#DanKolov2019

Dan Kolov Women's Wrestling Preview

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 19:31 By Eric Olanowski

RUSE, Bulgaria (February 27) - Reigning world champions Petra OLLI (FIN), RONG Ningning (CHN), and Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) will wrestle at this week’s Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

In addition to the three reigning world champions, there will be seven defending Dan Kolov gold medalists and 25 women who are ranked inside the top-15 that'll be competing for the all-important Ranking Series points.

Deepest Weight Class: 57kg
Without a doubt, the most loaded weight class of the tournament is 57kg. This weight features three of the four Budapest world medalists, including China's Rong Ningning and Bulgaria's Bilyana DUDOVA. The two wrestled each other for the Budapest gold medal, where Rong was victorious, 3-3, on criteria.

Rong earned the top-spot in Budapest and collected the No.1-ranking at 57kg with her 60 Ranking Series points. Dudova’s runner-up finish at the 2018 world championships gave her 50 Ranking Series points, which are good enough for the second ranking. India’s Pooja DHANDA (IND) is the third and final returning 57kg medalist entered at this weight. Dhanda is ranked No. 5 in the world and has 25 Ranking Series points.

In total, five top-10 wrestlers will compete at 57kg, with Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) rounding out the ranked competitors.

Bullen jumped into the third spot in the world rankings with her 30 Ranking Series points after her fifth-place finish at worlds and bronze-medal finish at the Ivan Yariguin.

Though it didn’t count towards her Ranking Series points, Bullen does have a recent win over defending world champion Rong. Bullen used a last-second takedown to knock off Rong in the U23 finals to win her first world title. This win came just over a month after the 2018 Budapest World Championships.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Ningning RONG (CHN)
No. 2 Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
No. 3 Grace BULLEN (NOR)
No. 5 Pooja DHANDA (IND)
No. 6 Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)

Yusein Looking for Back-To-Back Kolov Titles
After a tumultuous 13th-place finish at the Ivan Yariguin, reigning 62kg world champion Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) used the 2018 Dan Kolov as a turning point in her season. That 3-3 quarterfinal round loss to Russia’s Inna TRAZHUKOVA at the Ivan Yariguin sparked something inside of the Bulgarian that ignited one of the most impressive runs in the world across all divisions.

After that January defeat, Yusein didn’t drop another match and went on to have gold-medal performances at the Yasar Dogu, the Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial and, the world championships.

Yusein is the No.1 ranked wrestler in the world at 62kg and has 60 Ranking Series points.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
No. 4 Mallory Maxine VELTE (USA)
No. 5 Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR)
No. 11 Malin MATTSSON (SWE)

Olli One of Three World Champions Entered
Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) is one of the three defending world champions that’ll be wrestling in Ruse. Olli defeated Canada’s Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 6-5, in the 65kg world-title bout to become Finland’s first-ever women’s wrestling world champion.

Olli will wrestle at 65kg where she’s the No.1 ranked wrestler in the world. She brings 60 Ranking Series points into the Dan Kolov.

The only ranked opponent she could face this weekend is third-ranked Forrest MOLINARI (USA). Molinari, who’s ranked third in the world, lost in the bronze-medal match at the 2018 world championships and 2019 Ivan Yariguin. She has 28 Ranking Series points.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN)
No. 3 Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)

Pair of Returning Champions Entered at 53kg and 68kg
Two weight classes feature a total of four defending Dan Kolov champions. They are 53kg and 68kg.

Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) and Roksana ZASINA (POL) won the 53kg and 55kg Dan Kolov titles respectively last season – but only one will have the opportunity to win the 53kg title.

Krawczyk was Poland’s world team representative at 53kg in 2018, but Zasina will be dropping back down to 53kg where she’s welcomed the most success of her career. While at 53kg, Zasina finished with a bronze medal at the world championships– the only one of her career.

Meanwhile, Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL) also won a pair of Kolov titles last year and find themselves in the same weight. Hanzlickova and Wieszczek Kordus will compete at 68kg.

Hanzlickova will be moving up from her 2018 championship weight of 65kg, while Wieszczek Kordus will be stepping down from her 72kg Kolov title-winning weight.

