Japanese Women Jolted in Jakarta, Fail to Strike Gold as World Champs Falter

Monday, August 20, 2018 - 19:26 By United World Wrestling Press

For most countries, four medals in four weight classes would be cause for celebration. But not if you're the Japan women's team and none of those medals are gold, particularly with two world champions in the competition--neither of whom made it to the finals.

Instead it was Mongolia, North Korea (twice) and, for the first time ever, India who had cause to smile as the women's wrestling competition at the Asian Games got underway Monday on the second day in Jakarta.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) pulled off the feat of the day when she won a clash of world champions, scoring a victory by fall in the 62kg semifinals over Risako KAWAI (JPN), who is also a reigning Olympic champion and had not lost in nearly three years.

Purevdorj followed that up by crushing Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) with an 11-0 technical fall in the final to add the Asian Games gold to the 2017 world championship she won at 62kg in Paris.

Tynybekova is no slouch herself, having won the Asian gold and a world bronze medal at 58kg in 2017. But she was no match for Purevdorj, who has now won 10 consecutive international tournaments, including the gold at the Asian Championships in Bishkek earlier this year.

Purevdorj also holds the distinction of being one of the few wrestlers on the planet to have beaten four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN), having scored a technical fall victory over the legend in the final at the Yarygin Grand Prix in 2016.

In the semifinal against Kawai, Purevdorj was trailing 2-0 in the second period when she sent the Japanese to her back and finished her off with a fall at 3:47. The devastated Kawai spent a long while after the match sitting against a wall sobbing.

"I was caught off guard in an instant," Kawai told the Japanese press. "That is the fear of wrestling."

Kawai managed to compose herself and return for the bronze medal match, where she easily disposed of Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE) by 10-0 technical fall in 2:58. RIM Jong Sim (PRK) snared the other bronze.

Kawai, who won the Paris 2017 title at 60kg and Rio 2016 Olympic gold at 63kg, will drop to 59kg in an attempt to defend her world title in Budapest in Hungary. So for now, there will be no rematch for Purevdorj.

For Yuki IRIE (JPN), a rematch with Vinesh VINESH (IND) produced the same disappointing result, but this time at a higher cost.

Meeting in the 50kg final, Vinesh took a 4-0 lead in the first period, then held off the Japanese national champion for a 6-2 victory. That was similar to the outcome of their semifinal encounter at Bishkek 2018, where Vinesh won 4-4 on big point en route to the silver medal. Irie won a bronze.

The victory made Vinesh, who knocked off Rio 2016 bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN) in the first round, the first Indian woman in history to win an Asian Games wrestling gold medal. It was against Sun in Rio that Vinesh suffered a serious leg injury that scuttled her Olympic hopes.

KIM Son Hyung (PRK), a bronze medalist at Paris 2017, and KIM Hyungjoo (KOR) won the playoffs for the bronzes.

For Irie, falling short of the gold was a particularly hard blow as she missed out on making Japan's team to the world championships. She defeated world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) at the national championships in December to earn a berth to Jakarta, but subsequently lost out to Susaki in a playoff for Budapest.

Japan's other current world champion in action in Jakarta, Haruna OKUNO, was also tripped up on the path to the final, suffering a heartbreaking 7-7 loss in the 53kg semifinal to Bishkek 2018 champion PAK Yong Mi (PRK).

Okuno, the Paris 2017 gold medalist at 55kg, trailed 4-1 after the first period, but fought back to go ahead 7-6 with 30 seconds left---only to give up a point for stepping out in the last five seconds to concede the victory on last point to Pak.

Pak went on to win the gold with a one-sided 11-0 technical fall in 5:29 over Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ), a Bishkek 2018 bronze medalist and New Delhi 2017 silver medalist.

Okuno and Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL), the runner-up to Pak in Bishkek, took the bronze medals with first-period falls in the third-place playoffs.

The semifinal losses by Kawai and Okuno came on the heels of a loss at the same stage in freestyle 57kg by fellow world champion and compatriot Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) the previous day.

JONG Myong Suk (PRK) gave North Korea its second gold of the night when the two-time world bronze medalist scored a 5-4 victory in the 57kg final over Bishkek 2018 champion PEI Xingru (CHN).

Jong chalked up four points with a double-leg takedown in the first period, then held on as Pei battled back with her own 4-point move in the second.

The bronze medals went to Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) and Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN).

Meanwhile in the lone remaining weight class in freestyle, Parviz HADIBASMANJ (IRI) successfully defended his 125kg title to give Iran golds in the top half of the six divisions on the program.

