#Yariguin2019

Ivan Yariguin Rosters Released

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 22) - The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestlings first freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year begins on January 24 in Siberia's central city, Krasnoyarsk, Russia. The Yariguin is often referred to as the "Toughest Tournament in the World" because wrestlers from all over the globe make the trek to Siberia to compete with the best wrestlers Russia has to offer.

For the second year in a row in freestyle and for the first time in women's wrestling, United World Wrestling has given wrestlers more of an incentive to compete at this prestigious event, naming the Ivan Yariguin a Ranking Series tournament. 

The winner of each Ranking Series event will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively. In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries.

The points wrestlers gain this weekend are used as a part of the seeding process for the 2019 Astana World Championships. The number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the 2019 Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events, will be combined and the wrestlers with the four highest cumulative points will be award the top four seeds. 

The three remaining freestyle and women's wrestling Rankings Series events are the Dan Kolov (February 28), the Sassari (May 24), and the Yasar Dogu (July 12)

Freestyle

57kg 
ZOU Wanhao (CHN)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Abzal OKENOV(KAZ)
ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Nasanbuyan (MGL)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV  (RUS)
Khuresh-ool Donduk-ool (RUS)
Amiran GUVAZHOKOV  (RUS)
Aryaan TYUTRIN  (RUS)
Muslim SADULAYEV (RUS)
Myrat HOJANEPESOV(TKM)
Ahmet PEKER  (TUR)
Zane RICHARDS (USA)
Thomas GILMAN (USA)

61kg 
LIU Minghu (CHN)
Lasha LOMTADZE (GEO)
GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL)
TSERMAA Chinzorig (MGL)
ALTANSUVD Munkh Erdene (MGL)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) 
Magomedrasul IDIRSOV (RUS)
Maidir DONGAK (RUS)
Eduard GRIGORIEV (RUS) 
Semyon VLADIMIROV (RUS) 
Mekan ORAZOV (TKM)
Cory CLARK (USA)
Joseph COLON(USA)

Russia's two-time world runner-up Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV will move up to 65kg from his normal weight of 61kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

65kg
TIAN Zhenguang (CHN)
YUAN Shaohua (CHN)
Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Amiran VAKHTANGASHVILI (GEO)
TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Lkhangarmaa (MGL)
Ivan GUIDEA (ROU)

Ahmed CHAKAEV (RUS)
Muslim SAIDULAYEV (RUS)
Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
Nachyn KUULAR (RUS)
Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR)
Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)

70kg 
YEERLANBIEKE Katai  (CHN)
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO)

Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Askhat SLYAMKHANOV (KAZ)
GANZORIGMandakhnaran  (MGL)
ENKHTUYA Temuulen (MGL)
ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL)
Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
David BAYEV (RUS)
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS)
Chermen VALIEV (RUS)
Batyr BORJAKOV (TKM)
Jason Lyle CHAMBERLAIN (USA)
James Malcolm GREEN (USA)

Reigning world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) will try to improve on his second-place finish from a season ago. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

74kg
FENG Chunfu (CHN)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)

Goga MAMIAURI  (GEO)
TISAKOVJOR Erzo Shamil (MGL) 
Ken HOSAKA   (JPN)

BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene  (MGL)
GANTULGA Shijir (MGL)
Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS)
Timur BIZHOEV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)
Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (RUS)
Yakup GOR (TUR)
Isaiah MARTINEZ  (USA)

79kg
Zeping LIN (CHN)
DENZENSHARAV Tugs Erdene (MGL)
PUREVJAV Unurbat   (MGL)
Ahmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Haji NABIYEV (RUS)
Alan ZASEEV (RUS)
Khalil AMINOV (RUS)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS)
Alexander David DIERINGER  (USA)

86kg
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
LIN Zushen (CHN)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)

Ahmed DUDAROV (GER)
Shota SHIRAI  (JPN)
ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL)
GANBAATAR Gankhuyag (MGL)
ENKHTUVSHIN Batmagnai (MGL)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS)
Vladislav VALIEV (RUS)
Soslan KTSOEV (RUS)
Omar ZIYAUTDINOV (RUS)
Magomedsharif BIYAKAEV (RUS)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Samuel BROOKS (USA)

92kg
Danan XU (CHN)
BAASANTSOGT Ulziisaikhan  (MGL)
CHINBAT Altangerel (lMGL)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS) 
Anzor URISHEV (RUS)
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANOV (RUS)
Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS)

America's two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will try to become the first American to ever win three Yariguin titles in a row. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

