#WrestleDortmund

Chudyk Leads as Ukraine Captures Three Gold at #WrestleDortmund

Thursday, July 1, 2021 - 14:35 By Vinay Siwach

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DORTMUND, Germany (July 1) --- Ukraine women made a stunning start to their campaign at the junior European Championships in Dortmund, Germany as they won five medals on Thursday. After entering four in the finals and one in the bronze medal bout, three returned with gold, one with silver and remaining one with a bronze medal.

Five women's weight categories – 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg -- had their medal bouts Thursday at the Helmut-Körnig Halle which is out of bounds for the spectators.

Led by U23 European champion Oksana CHUDYK (UKR), Ukraine's gold rush took them to top spot in the title race. They have 110 points, 30 more than second place Russia.

Chudyk began from where she had left at the U23 Euros in Skopje, North Macedonia in May. Over her three bouts in Dortmund, she gave up only one point, outscoring her opponents 22-1. In the final against local wrestler Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), Chudyk started on a slow note with no wrestler breaking the tie for the first minute.

But once the Ukrainian found an opening, she scored via snap downs and counters, leading 4-0 at the break. Schaegle tried to lunge and reach for Chudyk's leg on multiple occasions but the latter was smart enough to keep the distance. The lead had doubled to 8-0 with 34 seconds to go in the bout and she finished with a takedown on the edge to win 10-0.

The two-time cadet world bronze medalist added to her cadet European and junior European title which she had won in 2018.

Aleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) df Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)Aleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) celebrates after beating Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) in the 55kg final in Dortmund. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another cadet world medalist and European champion Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR) captured the gold medal at the 59kg weight class. Leskovets, a silver medal at the 2019 cadet Worlds, had to work hard for the gold against Anna SZEL (HUN), also a silver medalist at cadet Worlds in 2018.

Szel looked set for her first junior Euro title as she led 4-2 going into the final minute of the bout. She won the first point for Leskovets' passivity and then a double leg along with a warning for the Ukrainian made it 4-2. But Leskovets kept the pressure up and got a takedown before exposing Szel with a bent leg turk to make it 6-4.

She held on to that lead till the end of the time to win the gold medal. Szel was visibly dejected having given up the lead in the final minute and finish with a silver for the second time at the junior continental event.

The hat-trick of gold included a stunning pin from Aleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) in the 55kg final against Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN). This was the first of the two Ukraine-Hungary finals.

Khomenets had a dominant run in Dortmund as she won her two bouts via fall and the semifinal against Anastasia IANDUSHKINA (RUS) 10-0 before pinning the Hungarian.

Ukraine could have had their fourth gold medal but 2020 Individual World Cup silver medalist Liliya MALANCHUK (UKR) suffered a defeat at the hands of Polina LUKINA (RUS) in just two minutes.

Polina LUKINA (RUS) df Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)Polina LUKINA (RUS) celebrates after winning 50kg gold medal in Dortmund. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Silver medalist at the 2018 cadet World Championships, Lukina countered a Malanchuk attack to get a takedown and then exposed her to lead 4-2, having given up a double leg early in the bout. But her moment came when she got the Ukrainian in a fix close to the danger zone and after a long struggle managed to pin her back to the mat.

Malanchuk had a dream run as she won her bouts without given up a point. She won two bout via technical superiority and one via fall before suffering the defeat in the final.

The final gold medal of the day was captured by Melisa SARITAC (TUR) as she hammered Daniela TKACHUK (POL) 11-0 in the 76kg final.

While the Polish wrestler tried hard to get her attacks going, she was outpowered by Saritac with the difference in strength given the Turkish wrestler the advantage.

All the points scored by Saritac were on counter attacks. She got five different takedowns in the bout plus a point for Poland's lost challenge.

The Ukrainian at this weight, Maria ORLEVICH (UKR) defeated Carla LERA CELDA (ESP) to win the bronze medal, ending a five-out-of-five day for her country.

Ukraine will look to maintain their perfect record on Friday as the remaining five of their wrestlers entered the finals, confirming atleast a silver medal.

Wrestling will continue with Greco-Roman action beginning in five weight categories apart from the women's wrestling medal bouts in Dortmund.

European Championships Junior DortmundMelisa SARITAC (TUR) won the gold medal at 76kg in Dortmund. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

RESULTS WW

50kg
GOLD: Polina LUKINA (RUS) df Liliya MALANCHUK (UKR), via fall

BRONZE: Georgiana ANTUCA (ROU) df Gabija DILYTE (LTU), 5-2
BRONZE: Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) df Natallia VARAKINA (TUR), 5-0

55kg
GOLD: Aleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) df Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), via fall

BRONZE: Anastasia IANDUSHKINA (RUS) df Elena IONESCU (ROU), via fall
BRONZE: Melda DERNEKCI (TUR) df Viktoryia VOLK (BLR), 12-1

59kg
GOLD: Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR) df Anna SZEL (HUN), 6-4

