Japan, U.S. Set to Clash; China All But Through

Saturday, March 17, 2018 - 06:41 By Ken Marantz

Host Japan and the United States will clash in the evening session for a place in the final of the Women's World Cup after the two powerhouses handily disposed of the two other group opponents on the opening day at Takasaki Arena.

Japan, aiming for its fourth straight title, swept past overmatched Sweden 10-0 before putting away Canada 8-2 in Group A. The United States opened with an 8-2 win over Canada, then topped Sweden 9-1.

In Group B, China moved to the brink of a berth in Sunday's final by topping Asian rival Mongolia 9-1, then whitewashing Romania 10-0. In the night session, China, the 2017 runner-up, will face Belarus, a 7-3 winner over Romania that lost 6-4 to Mongolia in most competitive match of the first two sessions.

"We were moving very well," Japan head coach Hideo SASAYAMA said of his team, which liberally used all of its members to keep the top wrestlers fresh for the impending battle with the U.S. "If we do out on the mat what we have done in practice, I think we will be able to win."

(Yukako KAWAI (JPN) looks for the fall against Emma JOHANSSON (SWE) //Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Japan, despite a lineup of world and Olympic champions, looks vulnerable in the heavier weight classes, where it suffered both of its losses to Canada and had several close calls with Sweden.

Complicating matters is that world and Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) appeared to suffer a left shoulder injury during her match with Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), in which she took an early 2-1 lead and did just enough to make that score stick to the end.

On a positive note, Masako FURUICHI (JPN), a bronze medalist at the recent Asian Championships in Bishkek, pulled off a surprise by scoring a takedown with :30 left to beat Rio 2017 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 2x-2.

Getting off to an early lead will be the key for Japan---in the six weight divisions up to 62kg, Japan won every match by fall or technical fall, while only conceding a total of six points.

U.S. head coach Terry STEINER said his squad has prepared well and is ready for the challenge of beating Japan on its home mat. That would avenge a close loss in the group stage at the 2017 World Cup three months ago in Russia, when the two sides split eight matches, and Japan won by virtue of having a fall and two technical falls among its victories.

"We know that Japan is going to throw their best at us," Steiner said. "They're not going to get beat by an American team without fighting with their best people. We know we've got to be on our game tonight.

"I want to see us compete hard, I want to see us fight, I want to see us be aggressive. And that's the main thing. If I see that out of them, I think we have a chance."

(Ningning RONG (CHN) looks for the double leg against Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) // Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

China, which won five gold medals in Bishkek, switched the weight classes of champions RONG Ningning and PEI Xingru, moving Rong down to 57kg and Pei up to 59kg.

Against Mongolia, Pei was pitted against Shoovdor BAATARJAV, who lost to Rong in Bishkek and came away with a bronze medal. Pei had her hands full on Saturday, needing a takedown with :04 left to pull out a 3x-3 victory.

The comeback of the day so far, however, belongs to Bishkek 2018 bronze medalist Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL).

In her 55kg match against Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), Erkhembayar was losing 5-0 when she scored with a step-out with 20 seconds to go. A desperate attempt for a tackle was thwarted, but with the clock ticking down, she launched a barrel roll of sorts for a miracle 4-point move as time expired and a 5x-5 victory.

(Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) celebrates her last second victory against Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

That victory became key in Mongolia's win over Belarus, as it kept the Asian nation in contention for a medal---particularly after its top wrestler suffered a stunning defeat.

World and Asian champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) was thrown to her back early in her 62kg match with Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), only to fight out of the predicament and build an 11-4 lead herself. But Ivanova stuck the Mongolian on her back again, and this time finished her off for a fall in with 1:49 remaining.

That loss came after Mongolian coaches allowed Purevdorj to default her earlier match against China, after the Chinese had built up a insurmountable lead. Her default to LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) prevented a rematch of the final in Bishkek, which Purevdorj had won 12-4.

"That's a tactic," Mongolian coach Byambajov BATTULGA said. "Just to keep power."

Two matches later, however, a rematch of a final did become reality, as ZHOU Feng (CHN) repeated her victory over Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL), again by technical fall.

(ZHOU Feng led China in the opening two sessions of the 2018 Women's World Cup in Takasaki // Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

In another intriguing matchup, there was a clash of Paris 2017 world bronze medalists, with Justina DI STASIO (CAN) defeating Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) by the narrowest of margins. Di Stasio scored a takedown with :24 left, then survived two step-outs to win 3x-3.

Rio 2016 champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) stood out as the only wrestler to chalk up wins over both Japan and U.S. opponents, topping Victoria FRANCIS (USA) by fall and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-0.

In her lone match, Rio 2016 and Paris 2017 gold medalist Risako KAWAI (JPN) . stormed to a 10-0 technical fall of Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) in just under two minutes.

