#WrestleTallinn

Japan Goes 15-0 on Day 4, Inserts All Five into Friday Night Finals

By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 15) –The Japanese women’s wrestling team went a perfect 15-0 on Thursday and inserted all five wrestlers into Friday night’s final – bringing their grand total to eight wrestlers who punched their ticket to the junior world finals. In the night session on Day 4, Japan picked up three falls and a pair of shutout victories.

Reigning two-time senior-level world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) made her junior world debut on Thursday and outscored her three opponents 28-0. In the semifinals, Okuno ousted five-time age-group world medalist Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), 6-0, and moved into the 53kg finals where she’ll wrestle Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) to try to add a junior world title to her resume that’s filled with world golds at the cadet, U23 and senior levels. Her Mongolian finals opponent, who was a 2019 junior Asian runner-up, scored a 12-9 come-from-behind win over China’s MEIDUOLAJI Meiduolaji (CHN) in her semifinal bout. 

Akie HANAI (JPN) was the second Japanese wrestler who locked up her finals spot. Hanai, who was leading 8-0, stuck Bharti BAGHEL (IND) and will wrestle Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) in the 57kg finals. The Ukrainian wrestler easily downed Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 12-0, and will make her first appearance in a world finals match.

Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) was one of five Japanese wrestlers who locked up their spot in Friday's gold-medal match. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The third Japanese wrestler who was successful in reaching the Friday night finals was Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN). The 2017 cadet world champion stuck Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals and set up a 62kg finals match against WU Yaru (CHN). The Chinese wrestler, who arguably had the most spectacular double leg of the tournament, crushed Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS), 10-0. 

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) was the fourth wrestler from the island nation to punch her ticket to the finals. She reached the world finals for the third time in her career with a 10-0 win over ZHANG Yue (CHN). To improve on her pair of runner-up finishes, she’ll have to stop 2018 cadet world champion Macey KILTY (USA), who pinned Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) in the second period after commanding the 5-0 lead. They’ll wrestle in the 65kg finals. 

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) closed out the perfect day for Japan as she moved into the junior world finals in style – sticking Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA) in a cradle. Kagami, the two-time cadet world champion, will square off with Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) in the 72kg finals. The Russian wrestler, who was last year’s junior world runner-up, handled CHENG Shuiyan (CHN), 10-0, to reach her second consecutive junior gold-medal bout. 

The Friday night finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) vs. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL)
SEMIFINAL - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df.  Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), 6-0 
SEMIFINAL - Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) df. Meiduolaji MEIDUOLAJI (CHN), 12-9 

57kg
GOLD - Akie HANAI (JPN) vs. - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Akie HANAI (JPN)  df. Bharti BAGHEL (IND), via fall 
SEMIFINAL - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 12-0 

62kg
GOLD - Yaru WU (CHN) vs. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Yaru WU (CHN) df. Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall 

65kg
GOLD – Macey Ellen KILTY (USA) vs. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Macey Ellen KILTY (USA) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR), via fall 
SEMIFINAL - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Yue ZHANG (CHN), 10-0 

72kg
GOLD - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) vs. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
SEMIFINAL - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)  df. Shuiyan CHENG (CHN), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA), via fall 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 4 Results and Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- The fourth day of the Ranking Series in Zagreb will see the remaining four Women's Wrestling weight classes in action along with two Greco-Roman weight classes 77kg and 87kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

14:55: GR 87kg semifinals - Tamas LEVAI (HUN) gets a 2-1 win over Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the semifinals at 87kg to take a step closer to be part of the Hungarian team for the European Championships. But to confirm that, he has to beat Istvan TAKACS (HUN), who won the other semifinals after a desperate arm-throw for four to beat Matej MANDIC (CRO), 6-2.

14:40: GR 77kg semifinals - Ali OSKOU (IRI) with a beautiful throw from par terre to get a 5-0 lead before another turn makes it 7-0. He eventually beats Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 10-1, and advances to the 77kg final. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will challenge the Iranian for the gold medal after the Hungarian defeated Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 7-0, majorly using gut-wrenches.

