#Trnava2018

Japan Wins Two Golds, Leads Russia Heading into Day Five

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 21:53 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 20) – Japan leads Russia by 15 points heading into the final day of women’s wrestling at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. 

The most dominant women’s wrestling nation in the world, Japan, medaled in all five weight categories, winning a pair of golds, a silver and two bronze medals on the fourth day of wrestling at the City Sports Hall. 

Yui SUSAKI was the first Japanese wrestler to reach the top of the podium, burying her fourth straight opponent by technical superiority. 

In the finals, Susaki routed Ellen RIESTERER (GER), stopping Germany from winning their first women’s wrestling gold medal since Anita SCHAETZLE (GER) reached the top of the podium back in 2001. 

Susaki jumped out to a 4-0 opening period lead, scoring twice off a pair of snapdown spin-behinds. While on top, the 19-year-old dropped down to the ankles, scoring a pair of leg laces to command the 8-0 lead. She nearly ended the match with a third leg lace, but give credit to Riesterer for sacrificing her knees and not budging. 

A low single to a double ended the 50kg finals, giving Susaki her fifth straight world title across three age divisions, confirming her as one of the best wrestlers in the world, regardless of age, gender or style. 

Susaki’s next competition will be October’s senior-level World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Saki IGARASHI (JPN) was the second Japanese wrestler to claim gold via technical superiority, blasting Khaliunaa BAYARAA (MGL), 10-0 in the 55kg gold-medal bout. 

Igarashi’s 2018 junior world gold medal is an improvement from her 2015 cadet world runner-up finish.

Meanwhile, last year’s runner-up Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) stopped Japan from winning their third straight gold medal of the day. Nichita built a four-point lead with two first period takedowns before fighting off a late Japanese rush, defeating Sae NANJO (JPN), 5-4 in the 59kg finals. 

 

The final two weights that did not feature a Japanese finalist were 68kg and 72kg. 

The 68kg finals pitted 2018 cadet world champion Macey Ellen KILTY (USA) and reigning junior world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) against each other. But Velieva’s experience was on display as she shutdown Kilty for six straight minutes, limiting her opportunities to score on her way to winning her second junior world title in as many years.

The final gold medal of the night went to China’s HUANG Yuanyuan. Huang shot a high crotch in the opening period and dumped Russia’s Elmira KHALAEVA to her back and picked up the fall, giving China their first gold medalist of these Junior World Championships.  

RESULTS 

Team Scores 
GOLD  – Japan (100 points)
SILVER  – Russia (85 points)
BRONZE – China (68 points) 
Fourth – Ukraine (50 points) 
Fifth – India (37 points)

50kg 
GOLD - Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Ellen RIESTERER (GER), 10-0 

BRONZE -  Marina ZAKSHEVSKAYA (KAZ) df. Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), 12-0 
BRONZE - Veronika GURSKAYA (RUS) df. Yumei ZHONG (CHN), via fall 

55kg
GOLD - Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. Khaliunaa BAYARAA (MGL), 10-0

BRONZE -  Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Anju ANJU (IND), 12-2 
BRONZE - Jiajing HOU (CHN) df. Eunyoung PARK (KOR), 7-4 

59kg
GOLD - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Sae NANJO (JPN), 5-4

BRONZE -  Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. Yekaterina FIRSTOVA (KAZ), via fall
BRONZE - Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Alina KAZYMOVA (RUS),  11=5

68kg
GOLD -  Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Macey Ellen KILTY (USA), 7-0 

BRONZE -  Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), via fall 
BRONZE - Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR) df. Yan WANG (CHN), via fall

76kg
GOLD - Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN) df. Elmira KHALAEVA (RUS), 6-0 

BRONZE - Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Anna TISLICHENKO (UKR), 10-0 
BRONZE -  Denise Sabina MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) df. Inkara ZHANATAYEVA (KAZ), 10-0 

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0