97kg
Haobin GAO (CHN)
ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
BAYASGALAN Bat Erdene (MGL)
BATDORJ Namkhai (MGL)
Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)
Igor OVSYANNIKOV (RUS)
Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Tamerlan RASUEV (RUS)
Eric DZHIOEV (RUS)
Baki SAHIN (TUR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL)

Anzor HIZRIEV (RUS)
Said HAMIDOV (RUS)
Zelimkhan HIZRIEV (RUS)
Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS)
Ostap PASENOK (RUS)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)


Norway's reigning U23 world champion Grace BULLEN will make her Yariguin debut this week. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kika KAGATA (JPN)
NANDINTSETSEG Anudari (MGL)
BUYANDALAI Chimgee (MGL)
TSOGT OCHIR Namuuntsetseg (MGL)
Angelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS)
Maria TYUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Valeria CHEPSARKOVA (RUS)
Victoria ANTHONY (USA)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

53kg
Madina NADIROVA (KGZ)
ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL)
BATBAATAR Enkhtsetseg (MGL)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS)
Alena KUULAR (RUS)
Leila KARYMOVA (RUS)
Nadezhda TRETYAKOVA (RUS)
Haley Ruth AUGELLO (USA)
Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)


Russia's 2018 European champion Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) will try to improve on her runner-up finish from a year ago. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

55kg
Nao TANIYAMA (JPN)
BAYARAA Khaliunaa (MGL)
BAT OCHIR Bolortuya  (MGL)
BAT ORSHIKH Bolor Erdene (MGL)
Victoria VAULINA (RUS)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Marina SIMONYAN (RUS)
Nina MENKENOVA (RUS)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
Becka Anne LEATHERS (USA)

57kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL)
BALJINNYAM Enkhtuvshin (MGL)
BOLDSAIKHAN Khongorzul (MGL)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Khadizhat MURTUZALIEVA (RUS)
Alexandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Natalya VOLZHANINA (RUS)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)

59kg
Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL)
ULZIISAIKHAN Purevsuren (MGL)
Svetlana LIPTOVA (RUS)
Anastasia YAKOVLEVA (RUS)
Alena SANGADIEVA (RUS)
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS)
Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA)
Nigora BAKIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)
Angela FOMENKO (RUS)
Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS)
Elizaveta SOROKINA (RUS)
Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)
Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS)

65kg
Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN)
ZORIGT Bolortungalag (MGL)
BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL)
Maria KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS)
Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS)
Dinara SALIKHOVA (RUS)

Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
Sakhipjamal ALEUATDINOVA (UZB)


Mongolia's 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg will try to reach the top of the Yariguin podium for the first time since 2015. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

68kg
Rio WATARI (JPN)
SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL)
ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL)
ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL)
Khanum VELIYEVA (RUS)
Christina EREMINA (RUS)
Julia MAXIMOVA (RUS)

Khalbazar NARBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL)
Tatyana KOLESNIKOVA (RUS)
Evgenia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS)

Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)

76kg
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Naranchimeg GELEGJAMTS (MGL)
Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Ksenia BURAKOVA (RUS)
Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS)
Kristina SHUMOVA (RUS)
Elmira KHALAEVA (RUS)

Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)

*PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NOT OFFICAL ENTRIES AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. 

2026 U17 World Championships

Fernandez Wins Rare Third U17 World Gold, U.S. Team Title

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 31) -- Masako FURUICHI (JPN) in 2013, Kika KAGATA (JPN) in 2014, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in 2016, Honoka NAKAI (JPN) in 2019 and now Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) in 2026.

Fernandez, 17, on Friday joined the list of a handful of wrestlers who have won three U17 world gold medals by claiming the 69kg gold in Baku, the first non-Japanese wrestler to achieve the feat. No male wrestler has won three U17 world titles ever.

The U.S. prodigy won gold medals in 2024 and 2025 at 61kg and jumped to 69kg for 2026. The change in weight class had no bearing on her performance as she secured four pins in four bouts, including the final.

Facing Kiymet TEZCAN (TUR) for the gold medal, Fernandez waited for the opportunity before picking up a leg attack for two points when Tezcan was on the activity clock to lead 3-0. She pressured Tezcan on the mat and then held the Turkiye on the mat to secure the fall.

With the victory in the final, Fernandez also extended her unbeaten streak in international wrestling to 28 wins out of which 16 are via fall, 11 via technical superiority and only one on points.

The gold, fourth for the United States of the tournament in Women's Wrestling, helped the nation win the U17 world team title, only for the second time as it had won the trophy in 2021. The U.S. finished with 167 points, well ahead of defending champion India which finished with 132 points. Japan was third with 127 points followed by Turkiye and Ukraine at fourth and fifth positions.

