Kamal strengthens World Championships bid, ranking with Budapest gold

Sunday, July 16, 2023 - 10:21 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- Kerem KAMAL (TUR) entered the Budapest Ranking Series for two major reasons.

The first was to improve his ranking to number three and the second was to face European champion Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) before the World Championships.

The latter did not happen as Nazaryan, despite reaching the semifinal against Kamal, pulled out due to an injury. However, Kamal won the gold medal at 60kg in Budapest and jumped to number three in the rankings.

“The tournament was very difficult but important for me,” Kamal said. “My goal was to overtake the opponent from China in the ranking, which I achieved with a gold medal.”

In April, Kamal suffered two heartbreaking losses at the European Championships and finished fifth. A gold medal in Budapest also helped him put that loss behind him.

“I had a bad day at the European Championships, so this is a good motivation for me,” he said.

Kamal opened his day against Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) and did not take time to advance to the quarterfinals with a 9-0 victory. In the quarterfinals, he posted another technical superiority win as he defeated Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) 8-0.

From the other side of the bracket, Nazaryan pinned Dalton ROBERTS (USA) in his first bout and defeated Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN) 5-1 in the quarterfinals. However, he pulled out of the semifinal against Kamal due to injury.

Kamal, now into the final, wrestled Omid ARAMI (IRI) and won 8-1 to win gold and collect the all-important ranking points.

“I was looking forward to the fight against Nazaryan,” he said. “I wanted to avenge him but he decided not to wrestle. I am looking forward to the World Championships so we wrestle each other.”

Before the Ranking Series in Budapest, Kamal had 39200 points while Liguo CAO (CHN) was at 40600 points. But the gold should push Kamal over Cao who finished 13th. Kamal will have 52200 points while Cao will finish with 45675 points.

Nazaryan, who collected 9000 points, will be the top seed at the World Championships while world champion Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will be seeded second. Kamal will be third.

“The ranking is very important,” he said. “I was fourth but after the gold medal, I will probably be third and that's what I wanted.”

Even after winning the gold medal, Kamal paid an emotional tribute to one of his friends. In an emotional message, Kamal dedicated his gold medal to fellow wrestler Ahmet TAS (TUR) who lost his life in the deadly earthquake that hit Turkiye in February.

“We had an earthquake in Turkiye and we lost many people,” he said. “Today would have been the birthday of my friend and wrestler Ahmet Tas who lost his life in the earthquake. I dedicate my gold medal to him.”

In the other two Greco-Roman weight classes that were in action on Saturday, Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) the gold medal at 55kg and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) became the champion at 63kg, both non-Olympic weight categories.

China rises at 76kg

The only Olympic weight class in action on Saturday in women's wrestling was 76kg with world and Olympic medalists. However, it was China that stole the show.

China entered three wrestlers in the weight class with Juan WANG (CHN), Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN) and QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN).

The first casualty at the hands of the Chinese wrestlers was world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) as Huang defeated her 4-0 in the pre-quarterfinals. However, she suffered a fall in the quarterfinals against Justina DI STASIO (CAN) which ended Adar's campaign.

In other quarterfinals, Qiandegenchagan defeated Yelena MAKOYED (USA), 12-1, to hand the American her first international defeat by a non-US wrestler. World bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST) dominated world silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) 8-2 while Wang won 4-3 against Genesis REASCO (ECU).

That put Qiandegenchagan and Mae in the same semifinal and the latter began with a headlock for four and tried pinning her Chinese opponent. But Qiandegenchagan managed to slip out of the hold. She got one for reversal and a roll added two more points.

In the second period, Mae tried pushing Qiandegenchagan out of the zone while being in a front headlock but the latter managed to move away, circle around for a takedown and take a match-winning 5-4 lead.

Di Stasio would blame her luck as she was leading 3-0 with 2:35 remaining in the bout and was clearly in better wrestler in the semifinal against Wang. However, Wang got on a single leg and transitioned into a cradle, putting Di Stasio on her back.

A fall was confirmed and Wang booked her place against Qiandegenchagan in the final which was a slow affair for the first four minutes.

Qiandegenchagan led 1-0 after a passivity point but with time running out, Wang got into a bodylock and Qiandegenchagan used the opportunity to execute a throw for four and led 5-0.

