#UWWAwards

End of the year women's wrestling rankings

By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (November 9) -- With the ranking season coming to an end with the World Championships in Belgrade, wrestlers managed to shift their rankings based on points solely earned in 2022.

The performances at the senior world and continental championships, four ranking series events and select Games, wrestlers with the highest participating and medals were rewarded at the end of the year.

Here are the new rankings after the senior World Championships with points from 2022 tournaments only.

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) finished at the top at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

50kg
1. Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) - $5000
2. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) - $3000
3. Anna LUKASIAK (POL) - $2000

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) takes the top spot at 50kg with her silver medal at the World Championships. In 2022, the Mongolian also has bronze medals at two ranking series events. The three medals earned her 52400 points.

She has 400 more than world bronze medalist Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) who is ranked second in the world for her medals at World Championships, Pan-Am Championships and the ranking series event in Tunis.

Hildebrandt got 13000 points for her Pan-Am gold, 8000 points for Zouhaier Sghaier and 31000 points for the bronze at Worlds. However, Dolgorjav earned 10200 and 5200 points for bronze medals at Yasar Dogu and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup respectively. Her biggest collection was from the Worlds as the silver medal was worth 37000 points, taking her ahead of Hildebrandt.

The third spot goes to Anna LUKASIAK (POL), the second bronze medalist from the World Championships. The 31000 points along with the 6500 points from European Championships, 7800 points from Yasar Dogu and 5200 points from Matteo Pellicone.

World champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) comes in at fourth with 45000 points, all collected for her gold in Belgrade. She only participated in one event in 2022.

Dominique PARRISH (USA)Dominique PARRISH (USA) became the world champion at 53kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

53kg
1. Dominique PARRISH (USA) - $5000
2. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) - $3000
3. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) - $2000

Dominique PARRISH (USA) not only became the world champion in her first apperance, she will end the season as the top ranked wrestler at 53kg, pocketing $5000 for her achievement.

Participating in four events that offered ranking points, Parrish began with the Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, winning bronze for 10200 points. She then added the Pan-Am title to her collection for another 13000 points. She did not win a medal at the Zouhaier Sghaier Cup but still got 4640 points. In September, her run to the gold at World Championships clinched the top rank for her with 45000 points.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) never came close to beating Parrish for the number one spot and finished second. She began the season with silver at the European Championships to earn 8000 points before winning the gold at the Mediterranean Games for another 8000 points. It was her bronze at the World Championships that earned her 31000 points, taking her tally to 47000 points.

Two silver medals in 2022 were enough for Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) to earn 45000 points and the third spot. She won her first silver at the Asian Championships for 8000 points before finishing with similar color at the World Championships for 37000 points.

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) defeated Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) in the 55kg final at World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg
1. Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) - $5000
2. Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) - $3000
3. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) - $2000

It could not have got any closer than this. Both Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) and Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) finished with 45000 points but it was the former's gold at the World Championships which helped her outrank Khomenets who won the silver in Belgrade.

All of Shidochi's points came from the World Championships while Khomenets earned 37000 points for her silver. The other 8000 points are for the silver medal she won at the European Championships.

At third comes Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) who fell short of the top rank by only 1000 points. Finishing with 44000 points, Winchester earned them in three different events in 2022. Her first was in Istanbul where she won gold for 11000 points before silver at the Pan-Am Championships for 8000 points.

She finished fifth at the World Championships with an injured knee but still managed 25000 points to reach the third spot in rankings.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) became the 57kg world champion to claim the top spot. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

57kg
1. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) - $5000
2. Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) - $3000
3. Anhelina LYSAK (POL) - $2000

World and Asian champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) clinched the top spot with her two gold medals of 2022. She received 10000 points for gold in Mongolia and then 45000 when she became the world champion at 57kg over Helen MAROULIS (USA).

Finishing second at 57kg is Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) with 49000 points. She won gold medals at the European Championships and Matteo Pellicone for a combined 18000 points. In September, she added a world bronze to her name for 31000 points and the second spot in the rankings.

Another world bronze medalist, Anhelina LYSAK (POL), finished third with 45000 points. Her bronze in Belgrade was the only medal of 2022 but she finished fifth in Istanbul and the European Championships which helped her with 14000 points. She got 9000 points for Yasar Dogu event and 5000 points for the Euros. 31000 points were added when she won the bronze at the Worlds.

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) finished ranked one at 59kg after winning the gold at World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

59kg
1. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) - $5000
2. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) - $3000
3. Grace BULLEN (NOR) - $2000

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) may have been around for long but she won her first senior world title in Belgrade. Her three gold medals in 2022 cleared her path to be the top wrestler at 59kg with 64000 points. She got 45000 points for the gold medal in Belgrade adding to her 10000 points from European Championships and 11000 points from Yasar Dogu.

Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) jumped to second spot with 51600 points after bronze at the World Championships. She competed at four events for rankings points and won medals at all four of them. Beginning the season with bronze in Istanbul, she got 8200 points for that. Silver at the European Championships earned her 8000 points before another silver, at Matteo Pellicone, added 6400 points to her tally.

The wrestler who won the Matteo Pellicone gold was Grace BULLEN (NOR) who later reach the final at the World Championships which helped her finish third in the weight class. She got 37000 points for her silver in Belgrade and 8000 points for the gold in Rome.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is ranked number one at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

62kg
1. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) - $5000 
2. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) - $3000 
3. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) - $2000

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) went unscathed in 2022 and earned the world’s top billing at 62kg. The 20-year-old Japanese star went 16-0, and collected gold medals at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships. Although she won three world titles and five competitions during her ’22 campaign, her Asian and Belgrade titles were the only two competitions that counted towards her 55,000-point total.

World silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) closed out the season ranked second in the world at 62kg with 45,000 points. This season, the American only dropped two matches and won silver medals at the Pan-American and World Championships. She fell to top-ranked Ozaki in the world finals and Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) but avenged that Acapulco loss en route to the Belgrade world finals.

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) strung together an impressive season, medaling at the World and European Championships and the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event. She earned the third spot in the ranking with 43,900 points – 1,100 points shy of Miracle's No. 2 spot.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) claimed the top spot at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

65kg
1. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) - $5000 
2. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) - $3000 
3. Mallory VELTE (USA) - $2000

In one of the closest races to the top spot in the rankings, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) outclassed Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) by 1,400 points to steal the top spot at 65kg.

Morikawa moved past Manolova with gold-medal wins at the Asian and World Championships. Although it didn’t count towards her 2022 ranking total, the 23-year-old also won a gold medal in Spain at the U23 World Championships.

Manolova finished in the top five of the four competitions she entered, winning silver medals at the European Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup and finished in fifth place at the World Championships and the Yasar Dogu. If the 26-year-old Azeri finished with a medal at either the World Championships or the Yasar Dogu, she would have closed out the year ranked first in the world.

Mallory VELTE (USA) finished the season as the third-ranked wrestler at 65kg. After opening the season in Istanbul with a silver medal, she closed out the season with a bronze medal in Belgrade at the World Championships.

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA)Olympic and world champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) earned 49000 points. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

68kg
1. Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) - $5000 
2. Irina RINGACI (MDA) - $3000
3. Ami ISHII (JPN) - $2000

The battle for the top billing at 68kg went through fellow world champions Tamyra STOCK MENSAH (USA) and Irina RINGACI (MDA).

Mensah reached the summit of the world podium for the second time since 2019 and finished 1,600 points ahead of 2021 world champion Ringaci for the weight’s top ranking. Despite competiting in one less event, Mensah-Stock’s golds at the World Championships and Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series events trumped Ringaci’s World bronze, European gold and Matteo Pellicone silver.

Mensah ended 2022 with 49000 points while Ringaci had 47400 points.

Ami ISHII (JPN) rounded out the top three in the rankings with 37,000 points after finishing with a silver medal at the World Championships.

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) earned the top spot at 72kg with 52000 points. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

72kg
1. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) - $5000 
2. Amit ELOR (USA) - $3000
3. Buse TOSUN CAVUSOGLU (TUR) - $2000

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) had arguably the most complete season out of any women’s wrestler in the world. Her 2022 campaign featured a 13-match win streak and included gold medals at the Asian Championships, Yasar Dogu and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series events before settling for a silver medal at the World Championships. She closed out the season with 52,000, which was 9,000 points ahead of second-ranked Amit ELOR (USA).

Elor had a season that’ll be talked about for years to come. The 19-year-old budding superstar won a trio of world titles in a three-month span and leaped into the third spot in the rankings. She won gold medals at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships. 

Buse TOSUN CAVUSOGLU (TUR) medaled in three of the five events she entered this season and finished ranked third at 72kg. She started the season with a fifth-place finish at the Yasar Dogu before grabbing consecutive medals at the European Championships, XIX Mediterranean Games and  Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event before closing out the year with a world fifth-place finish.