Ranked Wrestlers at 53kg
No. 2 Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
No. 3 Qianyu PANG (CHN)
No. 6 Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)

Ranked Wrestlers at 68kg
No. 4 Feng ZHOU (CHN)
No. 5 Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)

Two World Finalists Entered at 55kg and 76kg
There are two world finalists that are entered at 55kg and 76kg.

Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) and Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) are the only two ranked wrestlers competing at 55kg, and they're the only two wrestlers who’ve previously reached a world final.

SIdakova is coming off her first world finals appearance where she fell short against Japan’s Mayu Mukaida, while Mattsson has reached the world finals five times. The Swedish wrestler captured the 2009 world title but dropped her other four world finals matches.

SIdakova holds 40 Rankings Series points and is the second-ranked wrestler in the world at 55kg. Mattsson, who left Budapest with a seventh-place finish, is ranked No. 7 in the world with 18 Ranking Series points.

The second weight class that’ll feature a pair of past world finalists is 76kg.

Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) and Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) fell short in the world finals two seasons ago but failed to medal at last year’s world championships.

Focken won two matches before falling to the eventual third-place finisher and Rio Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) in the quarterfinals and had settled for eighth place. The German wrestler bounced back at the Ivan Yariguin and won the bronze medal, helping her take control of the third spot in the world ranking with 28 Ranking Series points

After a silver-medal finish in Paris, Marzaliuk lost her first match in Budapest to Hungary’s Zsanett NEMETH and dropped down to 14th place. The tenth-ranked Belarusian wrestler rebounded at the Ivan Yariguin and collected 14 Ranking Series after a second-place finish.

Ranked Wrestlers at 55kg
No. 2 Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR)
No. 7 Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)

Ranked Wrestlers at 76kg
No. 5 Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
No. 10 Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)

Sun Looking for Second Gold of the Year
China’s Rio Olympic and 2018 world bronze medalist Yanan SUN (CHN) will make her second appearance of the year. Last weekend, she wrestled her way to a 50kg Klippan Lady Open title in Sweden.

The Chinese star is the highest ranked 50kg wrestler that’s entered into the Dan Kolov. She owns 25 Ranking Series points and is ranked third in the world behind Japan’s two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI and two-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE).

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Yanan SUN (CHN)
No. 8 Fredrika PETERSSON
No. 13 Victoria ANTHONY
No. 14 Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA

Ranking Series Point Structure (Placement Points + Entry Points = Total Points)

Placement Points
GOLD - 8 points
SILVER - 6 points
BRONZE - 4 points
BRONZE - 4 points
Fifth - 2 points
Fifth - 2 points

Entry Points
10 or less entries - 6 points
11-20 entries - 8 points
20 or more entries - 10 points

SCHEDULE

February 27 (Wednesday)
16:30 - Draw - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

February 28 (Thursday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR (+2 kg) - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
10:00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16:00 - Draw - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR-87 ,97, 130; WW - 62 ,68 ,76kg
16:30 - Opening ceremony
17:00 - Semifinals FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 1 (Friday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
8: 30 - Weigh-in 2 FS - 61,70,79, 92 kg; GR (+ 2 kg) - 55,63,72,82 kg; WW - 55,59,65, 72 kg Referee meeting
10: 00 - Elimination rounds FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76 kg
10: 00 - Repechages FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16: 30 - Draw - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
17: 00 - Semi-finals FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
18:00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 61,70,79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 2 (Satuday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
8:30: - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
10: 00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
10:00 - Repechages - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
17:00 - Semifinals - FS 86, 97, 125kg;GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
18: 00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg

March 3 (Sunday)
8:00 - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Repechages - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW announces 2024 Hall of Fame inductees

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 - 10:07 By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (July 31) -- In his earlier life, Steeve GUENOT (FRA) was a railwayman. He juggled his day job with his passion, wrestling, which led him to the Olympics.

There, on the biggest stage of all in Beijing 16 years ago, the Frenchman scripted history—winning a gold medal to end his country's 80-plus-year drought of producing an Olympic champion wrestler. That moment changed his life, and Guenot went on to inspire a generation of wrestlers.

