ISTANBUL (May 7) – Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) returned to action Saturday just in time to earn a Rio 2016 berth for Russia at the “last chance” Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Istanbul.

The London 2012 Olympian racked up three wins, including a pair of technical falls, to earn qualification at 58kg, while showing no negative effects from a knee injury that knocked her out of last summer’s European Games.

Koblova, also the 2014 world silver medalist, overwhelmed European under-23 champion Tatyana KIT (UKR) for a technical fall at 1:20 of the 58kg semifinal and Russia’s fifth ticket to the women’s wrestling events at Rio 2016.

Earlier in the semifinal round, Klippan Open winner Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) rolled over rival Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) with a technical fall at 75kg for Russia’s fourth ticket in women’s wrestling – atoning for a semifinal loss in the Ulaanbaatar qualifier two weeks ago. 

With triumphs from Bukina and Koblova, Russia has captured 17 of 18 possible berths at the wrestling competition at Rio 2016.  The only ticket that has eluded Russia is at 53kg in the women’s events.

Along with the Russian double, 2013 world champion Alina MAKINIA (UKR) and two-time European champ Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) booked a pair of tickets for Ukraine at 69kg and 53kg – giving Ukraine berths in five of the six women’s events.

[[{"fid":"11349","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"style":"width: 600px; height: 400px; margin: 5px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"}}]]In Saturday evening’s finals, Khavaldzhy erupted for 10 points in the second period of the 53kg final for a 10-4 win over local favorite and U23 bronze medalist Bediha GUN (TUR).

Despite the loss in the final, Gun snared a fifth place for the Turkish women in the Olympic Games – only one Olympiad after Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) became the first woman to wrestle for Turkey at the Olympic Games. At Rio 2016, she will be joined by four teammates.

A sixth Olympic hopeful for Turkey, however, was denied on Saturday as Asian Games bronze medalist Vinesh VINESH (IND) stopped U23 champion Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) by technical fall in their 48kg semifinal.

Vinesh became only the second woman to qualify for India in wrestling at the Olympic Games after Geeta PHOGAT (IND), more commonly known as simply “Geeta,” qualified for London 2012.

Geeta was reportedly suspended from competing in Istanbul after she pulled out of the qualifier two weeks ago in Ulaanbaatar, citing injury. Her placement, ironically, Sakshi MALIK (IND) grabbed India’s second qualification on Saturday by holding on for a 10-10 win over 2012 world champion ZHANG Lan (CHN) at 58kg.

Veterans Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) and Monika MICHALIK (POL) also gave Poland its third and fourth tickets to Rio. Matkowska later lost to Vinesh, 6-0, in the 48kg final, but Michalik muscled her way to a 5-2 over Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) in the 63kg final.

Women’s Wrestling

48kg (22entries)

Gold – Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL), 6-0
Bronze – ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR), 9-6
Bronze – Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Natalya PULKOVSKA (UKR) by TF, 12-0, 3:29 

Semifinals – Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) df. ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) by TF, 12-2, 5:45
Semifinals – Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) by TF, 12-2, 5:11

53kg (24 entries)

Gold – Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 10-4
Bronze – Melanie LESAFFRE (FRA) df. Mercedesz DENES (HUN), 3-2
Bronze – Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) df. Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ), 9-5

Semifinals – Bediha GUN (TUR) df. Melanie LESAFFRE (FRA) by Fall, 3:19 (5-2)
Semifinals – Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) df. Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) by Fall, 0:40 (4-0)

58kg (21 entries)

Gold – Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) df. Sakshi MALIK (IND). 7-3 
Bronze – Katerina ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) df. ZHANG Lan (CHN), 6-2
Bronze – Tatyana KIT (UKR) df. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA), 4-3

Semifinals – Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. ZHANG Lan (CHN), 10-10 
Semifinals – Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) df. Tatyana KIT (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 1:20

63kg (19 entries)

Gold – Monika MICHALIK (POL) df. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE), 5-2
Bronze – Khoumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) by Fall, 5:30 (9-0)
Bronze – Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) df. Shilpi SHEORAN (IND) by TF, 10-0, 4:54

Semifinals – Monika MICHALIK (POL) df. Khoumba LARROQUE (FRA), 3-1 
Semifinals – Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) by Fall, 2:40 (4-4)

69kg (16 entries)

Gold – Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) df. Signe Marie STORE (NOR) by Injury Default, 0:00
Bronze – Viktoria BOBEVA (BUL) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 4-1
Bronze – Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Adina POPESCU (ROU) by Fall, 1:28 (4-0)

Semifinals – Signe Marie STORE (NOR) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 4-3
Semifinals – Alina MAKHINIA (UKR) df. Adina POPESCU (ROU) by Fall, 1:47 (9-0)

75kg (15 entries)

Gold – Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Maria SELMAIER (GER), 6-2 
Bronze – Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE) df. Iselin SOLHEIM (NOR), 8-0 
Bronze – Fanny GRADIN (SWE) df. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) by Forfeit, 0:00

Semifinals – Maria SELMAIER (GER) df. Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE), 12-5
Semifinals – Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 1:55