Wang made it interesting again by scoring a takedown with less than 20 seconds remaining. She rolled Qiandegenchagan to make it 5-4 before the clock ran out, giving Qiandegenchagan the win.

In the non-Olympic weight classes, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) won the gold medal at 55kg after beating Karla GODINEZ (CAN) 7-4 in the final.

At 59kg, Jennifer PAGE (USA) survived two back-to-back four-point throws from Magdalena GLODEK (POL) and scored a takedown on reversal to win the gold medal 13-11.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) was easily the best at 65kg as she won three bouts in a round-robin bracket to win the gold medal.

At 72kg, Asian champion Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) held off Dalma CANEVA (ITA) 3-1 to claim the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) df. Denis MIHAI (ROU), 9-0

BRONZE: Ramaz SILAGAVA (GEO) df. Yersin ABYIR (KAZ), 5-2

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Omid ARAMI (IRI), 8-1

BRONZE: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Virgil BICA (SWE), 10-0

63kg
GOLD: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Jinwoong JUNG (KOR), 5-1

BRONZE: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU), via fall
BRONZE: Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ) df. Aker SCHMID (AUT), via inj. def.

Women's wrestling

55kg
GOLD: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 7-2

BRONZE: Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), via fall
BRONZE: Li DENG (CHN) df. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ), via inj. def.

59kg
GOLD: Jennifer PAGE (USA) df. Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 13-11

BRONZE: SANGEETA (IND) df. Viktoria BORSOS (HUN), 6-2

65kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA)
SILVER: Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
BRONZE: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN)

72kg
GOLD: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 3-1

BRONZE: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN), 11-0

76kg
GOLD: QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN) df. Juan WANG (CHN), 5-4

BRONZE: Yelena MAKOYED (USA) df. Epp MAE (EST), 9-6
BRONZE: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Justina DI STASIO (CAN), 6-0

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Ozaki, Morikawa Mark Golden Return to Olympic Weights

Saturday, February 7, 2026 - 00:43 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- Just four months ago, Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) came to Zagreb as a training partner with Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at the World Championships.

While Morikawa won the gold medal, Ozaki cheered for her close friend, even writing messages for her on a small bandage that Morikawa put on her cheek.

Back then, Ozaki wished she could compete and become world champions together.

Not the World Championships, but Ozaki and Morikawa won gold medals at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event on Friday. Ozaki completed a dominant run to win the 62kg title while Morikawa had a bumpy ride to the 68kg gold medal, a weight class above 65kg in which she won the world gold.

"We managed to win gold with the star of Physical Asia," Morikawa wrote on social media referring to a Netflix show in which Ozaki participated.

The two do not train at the same university in Japan but the closeness of their weight classes has allowed them to practice together whenever they get a chance, including being on international tours together.

They were two of the four Japanese wrestlers who won gold medals in Women's Wrestling, joining Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) at 59kg and Nana IKEHATA (JPN) at 65kg.

Greco-Roman also kicked off at the Zagreb Open, the season-opening Ranking Series event, and the world champion at 63kg Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) showed that he has adjusted to the Olympic weight class 67kg, winning gold.

Iran won gold at 63kg after Erfan JARKANI (IRI) defeated CHETAN (IND) in the final.

Ozaki began her day by securing a fall over Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) after building a 12-2 lead, and then pinned Eniko ELEKES (HUN) in the second bout to book a spot in the semifinal.

It was in this bout that Ozaki faced her first struggles of the day against Macey KILTY (USA). Though she ultimately secured a 5-2 win, Ozaki gave up positions against the American wrestler. She would later admit that it was not easy to keep herself calm during the bout.

In the final against Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), a silver medalist from the European Championships, Ozaki scored four different takedowns and looked in complete control. With the 8-0 win, Ozaki won her first Ranking Series gold medal.

Ozaki won the world title at 65kg in 2023 but was a phenom at 62kg when she emerged on the international scene in 2022. But after a slump in form both in Japan and internationally, she missed out on making the Japan team for the 2023 World Championships at 62kg.

However, with Ami ISHII (JPN) qualifying Japan for the 2024 Paris Games without winning a medal opened a door for Ozaki to be at the Olympics.

