BAKU – Chiho HAMADA (JPN) and Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) both warmed up for September’s world championships with gold medal performances in Female Wrestling at the Golden Grand Prix Final international wrestling tournament.

World student champion Hamada opened with a four-point takedown and finished with a fall against junior world bronze medalist PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) in the 55kg final for Japan’s first gold medal.

And in the day’s finale, 2013 GGP silver medalist Suzuki battled with world bronze medal winner Adeline GRAY (USA) for six minutes and won the 75kg title on criteria, 1-1, with the last point.

In addition to two gold medals, Japanese wrestlers bagged two silver medals and three bronze. One of the silver medals went to world team member Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) after giving up a late four-point takedown to former world champion Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) for a 9-5 win for the host team at 60kg.

Ratkevich and European champion Maria STADNYK (AZE) gave Azerbaijan two gold medals in the women’s events. Stadnyk scored with a leg attack and lift and dropped Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) to her back for the fall at 1:52 of the 48kg final.

A pair of 2012 world champions, Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) and Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), won gold medals at 63kg and 69kg, respectively.

Pirozhkova held on for a 7-4 win against Asia champion Yurika ITO (JPN) after building up a seven-point lead, while Fransson scored two takedowns in the first period for a 4-2 win over 2013 Asia silver medalist BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL).

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) won her first title of the year at 53kg with European champion Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) on the sidelines after a quarterfinal loss to Nanami IRIE, 6-6, on criteria.

Anna VASILENKO (UKR) upgraded from bronze to gold this year at 58kg with a quick double-leg dump to the back for a fall at 1:00 against 2013 World University Games silver medalist Allison RAGAN (USA).

World champion Alina MAKHINIA (UKR) and European champion Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) both suffered losses in the semifinals, but rebounded for wins in their bronze medal matches at 69kg and 60kg.

Wrestling at the Golden Grand Prix Final, wrestling’s largest prize money event, concludes Sunday, July 27, with competition in all eight weight categories of Greco-Roman.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Mariya STADNYK (AZE) df. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) by FALL
BRONZE: Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ), 13-10
BRONZE: Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) df. Kamala ALIYEVA (AZE) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal: Mariya STADNYK (AZE) df. Yuki IRIE (JPN) by TF, 12-1
Semifinal: Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) df. Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL), 11-8

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Nadzeya SHUSHKO (BLR), 7-3 
BRONZE: Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA) by FALL
BRONZE: Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA TURTBAYEVA (KAZ) df. Patimat BAGOMEDOVA (AZE) by Injury Default

Semifinal: Nadzeya SHUSHKO (BLR) df. Nanami IRIE (JPN) by FALL, 2-0 
Semifinal: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA TURTBAYEVA (KAZ) by FALL, 9-2

55kg
GOLD: Chiho HAMADA (JPN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by FALL
BRONZE: Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA) df. Yuliya YATKOUSKAYA (BLR) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Katerina GANCAR (BLR) df. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) by TF, 13-3

Semifinal: Chiho HAMADA (JPN) df. Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA), 7-2
Semifinal: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Katerina GANCAR (BLR) by TF, 16-6

58kg
GOLD: Ganna VASYLENKO (UKR) df. Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA) by FALL
BRONZE: Emese BARKA (HUN) df. Irina NETREBA (AZE) by FALL
BRONZE: Ayaka ITO (JPN) df. Joice SILVA (BRA) by FALL 

Semifinal: Ganna VASYLENKO (UKR) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), 2-2
Semifinal: Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA) df. Joice SILVA (BRA), 5-3

60kg
GOLD: Yuliya RATKEVICH (AZE) df. Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN), 9-5  
BRONZE: Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) df. Anna MAKSIMOVA (RUS) by FALL
BRONZE: Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) df. Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR), 4-1

Semifinal: Yuliya RATKEVICH (AZE) df. Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN), 6-0
Semifinal: Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) df. Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE), 6-2

63kg
GOLD: Elena Sergey PIROZHKOV (USA) df. Yurika ITO (JPN), 7-4 
BRONZE: Irina BOGDANOVA (RUS) df. Dailane GOMES (BRA), 8-4
BRONZE: Yuliia TAKACH (UKR) df. Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA) by FALL

Semifinal: Yurika ITO (JPN) df. Irina BOGDANOVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0
Semifinal: Elena Sergey PIROZHKOV (USA) df. Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA), 3-2

69kg
GOLD: Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON (SWE) df. Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL), 4-2
BRONZE: Laura SKUJINA (LAT) df. Anastasia SHCHAVLINSKAYA (RUS), 8-4
BRONZE: Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR) df. Darima SANZHEEVA (RUS) by FALL

Semifinal: Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON (SWE) df. Laura SKUJINA (LAT), 2-1
Semifinal: Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL) df. Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR), 6-4

75kg
GOLD: Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) df. Adeline Maria GRAY (USA), 1-1
BRONZE: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ), 8-3
BRONZE: Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) df. Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL), 4-1

Semifinal: Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 6-2
Semifinal: Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) df. Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) by TF, 12-2