14:25: 76kg semifinals - Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) with two stepouts and one point for activity clock to take a 3-0 lead against Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) before a lost challenge from Japan adds another point to her score and she wins 4-0. She will take on Tristan KELLY (USA) for the gold medal who scored a four-pointer with seven seconds remaining against PRIYA (IND) to claim a 4-4 criteria victory 

14:10: 72kg semifinals - Buse TOSUN (TUR) is into the final at 72kg after a close 2-2 criteria win over Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN). She was down 2-1 but dragged the Japanese out of bounds to take the criteria and the win. For the gold medal, she will take on Diksha MALIK (IND) who posted a 4-2 win over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW).

13:55: 57kg semifinals - MANISHA (IND) makes it to the final at 57kg with rather ease, beating Amory ANDRICH (GER), 11-0. She will test herself against Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) in the gold medal bout after the Japanese defeated Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) via fall

13:45: 53kg semifinals - U20 world champion Everest LEYDECKER (USA) takes out world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) 2-2. She scored a takedown in the first period and then defended that score. However, Antim managed to score a stepout alongwith a point for fleeing from Leydecker. With the score 2-2, Leydecker kept the criteria for a bigger technique and won. She will take on Roksana ZASINA (POL) for the gold medal who defeated Annika WENDLE (GER), 8-4, in the other semifinals.

13:15: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) gets two rolls from par terre and then defends to beat Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ) and move into the semifinals at 77kg.

12:50: Almost five years after they met in the 2021 U17 World Championships, Katie GOMEZ (USA) and ANTIM (IND) meet again on the mat in Zagreb. Antim gets the first takedown an also point for activity clock. Antim extends her lead to 5-0 with another takedown before the break. Constant pressure from Antim and gets two more takedowns to lead 9-0. Antim finishes with an exposure and wins 11-0, avenging that loss from Budapest against Gomez, who went on to win the gold there.

12:35: Everest LEYDECKER (USA), U20 world champion and competing at her first senior international tournament, begins with an 11-0 victory over Anjali KACHHAWA (IND) at 53kg.

12:20: Priya PRIYA (IND), who finished fifth at the World Championships, pins Enrica RINALDI (ITA) at 76kg and moves into the semifinals.

12:05: Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE) drops her 72kg bout against Buse TOSUN (TUR), 2-0. Both activity clock points and then Tosun is solid in defense to post the victory

11:50: In an all Hungarian battle perhaps for the European Championships selection, Robert FRITSCH (HUN) gets the better of Levente LEVAI (HUN), 4-1, at 77kg. A turn from par terre for Fritsch in that win.

11:45: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) gets the par terre and wastes no time in getting Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) two reverse bodylock throws and two and four points respectively. He then gets a takedown to win the bout via technical superiority at 77kg

11:40: After a longish battle and review, Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) gets a 15-11 victory over Sydney PETZINGER (USA) at 53kg. 

11:25: Giullia PENALBER (BRA) with a dominant win on U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) at 57kg. Aliyeva never got going and Penalber led 14-4 before getting the fall

11:15: Asian champion at 62kg MASNISHA (IND) has moved down to 57kg. She faces Tindra DALMYR (SWE) in her opening bout and begins well to score a takedown. Dalmyr gets a four-pointer but Manisha controls the rest of the bout and wins 9-4

11:10: Amory ANDRICH (GER) gets a fall over Samantha STEWART (CAN) at 57kg. Stewart has been adjusting to the 57kg weight class but Andrich made short work of Stewart

10:45: Couple of quick results from Greco-Roman. First up is Levente Levai (HUN), European champion at 72kg and now at 77kg, with a 3-0 victory against Mohamed Khalil (EGY). And Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) holding on for a 3-2 victory against Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) at 77kg

10:30: Another day in the and we will see more wrestlers trying to adjust to the Olympic weight classes.