Wrestling Marlee SOLOMON (USA)Marlee SOLOMON (USA) tries to complete a takedown against AKSHARA (IND) during the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Fernandez's was the second gold medalist for the U.S. on Friday after Marlee SOLOMON (USA) claimed the gold medal at 53kg. She defeated AKSHARA (IND), 11-0, ending the match with a four-pointer.

Solomon used a two-on-one set up to complete her takedowns as Akshara failed to defend the pulls. During the second takedown, Solomon managed to score a turn to go up 6-0 and a sweep single and dumped the Indian for four points.

India challenged the four-point call, asking for a stepout as the action occurred close to the zone. But it lost the challenge and added one more point to Solomon's score.

Wrestling Kokona MAKINO (JPN)Kokona MAKINO (JPN) tries to pin Sandhya VISHNOI (IND) as the Indian commits an offensive foul during the 46kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Japan Wins 2 Golds

Earlier in the 46kg final, Kokona MAKINO (JPN) denied Sandhya VISHNOI (IND) via fall after building a 13-2 lead in a very aggressive gold-medal bout. Makino scored the first takedown for two points before Vishnoi got an exposure from scramble. But Makino was quick to score a reversal and lead 3-2 at the break.

While Vishnoi continued the hand-fighting with little awareness towards ground wrestling, Makino kept coming with sweep singles and scoring takedowns. She completed four takedowns using the same technique against a squared-up Vishnoi and after the fourth, she led 11-2 and later pinned the Indian, who committed offensive foul by pulling Makino's hair and ear, trying to avoid the pin.

With the two losses in the final, India ended its U17 campaign in Women's Wrestling without a gold medal, the first time since 2018 when it won two gold medals.

Wrestling Natsumi SASAKI (JPN)Natsumi SASAKI (JPN) defeated Tasnim ATHIMNI (TUN), 10-0, in the 40kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan's second gold medal came at 40kg when Natsumi SASAKI (JPN) completed a 10-0 win over Tasnim ATHIMNI (TUN) at 40kg. Athimni was the first to initiate attack and Sasaki was even put on the activity clock.

But the Tunisian wrestler let Sasaki take advantage when she left the corridor open. Sasaki capitalized to score a takedown and lead 2-0 before doubling it to 4-0 when she tossed Athimni for exposure in the next scramble.

The final lasted only 25 seconds in the second period as Sakaki used her long reach to finish a leg attack with takedown and two turns using the lace to complete a victory by technical superiority.

Athimni's silver was Tunisia's first-ever medal at the U17 World Championships and she is only the second wrestler from the country to reach a world final after 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist Marwa AMRI (TUN) who reached the final in 2017.

Wrestling Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR)Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) celebrates after winning the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Turkiye Gold After 5 Years

Returning bronze medalist Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) won gold medal at 61kg after blanking Landri VON GONTEN (USA), 10-0, in the final. She is Turkiye's second-ever U17 world champion in Women's Wrestling after Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) who won the 57kg gold medal in 2021.

Ozmez used some powerful leg attacks, all towards Von Gonten's right, to score her points. She began with a single-leg attack for a takedown before performing it again but this she threw Von Gonten for four points. Ozmez's third takedown was a counter when Von Gonten failed to trip her and Ozmez scored easy two points to lead 8-0.

The final takedown took some time but Ozmez completed it when Von Gonten went for a desperate long shot. Ozmez went for the go-behind and secured a 10-0 win and gold for Turkiye.

Photo

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Natsumi SASAKI (JPN) df. Tasnim ATHIMNI (TUN), 10-0

BRONZE: Sophia VALDEZ (USA) df. Rohini DEVBA (IND), 9-0
BRONZE: Sirin ASKARA (TUR) df. Gulkhanim SHIRINOVA (AZE), 12-4

46kg
GOLD: Kokona MAKINO (JPN) df. Sandhya VISHNOI (IND), via fall (13-2)

BRONZE: Inzhu BAKKOZHA (KAZ) df. Alina BARANOVA (RUS), 8-2
BRONZE: Madison HEALEY (USA) df. Vivien SZENTPAL (HUN), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Marlee SOLOMON (USA) df. AKSHARA (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Rion OGAWA (JPN) df. Valeria STANCHEVA (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Alejandra SERRANO (COL), 11-0

61kg
GOLD: Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) df. Landri VON GONTEN (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: AVANSHIKA (IND) df. Aruzhan BAKYTNUR (KAZ), 5-1
BRONZE: Graciela ENINGO (ESP) df. Surae ABBASSOY (FIN), via fall

69kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. Kiymet TEZCAN (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: TANIYA (IND) df. Maja WEJCHAN (POL), 12-2
BRONZE: Nino SAMKHARADZE (GEO) df. Milana ULANOVA (KGZ), 2-1