a Freestyle bronze medalist last year Francisco KADIMA (ANG) is entered in Greco-Roman this year.

Haithem ISSAAD (ALG) and Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) are likely to wrestle for the gold medal at 87kg as most of the medalists have skipped this tour for the qualifiers.

At 97kg, Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) is challenging himself by moving up a weight class. He won a silver medal at 87kg last year and is entered in the new weight this year. But Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG) will be keen on getting a hand on the Egyptian. Bendjelloul has big shoes to fill as he has named the replacement for Bachir SID AZARA (ALG).

Algeria has Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG) as the returning champion at 72kg.

Asian Championships women's wrestling brackets

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#WrestleAlexandria Senior African Championships 2024 Preview