Military C'Ships

China Claims 4 Women’s Wrestling Golds at world Military C’Ships

By Ali Feizasa

MOSCOW (May 21) -- China women wrestling team captured four gold medals to win team title at 2018 World Military Championships in Moscow.

China grabbed 4 gold, 3 silver and one bronze medals to claim team title with 185 points, followed by Mongolia 141 points and Kazakhstan 104.

The first gold medal went to China as Yuyan LI beat Nargiz IKRAMOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0.

Two time European bronze medal winner, Nina HEMMER gave gold medal to Germany, defeating defending military world champion Rong LIAO (CHN), 6-6 in 53kg finale.

Two time world bronze medal winner, Myong Suk JONG (PRK) downed Nadzeya SHUSHKO (BLR), 7-1 to win 55kg gold medal.

Hui LI (CHN) hat tricked in world military championships by defeating  JO Hwa YON (PRK), 6-5 in 57 kg final match to achieve his third consecutive gold medal.

Hyon GYONG MUN gave the second gold to North Korea as she succeed to earn a victory by FALL against Jing JIANG (CHN) in 59kg.

2014 world bronze medal winner and former European champion,  Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR) downed Nunes De OLIVEIRA LAIS (BRA), 7-0 to win 62kg gold medal.

Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE) defeated Enhbayar TSEVEGMED (MGL) by FALL in 65kg final.

In 68kg, Chunying WANG (CHN) changed her last two year’s silver medals to gold by 8-2 victory against DAVAANASAN (MGL).

2017 world bronze medal winner and U23 world champion, Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) placed first in 72kg earning tech fall 11-0 victory over Mengjie ZHU (CHN).

Juan WANG achieved fourth gold medal for China. WANG downed Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 9-2 in 76kg bout.

2018 World Military Women wrestling team standing:

1- China 185 pts (4 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)
2- Mongolia 141 pts (2 silver, 3 bronze)
3- Kazakhstan 104 pts (2 silver, 2 bronze)
4- Belarus 86 pts (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
5- North Korea 74 pts (2 gold, 1 silver)

Results

50kg (9 wrestlers)
GOLD- Yuyan LI (CHN) df. Nargiz IKRAMOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Sona TUMARKHANOVA (AZE) df. N. AZJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 12-1
BRONZE- Valeriia CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) df. Jaqueline SCHELLIN (GER), 3-1

53kg (6 wrestlers)
GOLD- Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Rong LIAO (CHN), 6-6
BRONZE- Milana DADASHEV (RUS) df. G. OTGONJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 14-4

55kg (7 wrestlers)
GOLD- Myong Suk JONG (PRK) df. Nadzeya SHUSHKO (BLR), 7-1
BRONZE- Jingjing LI (CHN) df. B. BOMOREFDENE (MGL) by FALL

57kg (4 wrestlers)
GOLD- Hui LI (CHN) df. Jo Hwa YON (PRK), 6-5
BRONZE- Emma TISSINA (KAZ) df. E. LKHAVADULA (MGL), 3-1

59kg (6 wrestlers)
GOLD- Hyon GYONG MUN (PRK) df. Jing JIANG (CHN) by FALL
BRONZE- Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) df. Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) by FALL

62kg (5 wrestlers)
GOLD- Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR) df. Nunes De OLIVEIRA LAIS (BRA), 7-0
BRONZE- S. TSERENCHIMED (MGL) df. Nazira AMANZHOLOVA (KAZ) by TF, 12-2

65kg (4 wrestlers)
GOLD- Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE) df. E. TSEVEGMED (MGL) by FALL
BRONZE- Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ) df. Liping JIA (CHN) by FALL

68kg (3 wrestlers)
GOLD- Chunying WANG (CHN) df. E. DAVAANASAN (MGL), 8-2

72kg (3 wrestlers)
GOLD- Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Mengjie ZHU (CHN) by TF, 11-0