Group A

Session 1

UNITED STATES 8 CANADA 2

50 kg: Victoria ANTHONY (USA) df. Jessica MACDONALD (CAN), 8-4
53 kg: Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Haley AUGELLO (USA), 6-1
55 kg: Becka LEATHERS (USA) df. Jade PARSONS (CAN) by Fall, 5:31 (4-0)
57 kg: Allison RAGAN (USA) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
59 kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) by TF, 17-6, 1:46
62 kg: Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) by TF, 11-0, 2:06
65 kg: Julia SALATA (USA) df. Braxton STONE (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 0:30
68 kg: Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Olivia DI BACCO (CAN), 5-2
72 kg: Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA) by Fall, 1:43 (10-0)
76 kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Justina DI STASIO (CAN), 10-2

JAPAN 10 SWEDEN 0

50 kg: Miho IGARASHI (JPN) vs Malin LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by Fall, 5:24 (4-0)
53 kg: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Linn LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
55 kg: Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 4:34
57 kg: Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:30
59 kg: Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Emma JOHANSSON by Fall, 5:13 (3-2)
62 kg: Yurika ITO (JPN) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:31
65 kg: Kiwa SAKAE (JPN) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 4-2
68 kg: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE), 5-1
72 kg: Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 2x-2
76 kg: Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by Fall, 0:03 (6-4)

Session 2

UNITED STATES 9 SWEDEN 1

50 kg: Erin GOLSTON (USA) df. Malin LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by Fall, 4:57 (4-0)
53 kg: Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Linn LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 3:41
55 kg: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by Fall, 5:12 (4-0)
57 kg: Allison RAGAN (USA) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 3:33
59 kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Emma JOHANSSON (SWE) by Fall, 4:57 (4-0)
62 kg: Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) by Default
65 kg: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 4-0
68 kg: Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:40
72 kg: Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA) by TF, 10-0, 0:24
76 kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by Fall, 4:47 (2-0)

JAPAN 8 CANADA 2

50 kg: Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) by Fall, 1:33 (13-2)
53 kg: Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) df. Diana WEICKER (CAN) by Fall, 0:34 (9-2)
55 kg: Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Jade PARSONS (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 3:23
57 kg: Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 4:39
59 kg: Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) df. Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 2:10
62 kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 4:08
65 kg: Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Braxton STONE (CAN) by Default
68 kg: Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 2-1
72 kg: Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-0
76 kg: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), 3x-3

Group B

Session 1

CHINA 9 MONGOLIA 1

50 kg: SUN Yanan (CHN) df. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) by VSU, 10-0
53 kg: Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. OUYANG Junling (CHN) by VFA, 8-7
55 kg: ZHANG Qi (CHN) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL), 6-5
57 kg: RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 9-1
59 kg: PEI Xingru (CHN) df. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL), 3x-3
62 kg: LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by Default
65 kg: TANG Chuying (CHN) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL), 6-4
68 kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) by TF, 16-5, 1:11
72 kg: HAN Yue (CHN) df. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by TF, 15-4, 1:50
76 kg: ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL) by TF, 14-0, 1:25

BELARUS 7 ROMANIA 3

50 kg: Alina VUC (ROU) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) by Fall, 0:10 (14-7)
53 kg: Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Estera TAMADUIANU DOBRE (ROU) by Fall, 4:30 (9-0)
55 kg: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Simona PRICOB (ROU) by Fall, 0:26 (10-0)
57 kg: Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) by Fall, 4:21 (4-0)
59 kg: Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR) by Forfeit
62 kg: Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 3-0
65 kg: Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) df. Adina POPESCU (ROU), 1x-1
68 kg: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR), 6-0
72 kg: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by Forfeit
76 kg: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) by Forfeit

Session 2

CHINA 10 ROMANIA 0

50 kg: ZHU Jiang (CHN) df. Emilia Alina VUC (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 3:38
53 kg: OUYANG Junling (CHN) df. Estera TAMADUIANU DOBRE (ROU) by Fall, 2:17 (11-0)
55 kg: ZHANG Qi (CHN) df. Simona PRICOB (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 1:39
57 kg: YANG Nan (CHN) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), 8-4
59 kg: Lingling BAO (CHN) by Forfeit
62 kg: LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 3-2
65 kg: TANG Chuying (CHN) df. Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 4:43
68 kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) by Fall, 2:29 (11-0)
72 kg: WANG Juan (CHN) df. Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by TF, 11-0, 4:53
76 kg: Paliha PALIHA (CHN) by Forfeit

MONGOLIA 6 BELARUS 4

50 kg: Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6
53 kg: Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL), 7-6
55 kg: Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) df. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 5x-5
57 kg: Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 2-1
59 kg: Shoovdor BAATARJAV df. Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR) by TF, 14-3, 1:48
62 kg: Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by Fall, 4:11 (6-11)
65 kg: Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) df. Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) by TF, 10-0, 4:32
68 kg: Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) by Fall, 1:16 (11-2)
72 kg: Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by Forfeit
76 kg: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL), 4-1

#WrestleBratislava

Alpyeyeva, Livach golds keep Ukraine ahead of Turkiye at Europeans

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 12:22 By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 10) -- Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) was facing a legend in her first-ever European Championships final. While she was chasing her first senior title, her opponent Yasemin ADAR (TUR) was chasing her eighth European title.

