U23 World C'ships

Demirhan Wins on Criteria, Japan Collects Six Gold Medals on the Weekend

By Taylor Miller

BYDOGSZCZ, Poland – The women’s freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships wrapped up today with three different nations winning gold medals on Friday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) trailed at the break, 2-0, in the 48 kg finals against Senior Asian Championships gold medalist Ritu RITU (IND).

Senior World bronze medalist Demirhan took over the lead, 4-2, on a takedown and caution and two. Ritu scored a takedown in the final five seconds, but it was not enough as she lost on criteria, due to the caution, 4-4.

It was Demirhan’s fifth World medal and first gold.

At 69 kg, fellow 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won her third World gold at three different age-group levels, defeating Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2016 Cadet Asian champion, with a 4-0 shutout.

Japan picked up their fifth and sixth gold medals of the women’s tournament with Miho IGARASHI (JPN) winning at 53 kg and Yui SAKANO (JPN) claiming victory at 60 kg.

Igarashi defeated Qi Zhang with a 12-2 technical fall en route to her fourth World gold medal, while Sakano won her second World title with a 7-3 decision over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR).

Overall, Japan took home six gold medals, one silver medal and the team title.

The last leg of the U23 World Championships, men’s freestyle, begins Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. ET).

Finals results
48 kg
Gold - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) dec. Ritu RITU (IND), 4-4
Bronze - Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) dec. Rina OKUNO (JPN), 4-4
Bronze - Jiang ZHU (CHN) tech. fall Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL), 10-0

53 kg
Gold - Miho IGARASHI (JPN) tech. fall Qi ZHANG (CHN), 12-2
Bronze - Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) dec. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR), 2-1
Bronze - Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) dec. Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA), 7-6

60 kg
Gold - Yui SAKANO (JPN) dec. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 7-3
Bronze - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) dec. Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR), 8-3
Bronze - Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) dec. Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA), 13-11

69 kg
Gold - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) dec. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 4-0
Bronze - Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) fall Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), 4:40
Bronze - Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) dec. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 4-2

 

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Greco-Roman Brackets, Live Streaming

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (April 19) -- The European Championships will kick off on April 20 in at the Feti Borova Olympic Park arena.

Five Greco-Roman weight classes will in action on Monday -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, and 130kg. The qualification rounds for all five weight classes will begin at 10:30 hours local time in Tirana. The semifinals will be begin at 18:00 hours.

UWW Plus

Full schedule for European Championships 2026

The brackets for the Greco-Roman were released Sunday. Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will take first steps towards breaking Aleksandr KARELIN's long-standing record of 12 European Championships gold medals when he steps on the mat for his 130kg match.

World champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) will be aiming for his fifth European title at 77kg. Amoyan has four European titles at 77kg and one at 72kg.

European Championships 2026 Live Streaming: UWW+

Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) will be in action at 87kg along with world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), Olympic bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), Alan OSTAEV (UWW), and Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR).

World champion at 55kg Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) will be aiming for his first European title. Defending champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will be at 63kg.

Click here for full European Championships 2026 Preview

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