76KG (8 wrestlers)
GOLD- Juan WANG (CHN) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 9-2
BRONZE- Epp MAE (EST) df. Cynthia VESCAN (FRA), 3-0
BRONZE- B. ODONCHIMEG (MGL) df. Hanna MASLAKOVA (BLR), 8-3

#WrestleIstanbul

Stars to follow in Women's Wrestling at World Qualifier

By Vinay Siwach

ISTANBUL, Türkiye (May 6) -- Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has endured quite a few heartbreaks in her 16-year-long career. The most recent was her fall against Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the final five seconds of the match. A win would have confirmed a fifth trip to the Olympics for her.

The four-time Olympic medalist will now be in Istanbul for the World OG Qualifier -- the last chance -- in a bid to earn a Paris 2024 quota. It will also put her one step closer to winning an unprecedented fifth Olympic medal, a feat no one has achieved in wrestling.

But Stadnik isn't the only one with so much to fight for in Istanbul.

Two-time European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) was also seconds away from earning a spot for Paris when Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) scored a takedown to beat her. Hrushyna missed the Tokyo flight after suffering an injury two months before the Games.

Now, she will be in Istanbul along with Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) who is not yet qualified at 57kg. Both will compete for the three spots available along with other top wrestlers like Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), Giullia PENALBER (BRA), Aurora RUSSO (ITA), Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

In each Olympic weight class, the winner of the semifinals will earn a berth for the Paris Games for their respective countries. The third spot will be earned by the winner of the playoff between the two bronze medalists of the weight class.

This provides an extra opportunity to the wrestler who lost to the two best wrestlers of their respective weight classes. The repechage, bronze-medal bouts and the playoff will be held the next day.

China, which managed three quotas at the Asian OG Qualifier, will be hoping to claim all six spots for Paris as Jia LONG (CHN) and Feng ZHOU (CHN) compete in the 62kg and 68kg respectively.

Ziqi FENG (CHN), Qianyu PANG (CHN), Kexin HONG (CHN) and Juan WANG (CHN) clinched the 50kg, 53kg, 57kg and 76kg spots with the last three coming at the Asian OG Qualifier in Bishkek last month.

For Long, who was in Tokyo, the field at 62kg will be strong. Veranika IVANOVA (AIN), Lais NUNES (BRA), MANSI (IND), Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA), Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and Nesrin BAS (TUR) are a few wrestlers who can trouble Long.

Bas is an interesting choice by Turkiye as she regularly competes in the 72kg weight class. She was a U23 world champion in the same. But with the 68kg qualification by world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) and 76kg by European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), Bas decided to move down.

At 68kg, Feng will have to raise her game if she wants to represent China in Paris. The weight has 23 wrestlers including the likes of Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), Linda MORAIS (CAN), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), NISHA (IND) and Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU).

Hristova would be doubly motivated to win a quota in Istanbul after she missed it in Baku. Leading 8-0 against Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in the quarterfinal, she got put on the mat by Skobelska and the Ukrainian secured a fall, leaving Hristova heartbroken.

A few European stars have not managed to earn a Paris spot at 53kg. Two-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) will be a strong contender to claim one of the three spots at 53kg.

Annika WENDLE (GER), Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN), Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) will be fighting it out for the quotas as well.

Karla GODINEZ (CAN), the favorite at the Pan-Am OG Qualifier, suffered a loss and failed to qualify Canada. But she will be in Istanbul to earn that spot and join her sister Ana who qualified at 62kg. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) will be a strong contender as well.

Among the big names at 76kg, Martina KUENZ (AUT), Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN), Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), Samar HAMZA (EGY), Epp MAE (EST), Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) and Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) are taking the trip to Istanbul.

Despite all the stars assembling in Istanbul, Stadnik will be the center of attraction. How does a 36-year-old bounce back from her first-ever loss in Europe? Is she still good enough to compete against some of the best in the world? Is she a medal threat for Paris 2024?

A win in Istanbul will answer those questions.