Ozaki set out on a daunting task of moving to 68kg and not only did she defeat Ishii while being underweight, she managed to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Soon after, she decided to move back to 62kg but suffered two back-to-back heartbreaking losses to Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and failed to make the 2025 world team.

It turned around at the Emperor's Cup in December 2025 as Ozaki avenged her loss to Motoki and earned the right to participate in the Zagreb Open and Asian Championships in April.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) scores a takedown on Nesrin BAS (TUR) during the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Morikawa, who also moved to 68kg after winning gold at 65kg at the World Championships in 2025, had a hiccup in the final, but managed to get the gold medal against Nesrin BAS (TUR).

The two-time world champion captured her third Ranking Series gold medal and first since 2018 but not before having a tough time on the mat. She began with an 11-0 win over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and then a 10-0 technical superiority over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW).

While the fall over Aleah NICKEL (CAN) in the semifinals was dominant, Morikawa did show some signs of discomfort. That showed up in the final against Bas as Morikawa fell behind 2-0 in the first period. She managed to score a point before the break and cut the lead to 2-1.

Morikawa found a way to score two takedowns in the second period to take a 5-2 lead to capture the gold medal at 68kg.

Bas, who was at the Paris Olympics at 62kg but won world silver medal in 2025 at 72kg, was another wrestler trying to adjust to a new weight class. Her biggest test came in the semifinal against Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA).

Blades led 1-0 at the end of the first period but Bas seemed unfazed. The American was put on the shot clock in the second period and after 30-second activity time exchanged, Bas took a 1-1 criteria lead. Bas also got a point for stepout to make it 2-1.

She then defended the lead until the end of the time to claim a victory over Blades and a spot in the final against Morikawa. Bas is likely to continue at the weight and the silver medal in Zagreb will be a huge boost for her going forward.

Khalmakhanov adjusts to 67kg

Another star wrestler shifting to an Olympic weight class was 63kg world champion Khalmakhanov and he performed strongly at 67kg. His first battle came in the semifinal when he faced Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN).

But an arm-throw and turn gave him a 6-0 lead against Sogabe who got a few stepouts in the bout. Khalmakhanov scored two correct throws to add four more points in the bout and got one point for a lost challenge to win 11-5.

From the other side of the bracket, Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) made it to the final after beating Katsuaki ENDO (JPN), 11-3, in the semifinals.

For the gold medal, Khalmakhanov and Chkhikvadze were matched evenly. While the scoreline points to a low-scoring bout, both wrestlers left it all on the mat.

Chkhikvadze was the first to get par terre but he failed to score any more points from the position and led 1-0 at the break. Khalmakhanov also got a point for the par terre position in the second period but Chkhikvadze held criteria.

The Georgian managed to score a stepout to extend his lead to a clear 2-1 score. But as the bout grew in intensity, it was Chkhikvadze who suffered, giving up a stepout with less than 30 seconds left.

With the score at 2-2, Khalmakhanov held criteria for the last point scored. He managed to hold his lead and won the gold medal in Zagreb, thus making a smooth transition to the Olympic weight class, three months after winning bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games at 67kg.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

59kg
GOLD: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 10-0

BRONZE: Elena BRUGGER (GER) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Abigail NETTE (USA) df. Iris SLATKA (CRO), via fall (10-0)

62kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 8-0

BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall
BRONZE: ANJLI (IND) df. Bhagyashree FAND (IND), 5-4

65kg
GOLD: Nana IKEHATA (JPN)
SILVER: PULKIT (IND)
BRONZE: Kriszta INCZE (ROU)

68kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 5-2

BRONZE: NISHA (IND) df. Kennedy BLADES (USA), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) df. Aleah NICKEL (CAN), 9-0

Greco-Roman

63kg
GOLD: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) df. CHETAN (IND), 8-4

BRONZE: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Khusniddin OLIMBOEV (UZB), 6-1
BRONZE: Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) df. Dastan ZARLYKHANOV (KAZ), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 2-2

BRONZE: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 5-0
BRONZE: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) df. Mahmoud KAMALI (IRI), 3-2

Kamal strengthens World Championships bid, ranking with Budapest gold

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Zagreb Open: Ozaki, Morikawa Mark Golden Return to Olympic Weights