Hadibasmanj had little trouble in forging a 7-0 decision in the final over DENG Zhiwei (CHN) to add to the golds won the previous day by Iranian compatriots Hassan YAZDANI at 86kg and Alireza KARIMI at 97kg.

Hadibasmanj's biggest challenge came in the semifinals, where he managed to scrape together an 11-8 win over man-mountain and Bishkek 2018 champion Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB).

Modzmanshvili and NAM Koungjin (KOR) came away with the bronze medals.

On Day 3 of the four-day competition on Tuesday, the women will finish up with the two upper weights, 68kg and 72kg, while the Greco-Roman gets started with the two lightest divisions, 60kg and 67kg.

Freestyle

125kg (19 entries)

Gold - Parviz HADIBASMANJ (IRI) df. DENG Zhiwei (CHN), 7-0
Bronze - NAM Koungjin (KOR) df. Tayab REZA (PAK), 9-0
Bronze - Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB) df. Sumit SUMIT (IND), 2-0

SF - Hadibasmanj df. Modzmanashvili, 11-8
SF - Deng df. Nam by Fall, 1:08 (6-0)

Women's Wrestling

50kg (11 entries)

Gold - Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Yuki IRIE (JPN), 6-2
Bronze - KIM Son Hyang (PRK) def. Eka SETIAWATI (INA) by TF, 10-0, 2:11
Bronze - KIM Hyungjoo (KOR) def. Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB), 6-0

SF - Vinesh df. Yakhshimuratova by TF, 10-0, 1:15
SF - Irie df. Kim, 13-4

53kg (13 entries)

Gold - PAK Yong Mi (PRK) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 5:29
Bronze - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. CHIU Hsinju (TPE) by Fall, 2:19 (6-0)
Bronze - Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. LEE Shinhye (KOR) by Fall, 1:49 (3-2)

SF - Eshimova df. Erdenechimeg, 12-11
SF - Pak df. Okuno, 7-7

57kg (12 entries)

Gold - JONG Myong Suk (PRK) df. PEI Xingru (CHN), 5-4
Bronze - Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. UM Jieun (KOR), 5-2
Bronze - Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 6-1

SF - Jong df. Dhanda by TF, 10-0, 5:09
SF - Pei df. Altantsetseg, 4-1

62kg (11 entries)

Gold - Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) by TF, 11-0, 4:14
Bronze - Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE) by TF, 10-0, 2:58
Bronze - RIM Jong Sim (PRK) df. Sakshi MALIK (IND), 6-1

SF - Tynybekova df. Malik, 9-7
SF - Purevdorj df. Kawai by Fall, 3:47 (2-2)

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Triple delight for Turkiye as Bas leads gold rush

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 - 19:25 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 11) -- For Nesrin BAS (TUR), returning in the U23 European Championship after winning the senior continental title last year would have felt like finishing high school after earning a master’s degree.

Two years after claiming the U23 European gold, the 22-year-old star from Turkiye never looked troubled as she galloped to the top of the podium, beating Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 6-2, in a nerve-wrecking 68kg final on Tuesday.

Bas might never have looked troubled en route to the final, blanking Laura GODINO (ITA) 10-0 and Viktorya RADZKOVA (UWW) via fall, but in Skobelska, she met a hungry and brave rival.

Returning silver medalist Skobelska, despite two medical timeouts for bleeding, did not show any signs of slowing down to protect her injury. In fact, she charged more purposefully and went 2-1 up.

Bas, however, proved why she is considered one of the finest young stars of the sport right now. She did not panic as she tried to make a comeback into the match. Bas summoned all her experience and strength to execute a throw-by and scoring the first takedown for a 4-2 lead. The score remained 4-2 until the closing stages of the bout and when in the last 10 seconds, Skobelska tried to counter-attack, leaving her defence vulnerable and conceding two more points to put the result beyond any doubt.

Bas led Turkiye’s golden hat-trick Tuesday. Minutes before her final, it was Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who set the ball rolling in the 55kg.

Facing Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) in the title showdown, she made short work of her opponent to win 7-0. Demir opened the bout sedately, catching Samoil’s ankles to push her out of bounds for the first point of the final. Seconds after she went ahead, Demir thought she had a spectacular four-point throw but upon Samoil’s successful challenge, it was deemed to be just a two-pointer. However, it still gave the young Turkish wrestler a healthy 3-0 lead at the break.