It would have been a fairytale for Adar. The Turkish legend who is the first to win Olympic medal, world gold and European gold, would have extended her record of most European titles in Women's Wrestling for Türkiye.

But Alpyeyeva did not get overawed but the occasion or her opponent and handed Adar a 6-0 loss in the 76kg final, which was also the last match for Adar.

The 34-year-old decided to put her shoes on the mat after the match, marking her retirement from the sport. She thanked the crowd of the X-Bionic Sphere, shook hands with Alpyeyeva and vanished into the background as the Ukrainian began her victory lap with the Ukraine flag.

Alpyeyeva did not get any chance to Adar in the final, overpowering her with strength and speed. Alpyeyeva hit three double-leg attacks and managed to score on all three of them.

While Adar did try matching Alpyeyeva, she was slow for the Ukrainian. Alpyeyeva managed to keep an upper hand for the full six minutes and won 6-0.

Alpyeyeva was the second gold medal for Ukraine on Thursday as 2019 European champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) claimed her second title after beating Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-0, in an equally dominant fashion.

Livach began with a stepout and added a double-leg takedown for a 3-0 lead. She kept her attacks going and went for a big four-point move and another stepout made her lead 8-0 which she defended in the final minute.

The 27-year-old finished fifth at the Paris Olympics and was lacking on motivation recently. But the gold medal has revived her love for wrestling.

At 55kg, Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) made her senior European debut a successful one when she defeated 34-year-old Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA), 6-5, with a takedown in the final five seconds of the 55kg final.

Debien, who earned a bronze medal at the World Championships last year, scored a stepout and then tripped Verbina for four to lead 5-0. The French wrestler then decided to defend her lead for the remaining time.

This was a similar result to the last time the two faced each other at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, with only the winner being different. Debien won that semifinal 5-4.

"I was confident that I could win," Verbina said. "I prepared for this match. I knew it would be intense. Two months ago, we faced each other at the Ranking Series event, and it was already a very rough match. I was ready for the same kind of wrestling, the same pressure — I expected it.

"I was angry. When there was one minute left, I looked at the scoreboard and saw that there was one minute remaining; my mind just switched off, and I started moving on autopilot."

Verbina has made a habit of winning gold medal at first continental championships over the years. She won gold at U17 European Championships in 2017, then the U23 European Championships in 2021 and now at senior level in 2025. She also has a U20 European gold which came in 2019, her second trip at that age-level.

"This is the first step for me into senior-level wrestling, because I hadn’t wrestled at the European or World Championships at the senior level before," she said. "This was my first major start. I competed at a ranking tournament earlier, didn’t do well, took third place, and I really wanted to prove myself at the senior level."

Verbina was born in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia but moved to Dagestan with her parents. She has trained in Makhachkala, Dagestan since 2005 and has been competing for Dagestan.

"Now I live and train in Makhachkala," she said. "My coach is Sveta Gracheva — she trains me day and night. She’s a very tough coach, but she believes in me."

Former world U20 champion Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) needed a last second takedown to beat Bediha GUN (TUR), 4-2, and win the gold medal at 59kg.

Sidelnikova was called passive twice which gave Gun a 2-0 lead but the Turkish wrestler was put on the 30-second clock which made the score 2-1. Gun was heading towards victory when Sidelnikova hit an inside trip which made Gun fall and give two points for Sidelnikova for 3-2 win. Gun challenged the call but lost adding another point to Sidelnikova score.

Another final was decided in the minute when Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) managed to hang on to a 2-2 criteria win against Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) in the 68kg to win her first major medal.

Shauchuk scored a takedown in the first period but was called passive which gave Zelenykh a point. The Romanian scored a stepout and tied it 2-2 but Shauchuk led on criteria for her bigger technique.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-0

BRONZE: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW) df. Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA), 11-1
BRONZE: Natallia VARAKINA (UWW) df. Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), 4-1

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA), 6-5

BRONZE: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 7-4
BRONZE: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 6-2

59kg
GOLD: Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 4-2

BRONZE: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Erika BOGNAR (HUN), 3-2
BRONZE: Aurora RUSSO (ITA) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 3-2

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 2-2

BRONZE: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 9-6
BRONZE: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), 12-0

76kg
GOLD: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 6-0

BRONZE: Martina KUENZ (AUT) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 2-1
BRONZE: Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 2-2

Japan, U.S. Set to Clash; China All But Through

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Alpyeyeva, Livach golds keep Ukraine ahead of Turkiye at Europeans