BRONZE: Anastasia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS) df Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR), 10-0
BRONZE: Aleksandra WITOS (POL) df Agnes NYGREN (SWE), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Oksana CHUDYK (UKR) df Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), 10-0

BRONZE: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) df Nesrin BAS (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Alina MIKLASHEUSKAYA (BLR) df Patrycja SLOMSKA (POL), 3-3

76kg
GOLD: Melisa SARITAC (TUR) df Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Maria ORLEVYCH (UKR) df Carla LERA CELDA (ESP), via fall
BRONZE: Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR) df Maria SILINA (RUS), 5-2

#WrestleParis

Women's Wrestling at Olympics: 20 years strong

Monday, July 8, 2024 - 15:09 By United World Wrestling Press

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PARIS (July 8) -- Inside an academy located in the middle of a farm at a village in Haryana, the northern Indian state that’s the country’s wrestling capital, a bunch of teenage girls had scribbled the name of their hero on a wall – Helen MAROULIS (USA).

When women’s wrestling made its Olympic debut, some of these girls were not even born. There were no roads leading up to the academy where they trained until a few years ago — the best way to reach the academy was on foot from the nearest highway exit point roughly a couple of miles away. And internet connectivity was patchy at best.

Yet, the story of Maroulis’s dominance had traveled to this far-flung village and became a part of the folklore. Few stories illustrate better the impact and the reach of women’s wrestling.

In less than three weeks, the eyes of the entire sporting – and wider – world will be fixed on Paris when the Olympic Games get underway. On the mat at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars, more stories of inspiration will unfold, paving the way for many young wrestlers to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

At the Paris Olympics, women's wrestling will celebrate its 20th year of being at the Games. Back in 2004, when it was included in Athens, there were only four categories. In Paris, as was the case in Tokyo, there will be six — the same as Freestyle and Greco-Roman.

The 2024 Games will also be significant for the officials. As many as 11 female referees will be part of the officials. Back in 1988, it was only one.

AthensWomen's Wrestling at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Wrestling at the Paris Olympics will also be a symbolic occasion given the key role France played in the evolution of the women’s game. It was at Pas-de-Calais where women’s wrestling took one of its first steps. A club in Calonne-Ricouart was the first to open its doors to women in 1971.

From this tiny space in a region roughly three hours from Paris, women’s wrestling spread in other parts of France before it became a popular activity in the rest of the world.

The seeds that were sown in France have blossomed in countries across the world. As women’s wrestling traveled to Beijing, London, Tokyo and now arrives in Paris – following the journey that began in Athens – it left behind immaculate footprints for young, aspiring children to follow.

Tayla FORD (NZL)Tayla FORD (NZL) is the first wrestler from New Zealand who will compete at the Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Next month, when the competition gets underway in the French capital, history will be in the offing as Tayla FORD (NZL) will become the first female wrestler from her country to make it to the Olympics.

Ford’s story is one of sheer perseverance, not just hers but even of those around the wrestler. Her father, a high school wrestler, got Ford into wrestling after it was included in the Olympics programme. He had a mat installed in their garage and every day, the father and daughter trained.

In a way, Ford’s story is similar to the wrestlers from the Olympic women’s wrestling’s undisputed powerhouse, Japan.

The queen of wrestling, Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), began her journey in the same way. Before she went on to win every title there was to win – three Olympic gold medals, 13 World Championship titles, four Asian Games and Asian Championship gold medals each – Yoshida learnt the art at home.

Her father built a dojo at home where Yoshida, began to wrestle before she could even run properly. The rest, as they say, is history. The rise of Kaori ICHO (JPN), who went 13 years without a loss, followed a similar arc. And so do the stories of the other Japanese women, from Risako KAWAI to Yui SUSAKI.

Not to forget Icho, who won four gold medals at the Olympics, becoming the first Olympic athlete to win four golds in the same individual sport.

In Athens 20 years ago, Japan won only 2 gold medals. Since then, they have won 13. This level of dominance is rare to see in any sport. One of the few countries that’s consistently come close to challenging Japan’s dominance, and been a thorn in their flesh when it comes to a clean sweep of gold medals, is the USA.

Remarkably, the USA did not even compete at the World Championships until 1989, two years after the first edition for women took place. But once they landed on the scene, they took everyone by storm.

Afsoon JOHNSTON (USA) – who won a bronze medal – Asia DEWEESE (silver) and Leia KAWAII (silver) finished on the podium in 1989 and became sort of the pioneers of women’s wrestling in the US. Since then, there hasn’t been a time when the athletes from the Olympic powerhouse haven’t been among the medals.

The rise of women’s wrestling in the US is also a fascinating story, with nearly 50,000 girls competing in high school championships last year. Those young girls saw the wrestling stars from the country on television and decided to tread the same path they’d chosen.

A major reason for the surge in popularity in the US has been wrestlers like Maroulis. Her gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 – the first American woman to achieve that feat – is seen as one of the big milestones that gave the sport a massive push.

Maroulis’s feat didn’t just inspire children in the US. The story traveled the world over, including a remote village in India. If anything, it showcased the sport’s transcending influence.