Demir defended staunchly in the second period, surviving a barrage of attacks from Samoil. And in the closing stages of the match, Demir dug deep to counter an attempted whizzer from Samoil which was initially not score. Moldova challenged the decision, hoping to get four points for the win but on review, it was scored two points for Demir's takedown as she defended Samoil's toss and two more for exposure. Demir eventually won 7-0 open Turkiye’s gold medal account.

Demir’s trophy cabinet will now boast of a full set of age-group continental gold medals, having earlier won the U17 and U20 European Championships.

In the final bout of the day, Elmira YASIN (TUR) defeated Olga KOZYREVA (UWW) 10-5 to win the gold medal and cap off a remarkable day for Turkiye.

In an action-packed final, Yasin was put on the activity clock. With less than five seconds remaining for her to score, Yasin carried out a double-leg attack on Kozyreva. The referee judged it as a four-pointer but Kozyreva challenged the call and after a review, it was declared as a two-point throw.

But it swung the momentum in the favor of Yasin, who again initiated a double-leg attack to throw Kozyreva off-balance before slamming her on the mat back-first for a four-pointer. Kozyreva again challenged the call but this time, it was called four but she was awarded a point for taking Yasin out-of-bounds after the throw.

Yasin had the chance to win the match on technical superiority when she blocked a headlock attempt from Kozyreva and scored a takedown and lead 9-1. However, she failed to perform her lace. Yasin then went for a double-leg but lost her balance and fell with Kozyreya controlling her. That gave Kozyreva two points and a front chest-wrap turn made it 9-5. But Yasin scored a reversal and defended her 10-5 lead for the victory.

At 50kg, in an entertaining final, Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) scripted an impressive recovery to beat Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW) 7-5 after going 0-3 down at the start of the second period.

Pudova scored a reversal after Yanotava's takedown and scored a turn to take a 3-3 criteria lead. With a little more than a minute left, Pudova mistimed an attack and Yanotava made the most of it, using double underhooks to turn Pudova for two and lead 5-3.

But Pudova didn’t give up easily, making another comeback with only 30 seconds left to play. After a scramble, Pudova managed to hit a double-leg and Yanotava tried the front chest throw but Pudova blocked it and got Yanotava on her back to the mat for two points. An exposure turn made it 7-5 for Pudova who cliched the gold medal.

In the 59kg final, Zagreb Open winner 18-year-old Hiunai HUBRANOVA (AZE) defeated former U20 world champion Aurora RUSSO (ITA) 4-0 to make it two golds out of two tournaments this year.

Bondar aims third straight gold

Meanwhile, U23 and U20 world champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will hope to complete a hat-trick of U23 European Championship gold medals after she stormed into the 62kg final, where she will face Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) on Wednesday.

Bondar reached the final with a technical superiority win and a fall, first overcoming the challenge posed by Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW) 13-2 and then pinning Naemi LEISTNER (GER) in the semifinal.

If she is successful on Wednesday, she will add another feather to her cap, having already won the title in 2023 and 2024.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Anastasiya YANOTAVA (UWW), 7-5

BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Maria CAZALLA TORRES (ESP), 12-0
BRONZE: Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE) df. Songul KAVAK (TUR), 9-3

55kg
GOLD: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 7-0

BRONZE: Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) df. Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (UWW), 6-0
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Kamila KASPROW (POL), via fall (12-0)

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Aurora RUSSO (ITA), 4-0

BRONZE: Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) df. Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR), 14-6
BRONZE: Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) df. Evgeniia OGORODNIKOVA (UWW), 4-3

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 6-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) df. Laura GODINO (ITA), 3-2
BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), via fall (7-3)

76kg
GOLD: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Olga KOZYREVA (UWW), 10-5

BRONZE: Hanna PIRSKAYA (UWW) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 5-4
BRONZE: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Veronika NYIKOS (HUN), via fall (6-0)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW)

SF 1: Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), 3-2
SF 2: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 12-0

57kg
GOLD: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Georgiana LIRCA (ROU), 5-3
SF 2: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Inna ALIMOVA (LTU), 12-1

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 10-0
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alicja NOWOSAD (POL), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) vs. Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW)

SF 1: Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Viorica ADAM (ROU), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Daniela TKACHUK (POL) vs. Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Veronika VILK (CRO), 8-4
SF 2: Daniela TKACHUK (POL) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall (4-4)

Japanese Women Jolted in Jakarta, Fail to Strike Gold as World Champs Falter

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U23 Euros: Triple delight for Turkiye as Bas leads gold rush