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

#WrestleTirana

U23 World Championships 2024: Best storylines in Tirana

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 14) -- The U23 World Championships will kick off in Tirana next Monday with 661 wrestlers participating. Not only some returning champions are entered, but a few Paris 2024 Olympic wrestlers are also participating in the October 21-27 tournament.

Iran, which missed the tournament last year, will hopefully be there for the U23 World Championships.

Here are a few top storylines to follow from Tirana

Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) is one of the favorites at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Freestyle

- The 61kg defending champion Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) will be the favorite for the gold medal. After winning the gold medal last year, Magomedov won the U23 European Championships this year. In the seven bouts in the two tournaments, Magomedov has won five bouts via technical superiorities. 

- Another returning champion is Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN), defending his 65kg gold medal. Last year, Ibragimov gave up only one point in the tournament over five bouts. He is likely to dominate this year too. However, former U20 world champion Mohit KUMAR (IND) will look to avenge the semifinal loss to Ibragimov. Kumar failed to medal and finished fifth.

Another U20 world champion coming to Tirana is Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). After winning the gold medal in Sofia in 2022, Jalolov is still trying to return to the top. He also suffered a back injury and recovery has been a tough road for him. He tried qualifying for the Paris Olympics but failed to do so. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) and Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) will be in the medal run as well.

- Perhaps the most competitive category, the 74kg weight class will see Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Ali REZAEI (IRI), Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN), Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) and Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) among other stars. The last three U20 world champions are entered. Gadzhiev won the U20 gold in 2022, Mesenbrink in 2023 and Rezaei in 2024. Takahashi is the senior Asian champion and Toktomabetov is the U23 Asian champion.

- Unbeaten at the international level Ibragim KADIEV (AIN) will start as the favorite win the gold medal at 86kg. Kadiev has two U20 world titles, including the 2024 edition. Former U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) will be hoping for a successful run at the U23 level. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), who won bronze last year and participated in the Paris Olympics is competing as well.

- Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) will be in Albania for his third U23 World Championships. He won bronze in 2021 and gold in 2022. He will be the favorite for the gold with Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (AIN) offering competition. Malachdibirov won the gold medal at the U20 World Championships this year.

- 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) continues his successful run at 97kg and will be competing for the U23 world title. He won the U20 World Championships gold in September and this will be his second U23 World Championships, having finishing fifth in 2022.

Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), a former world silver medalist, will be returning to international after more than a year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Women's Wrestling

- Defending champion at 50kg Umi ITO (JPN) will be in action after one year. Ito has been behind Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) domestically but has been a force at the international level. She is yet to lose a bout and has won U17, U20 and U23 world titles.

- The return of Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) will be a big news in Tirana. She last competed at the European Championships in 2023 and finished second. However, she has been nursing an injury for the last one year. She competed at the Valamar Cup and won the gold medal. But she will be test in Tirana as Paris Olympian and European champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) is also competing.

- Irina RINGACI (MDA) will look to defend the gold medal at 65kg. She will also look to put her disappointing campaign at the Paris Olympics where she finished 10th. This will be her fourth U23 World Championships, the first being in 2019. She has two bronze medals and one gold medal.

- Ami ISHII (JPN) will be hoping to win her second career world title. She won the U20 gold in 2022 but finished second at the senior level. She won the Paris Olympic quota for Japan but failed to win the playoff in Japan as Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) beat her. She will be competing at 68kg.

- Croatia's first-ever world champion in wrestling, Veronika VILK (CRO) will be competing at her first U23 World Championships. Volk created history in 2023 when she won the U17 World Championships gold medal, becoming first wrestling world champion in Croatian history.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in June. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

- The only Paris Olympic medalist competing in Tirana is Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN). The bronze medalist at 87kg will be in Tirana hoping to win his first world title at any level. He will be in a strong field with U23 world champion at 82kg Aues GONIBOV (AIN) moving up to 87kg. Former U20 world champion Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM), Joju SAMADOV (AZE),  Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), Yasin Ali YAZDI (IRI), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) also competing.

- The 130kg weight class may throw some interesting competition. Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), who defeated Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in Budapest in June, will be the favorite to win the gold medal. However, Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), who defeated Hedayati in the 2022 U20 World Championships final, is also competing. Last year, Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) won the gold medal at 97kg but is moving up to 130kg, a weight class he won a Paris Olympic quota as well. Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) will also be a big medal threat.