#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 

2026 Muhamet Malo

Muhamet Malo Flashback: Relive 2025 Ranking Series Stop in Tirana

Friday, February 13, 2026 - 09:04 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 13) -- There is a good chance that the gold medalist at the Muhamet Malo 2026 Ranking Series event will have a good season. It happened in 2025. Most of the gold medalists from 2025 managed to win respective continental or world medals.With the second Ranking Series of 2026 once again in Tirana, here's a flashback to the one in 2025. Follow the 2026 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series on uww.org, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube.

MUHAMET MALO 2026 RANKING SERIES ENTRIES

WATCH ALL FINALS FROM 2025 MUHAMET MALO RANKING SERIES HERE

Freestyle

Iran brought a solid team to Tirana last year with Olympic silver medalists Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI). It won four gold medals with both Amouzad and Zare winning at 65kg and 125kg, respectively. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) won at 92kg with rather ease and at 57kg, Ali MOMENI (IRI) got a fall in the final.

Kaeisi TANABE (JPN) was also in the field at 65kg. However, he went on to lose his semifinal against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and then the bronze medal bout to Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ).

But the most memorable win was that of Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who announced himself as a big contender at 97kg, first time in Tirana. Wrestling world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the semifinals, Yoshida stunned the crowd in Tirana with a thrilling 5-5 victory over the American wrestler.

Snyder led 4-1 at the break and then added another point in the second period. But Yoshida hit a cut back and then a turn to take a 5-5 criteria lead which he held on to until time expired in the match. The winning firmly put Yoshida as one of the top 97kg wrestlers in the world.

Two other Japanese stars also won gold medals last year. Takara SUDA (JPN) was the best at 61kg displaying some tricky wrestling as he won gold while Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) kept it simple to win the gold medal at 70kg.

It was also the return of Chermen VALIEV (ALB) since he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024. He did not disappoint the home fans, capturing the 74kg gold medal in an actionless 2-0 win over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

Greco-Roman

An Olympic final rematch occurred inn Tirana in Greco-Roman. At 87kg, Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) and Alireza MOHMEDI (IRI) clashed in the quarterfinals. Mohmedi had lost to Novikov in the Paris 2024 final but he turned it around in Tirana, blanking Novikov 5-0. The heated match included some words exchanged between the two at the end of the bout.

Mohmedi won't stop there. He defeated Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 5-1, in the semifinal and later went on to win the gold medal once David LOSONCZI (HUN) injury defaulted in the final.

Both Komarov and Mohmedi would later meet in the final of the World Championships in Zagreb. This time, Komarov avenged that loss from Tirana and won the gold medal while Mohmedi was heartbroken with the loss.

Tirana was also the start of a resurgence of Kerem KAMAL (TUR). After some frustrating years at 60kg, Kamal began the new season at 63kg and won gold. It set the tone for 2025 as he went on to win two more Ranking Series gold medals and became the European champion at 63kg.

Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) made his senior debut at 55kg in Tirana. He won his first two bouts before falling in the final against Emre MUTLU (TUR). Lolua had won silver medal at the U17 World Championships before 2025 but he would later win silver at the U20 Worlds and then become world champion at 55kg in one of the exciting matches in 2025 against U20 world champion Payam AHMADI (IRI).

At 130kg, world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) remained a rock and won gold without giving up any action points in his four bouts.

Women's Wrestling

As is the theme in Women's Wrestling, Japan won the most gold medals in Tirana as well. Out of the 10 golds, Japan won six medals.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) was making her international debut at 53kg after winning gold at World Championships at 55kg. She began well but had a scare in the semifinals against Lillia MALANCHUK (UKR). She even trailed in the semifinals before winning 15-8. She later defeated Andreea ANA (ROU) in the final, 6-0, to capture the gold medal.

At 55kg, Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) was solid throughout, winning the gold medal with ease. Umi ITO (JPN) had a similar outing as she swept the field to claim the 50kg gold medal.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) gave a glimpse of her 2025 in Tirana. The teenager won gold medal in Tirana at 59kg and she continued her form winning U20 world gold and then the senior world title in September.

Another Tirana gold medalist who became world champion in Zagreb was Ami ISHII (JPN) at 68kg. A world champion at 72kg in 2024, Ishii moved down to 68kg and was instantly successful. She defeated Zelu LI (CHN), 8-2, in the final. She won the world title in Zagreb, winning five bouts and giving up only three points.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) was another gold medalist for Japan. She defeated Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) in the semifinals and faced Irina RINGACI (MDA) for the gold medal. Ringaci had earlier defeated her, 7-5, in the round robin bout. Morikawa fell behind 6-3 in the final as well but Ringaci pulled out injured midway through the final, giving Morikawa the gold medal.

The two also met at the World Championships but Morikawa would stamp her authority in Zagreb with a 10-0 win over Ringaci. She won the gold medal by beating Alina KASABEIVA (UWW), 8-0.

At 72kg, Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) won the Nelson bracket that also included a 3-1 win over Alla BELINSKA (UKR) who later went on to win the gold medal at the World Championships.

Veteran Samantha STEWART (CAN) made the tournament memorable for herself winning the gold medal with three wins, including two via falls.