Samar HAMZA (EGY)Samar HAMZA (EGY) won a silver medal at the World Championships to finish at top at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

76kg
1. Samar HAMZA (EGY) - $5000 
2. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) - $3000  
3. Epp MAE (EST) - $2000

Samar HAMZA (EGY) made history in becoming the first women’s wrestler from Egypt to reach the world finals and rounded out the season ranked atop the world standings at 76kg.

Hamza wrestled six times in 2022 and earned medals in five events. After going 1-1 and finishing ninth at the Yasar Dogu, the 26-year-old Egyptian went on a five-competition medal run. She grabbed the African title for the fifth time in her career, silver medals at the World Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event, and bronze medals at the Mediterranean Games and Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event.

In a year where she took the reigns as the Turkish Federation Vice President, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) still managed to end the season ranked second in the world at 76kg. She finished the season with a perfect 10-0 record through her gold-medal finishes at the World and European Championships and the Mediterranean Games.

Epp MAE (EST) picked up a bronze medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the European Championships and finished the season in the third position.

#WrestleZagreb

Yousofi wins gold in Zagreb to enter Iran's 130kg race

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- Iran has selection headache at 130kg. But it's a good one to have.

With Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Fardin HEYDAYTI (IRI) already fighting for the spot, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) has thrown his hat in the process with gold medal at the Zagreb Open.

The 2021 world champion last competed internationally in the 2023 Budapest Ranking Series but returned as the new Olympic cycle began. And his first victim was European champion Sergey SEMENOV (AIN) who stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final to win gold.

Yousofi defeated Sememnov 10-1 in the opening bout, stopped Koppany LASZLO (HUN) 6-1 and won 9-1 against Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

In the final, Yousofi was put in par terre first against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) tried the gut wrench but was blocked by Yousofi for two points. Then came the series of stepouts, a typical Iranian style of wrestling as Yousofi claimed a 9-1 victory the gold medal.

Iran's second gold medal came at 82kg as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) defeated Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2, in the final. Szilvassy is a world silver medalist, having lost to Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the final in Tirana last year.

Farokhi was too much for Szilvassy who failed to keep up with the force of Farokhi and gave up stepouts as well.

But Iran would be disappointed at the results of 72kg as both Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) lost to 19-year-old Levente LEVAI (HUN). Geraei suffered a loss in the semifinals while Sohrabi was stunned in the final by the teenager.

The final began in a very untraditional manner with Sohrabi getting cautioned for finger grabbing, which gave Levai a 2-0 lead. He was also put in par terre but Levai failed to score but still enjoyed a 3-0 lead.

Sohrabi came back with two stepouts and one point for par terre to make it 3-3 but he trailed on criteria as he was cautioned for two points early in the bout. Unaware of the criteria winner, Sohrabi was not in any attacking mode but with around a minute remaining, he realized that he is trailing on criteria.

A series of desperate attacks were made including one flying squirrel but Levai managed to defend all of them. Sohrabi asked for a challenge for the flying squirrel but no points were awarded on review, giving an extra point to Levai for lost challenge and a further cushion for victory.

In a weight class which had two world champions from Tirana, none finished on the podium. The 60kg weight class had Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) but both lost to the unheralded Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) who in turn lost to U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) 9-0 in the semifinals.

From the other side of the bracket, Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) made it to the final against Ganiev who was leading 4-0 when a moment of brilliance from Tibilov changed it all.

In the second period of the match, Tibilov scissor jumped over Ganiev and the spun the Uzbek like a cartwheel for four points. The move gave Tibilov a 4-4 criteria lead and Uzbekistan challenged the call but lost to make the score 5-4. A second passivity further extended his lead to 6-4.

At 55kg, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) denied Iran a gold medal, blanking Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0.

Sargsian beats Khaslakanau

Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) suffered a heartbreaking elbow injury at the World Championships in Belgrade in 2023. After more than a year of being away from action, Sargsian marked his return with a gold medal at 97kg. He defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2, in the final.

Khaslakhanau was awarded the first par terre advantage of the final but he failed to score a point from that position. Soon, Sargsian launched a sag bodylock for four points which Khaslakhanau challenged for a leg four. But it was clean move from Sargsian who now led 5-1.

Khaslakhanau was giving another passivity advantage in the second period but he failed to score from that as well as Sargsian defended his 5-2 lead with ease.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0

BRONZE: Brady KOONTZ (USA) df. Artium DELEANU (MDA), 9-1

60kg
GOLD: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-0
BRONZE: Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Huseyn GARIBOV (AZE), 9-1

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Danial SOHRABI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2

BRONZE: Mihail BRADU (MDA) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 2-1
BRONZE: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Vasile COJOC (ROU), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI)
BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI)

BRONZE: Marat KAMPAROV (AIN) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), via fall