#WrestleNoviSad

Kuznetsova's Gold Pushes Russia Past Ukraine in Women's Team Race

Friday, March 8, 2019 - 19:24 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 8) - The Russian Federation, led by their solo Day 6 champion Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), captured the U23 European team title 12 points ahead of second-place Ukraine. Kuznetsova was one of three Russian women to leave Novi Sad with a gold medal. They also had a trio of runner-ups and pair of bronze-medal finishers. 

Russia trailed Ukraine by eight points heading into Kuznetsova’s 65kg gold-medal bout, but her 4-1 victory over Romania’s Kriszta INCZE put her country back in front by seven points. 

Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO’s second-place finish in the 72kg round-robin competition sealed the team title for Russia as they finished with 180 points. 

Ukraine, who finished in second place with two champions and three silver medalists, finished the tournament with a total of 168 points. 

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK was one of three Ukrainian finalists, but the only one of Ukraine's Day 5 finalists to reach the top of the podium. It only took her 58 seconds to lock up a cradle and stick Germany's Luzie MANZKE in the 62kg gold-medal bout. 

Meanwhile, the other pair of Day 5 gold medals went to Germany’s Annika WENDLE and Hungary’s Ramona GALAMBOS. 

In the 53kg finals, Wendle and Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) traded inactivity points, but it was a late failed Ukrainian challenge that proved to be the difference in the match. The German wrestler was awarded a point and closed out the match with the 2-1 victory. 

In the 57kg gold-medal bout, Ramona Galambos had the 1-1 advantage on criteria but used an inactivity point to take the 2-1 outright lead and eventually the win over Ukraine's Alina AKOBIIA. 

This was Galambos' 13th overall time competing at a European Championships, and first time winning a continental gold since she did so back at the 2013 Cadet European Championships. 

Wrestling resumes Saturday in Novi Sad with the freestyle qualifications rounds beginning at 11:30 (local time). The Day 6 freestyle semifinals begin at 17:15, and will be followed by the first five freestyle finals matchups. 

Women’s Wrestling 
Team Scores
GOLD - Russia  (180 points)
SILVER - Ukraine (168 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (118 points)
Fourth - Belarus (90 points)
Fifth - Romania (85 points)

53kg 
GOLD - Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR), 2-1 
BRONZE - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Kremena PETROVA (BUL), 11-4
BRONZE Suzanna SEICARIU (ROU) df. Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE), 2-2 

57kg 
GOLD - Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) df. Alina AKOBIIA (UKR), 2-1 
BRONZE - Elif YANIK (TUR) df. Valeryia YARMOLA (BLR), via fall 

62kg
GOLD - Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Luzie MANZKE (GER), via fall 
BRONZE - Daria BOBRULKO (RUS) df. Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), 4-1

65kg
GOLD - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), 4-1 
BRONZE - Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 5-5 
BRONZE - Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) df. Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR), 8-8

72kg 
GOLD - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) 
SILVER - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) 
BRONZE - Yelyzaveta TISKAROVA SAIDAKOVA (UKR)

#WrestleSamokov

U20 Worlds: Japan gets 2 more finalists, Kajal stuns Robinson

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 14:50 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- Two-time World U20 silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) earned herself a chance to finally win the gold medal as she reached the final for the third time at 50kg in Samokov on Thursday.

The U.S. wrestler scored three technical superiority wins in three bouts to reach the final in which she will take on 2023 world U17 champion Rinka OGAWA (JPN) also looks in good form.

In the semifinals, Jimenez used her leg-lace to good effect and humbled Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3. Ogawa also used the leg-lace to beat SHRUTI  (IND), 10-0.

Jimenez had reached the final in 2022 but lost to Umi ITO (JPN) and then in 2023, she lost to Yanrong LI (CHN) to finish with a silver medal. She also has a silver medal from World U23 Championships after dropping the final against Ito again.

Japan got its second finalist on Thursday when Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) pinned Abigale COOPER (USA) after building a 9-0 lead. She will now wrestle for gold against European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who leg-laced SAARIKA (IND) for a 10-0 win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion and world U17 silver medalist this year KAJAL (IND) stunned defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) in a wild semifinal. Robinson got the first takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead. But Kajal scored a takedown and turned Robinson in the same sequence. The U.S. challenged the second turn but it was given two points as Kajal took a 5-4 lead.

There was no turning back for the Indian from that as she scored two four-point throws and two takedowns in her 13-6 win over Robinson.

Kajal now chance the challenge of returning silver medalist Yuqi LIU (CHN) who dominated her semifinal against Haticenur SARI (TUR) and won 13-2. Liu will look to her upgrade silver from last year to gold.

Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) reached the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman action also began at the World U20 Championships Samokov on Thursday with two weight classes -- 60kg and 82kg.

Two 18-year-olds reached the 60kg final in Greco-Roman as European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) and Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) won their respective semifinals in dominant fashion.

Javadov was wrestling senior European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) and scored a headlock for four and kept Lolua on the mat for a fall. This was Javadov's third win over Lolua in four encounters.

The 2024 world U17 champion will now face Mkhitaryan who gut-wrenched SURAJ (IND) after a headlock throw for four and win 8-0. India challenged the decision but lost it to add one more point to his score.

At 82kg, a potential rematch from 2023 World U17 Championships final was denied after Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) lost his semifinal at 82kg to Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ).

Yoshida, a returning bronze medalist, was put in par terre in the first period and Seitkaliyev hit suplex for four before turning Yoshida twice to win 9-0.

In the other semifinal, European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0. Shkarin had lost to Yoshida in Istanbul and finished with a silver medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Rinka OGAWA (JPN)

SF 1: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3
SF 2: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) df. SHRUTI (IND), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. SAARIKA (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) df. Abigale COOPER (USA), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Yuqi LIU (CHN) vs. KAJAL (IND)

SF 1: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 13-2
SF 2: KAJAL (IND) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 13-6

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) vs. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), via fall
SF 2: Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) vs. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0