For his path-breaking achievements on the mat and his restoration of belief in an entire nation, the French hero was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame days before the Paris Olympics were declared open.

The Beijing Games gold medallist, who also won a bronze at London 2012 and a bronze medal in the 2007 World Championship, was among the three wrestlers included in this year's list. The other two were freestyle legend Mavlet BATIROV (RUS) and Canadian trailblazer Tonya VERBEEK (CAN).

Additionally, referee Vassilis PAGONIS (GRE) and legendary Armenian coach Levon JULFALAKYAN (ARM), too, were accorded the prestigious honor this year.

The Hall of Famers are permanently recognized on UWW's website, at the organization's headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland, and in the international wing of the USA Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Mavlet BATIROV (RUS) is a two-time Olympic champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

A 66kg category Greco-Roman champion, Guenot was born to a family of wrestlers in 1985. Both his parents were involved in the sport, and his siblings were, too. Like him, Guenot’s brother Christophe is an Olympic medallist. But no one scaled the heights that Guenot did.

France hadn't won an Olympic gold medal in wrestling since the 1936 Games when Emile Poilve finished on top of the podium.

Guenot broke that hoodoo and went on to win a lot more. After a highly successful playing career, he moved to coaching and was involved in grooming young wrestlers at his club in Dijon, something he has done to date.

Joining him on the list of honors is a Russian legend whose name is synonymous with excellence. One of the true greats of the sport, Batirov won admirers all over the world with his gritty wrestling style. He was one of the most dominant wrestlers in the noughts, particularly in the 55kg men's freestyle category, before he moved to 60 kg due to weight class adjustment.

Born in 1983, Batirov’s first big moment came in 2004, when he won the gold medal in the 55 kg category at the Athens Olympics. He went on to win his second Olympic gold medal four years later while competing in the 60 kg category and during that four-year cycle, he won the world title as well as a world championship bronze at 60kg.

These results, combined with multiple European championship medals, sealed his status as one of the finest wrestlers to ever step on the mat. After he retired from the sport, Batirov gave back to it by mentoring and coaching young wrestlers and sharing his deep insights into the game with them.

Tonya VERBEEK (CAN) was the head coach of the Canadian national team. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Like Guenot and Batirov, Verbeek too has had an outsized influence on the sport, especially in her country.

After the Ontario native picked the sport as a schoolgirl at age 11, Verbeek reportedly remained undefeated throughout her career as a school-level wrestler. She nearly mirrored that level of success as a senior in international wrestling.

Despite the total dominance of Japanese wrestlers, Verbeek carved out a niche for herself with her fearless style of play. She was the first Canadian woman to win a wrestling medal at the Athens Games, a silver, went on to add a bronze to her collection four years later in Beijing and completed the hattrick of medals by clinching the silver medal at the London Olympics. Apart from these, she has multiple worlds, Pan-Am and Commonwealth Games medals.

After retiring, Veerbek would break more barriers, becoming the head coach of both the men's and women's Canada teams. She currently coaches the women's program at the University of Iowa.

Armenia coach Levon JULFALAKYAN (ARM) inducted into UWW Hall of Fame. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

While all these wrestlers across the three events are legends in their own right, few actually come close to doing what Julfalakyan did.

As a wrestler, he has won it all -- Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and European Championship gold. His Olympic title in 1988 was a great exhibition of his art, as he won all his bouts in a one-sided manner to romp through the field and win the gold.

After he hung his boots, Julfalakyan turned to coaching. The academy where he coached turned into a conveyor belt of talented wrestlers. He has produced an Olympic champion, and multiple Olympic silver bronze medallists, as well as seven world and 14 European champions.

His elder son, Arsen, went on to win a silver medal at the London Olympics. In 2011, Julfalakyan was also feted at home after the country's government released postage stamps in his honor.

Vassolos PAGONIS, referee. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Last but not least, referee Pagonis has also been included in the Hall of Fame. The Greek referee has officiated in five Olympics, 20 World Championships, and 25 European Championships. At the 1996 Olympics, Pagonis was feted with a Golden Whistle award.

Dan Kolov Women's Wrestling Preview

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UWW announces 2024 Hall of Fame inductees