#Bishkek2018

Lei Denies Vinesh as Chinese Women Dominant

By Ken Marantz

LEI Chun (CHN) joined a long line of wrestlers who have denied India a first-ever gold medal in women's wrestling at the Asian Championships while leading a procession of Chinese onto the top step of the medal podium.

Lei scored the winning takedown with just under a minute to go to defeat Vinesh VINESH (IND) 3-2 in the 50kg final, the first of four gold medals won by China in the five weight classes contested on the third day of competition at the Kozhomkul Sports Palace.

"I felt very good for today's competition," Lei said. "The key factor for my victory came from my heart. I was quite confident today."

After teenager Saki IGARASHI (JPN) took the 55kg title in the only China-less final, Chinese wrestlers posted one-sided victories in the three remaining finals, only one of which went the distance.

RONG Ningning needed just 40 seconds to end her 59kg showdown with Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) with a 10-0 technical fall, and compatriot ZHOU Feng followed with a 10-0 technical fall of her own over Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) at 68kg, although she took 5:36 to complete the rout.

The last final of the night was a direct showdown between China and Japan, which has sent a depleted team to Bishkek to give younger wrestlers experience and to save its big guns for the Women's World Cup which it will host in mid-March.

Japan, however, sent its top wrestler at 76kg. But Paris 2017 world bronze medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (nee SUZUKI) couldn't breach the Great Wall of China and was overpowered by ZHOU Qian 7-2 to cap the day's competition.

Every Chinese came away with a medal, as LUO Lannuan crushed Amina ALIMBETOVA (UZB) for a 10-0 technical fall at 4:11 in a 55kg bronze-medal match. Luo had suffered the lone Chinese defeat of the day in the quarterfinals, and that was by a single point.

Lei was determined to make a good showing in her debut at the Asian Championships, after faring poorly at her only other major senior-level competition, the 2014 world championships.

"I couldn't compete in international events for many years because in China, there are so many good wrestlers," Lei said. "This was a very rare chance for me to show myself. So I seized the chance."

In the final, Lei scored the lone point of the first period when Vinesh was on the activity clock. The Indian took the lead early in the second with a takedown, but Lei went on the offensive and eventually broke through Vinesh's defenses for the decisive single-leg takedown.

"I knew about the Indian because she is very famous and a very strong opponent," Lei said. "It is the first time to face her. It's really hard to make an attack against her. But I used my own techniques."

With the defeat, India is now 0-13 in gold-medal matches at the Asian Championships dating back to the nation's first appearance at Ulaanbaatar 2001---and Vinesh now has three of the resulting silver medals.

Both of her two previous losses in finals came at the hands of Japanese, last year in New Delhi to eventual world champion Yui SUSAKI and in 2015 to Yuki IRIE. Vinesh avenged the 2015 defeat by beating Irie in the semifinals in Bishkek, but against Lei, could not come up with the big countermove she used to beat the Japanese.

Rong, a winner at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in January, turned in the most dominant performance of the Chinese champions, winning all three of her matches by technical falls in a combined time of just 4:37.

"When I came here, I just wanted to show what I learned in training," Rong said.

Against Esenbaeva, Rong went right into a roll as she scored a takedown, then reeled off three straight gut wrenches to bring the match to an early end.

Igarashi, a 2015 world cadet silver medalist, came up a winner in her international debut on the senior level. In the final, she scored with a step-out in the first period, then added two second-period takedowns to top Oh.

"Overall, I was able to move very well," Igarashi said. "It was good that I stayed on the attack. I was a little nervous, so I just thought to go all out."

Irie, meanwhile, came away with a bronze medal after KIM Hyungjoo (KOR) defaulted due to a knee injury with 1:56 left in their match and the Japanese ahead 8-0.

Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) at 55kg won a second straight bronze medal and was one of three Mongolians to win third-place matches. Kazakhstan claimed two bronzes, while South Korea, host Kyrgyzstan, and India had one each.

Women's Wrestling
50kg (12 entries)
Gold - LEI Chun (CHN) df. Vinesh VINESH (IND), 3-2

Bronze –  Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), 8-2
Bronze – Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. KIM Hyungjoo (KOR) by Def., 1:56 (8-0)

55kg (9 entries)
Gold - Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. OH Hyemin (KOR), 5-0

Bronze –  Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) df. Nazgul NURAKHAN (KAZ) by TF, 14-4, 0:32
Bronze – LUO Lannuan (CHN) df. Amina ALIMBETOVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:11

59kg (10 entries)
Gold - RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 5:20

Bronze –  Sangeeta SANGEETA (IND) df. UM Jieun (KOR), 9-4
Bronze – Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) df. Phimsuphak AINPHEN (THA) by TF, 10-0, 5:31

68kg (9 entries)
Gold - ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Tumentsetseg SH.RKHUU (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 0:24

Bronze –  Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) df. PARK Sujin (KOR), 8-2
Bronze –  Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 12-6

76kg (9 entries)
Gold - ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), 7-2

Bronze –  Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) def. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL) by TF, 11-1, 3:09
Bronze – HWANG Eunju (KOR) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) by Fall, 1:02 (12-0)

#WrestleVungTau

U23 Asian Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

VUNG TAU, Vietnam (June 13) -- The U23 Asian Championships will be held in Vung Tau Vietnam from June 18 to 21.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and then Freestyle. For full schedule, click here.

The U17 Asian Championships will be held from June 23 to 28 at the same venue. For U17 Asian Championships entries, click here.

Note: The entries are subject to change 72 hours before the draw of each style. For final entries, refer to UWW Arena.

Women's Wrestling

50kg
VINITA (IND)
Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Nipuni WASANA (SRI)
Mushtariy TOLIPBEKOVA (UZB)
Ngoc Linh DO (VIE)

53kg
Hinaben KHALIFA (IND)
Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)
Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL)
Ji Hyang KIM (PRK)
Chamodya KESHANI (SRI)
Ya Hsin CHEN (TPE)
Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB)
Thi My Linh NGUYEN (VIE)

55kg
REENA (IND)
Angelina PERVUKHINA (KAZ)
Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Odonchimeg TSEVEEN (MGL)
Hsiu Ching LIN (TPE)
Lan Phuong VU (VIE)

57kg
Neha SHARMA (IND)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Rentsenkhand MUNKH OCHIR (MGL)
Jin Ju AN (PRK)
Nethmi AHINSA (SRI)
Warisara KHUMDEE (THA)
Pei Ying LIAO (TPE)
Sandugash DJENBAEVA (UZB)

59kg
Tanvi MAGDUM (IND)
Viktoriia KHUSAINOVA (KAZ)
Tancholpon KYBALBEKOVA (KGZ)
Erdenebolor LKHAGVASUREN (MGL)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Pragati GAIKWAD (IND)
Tynys DUBEK (KAZ)
Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Thi Hien DANG (VIE)

65kg
SHIKSHA (IND)
Zhangyl BEKEN (KAZ)
Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ)
Davaajargal ALTANSUKH (MGL)
Huynh Xuan Nhi NGUYEN (VIE)

68kg
Yuqi LIU (CHN)
SRISHTI (IND)
Beibit SEIDUALY (KAZ)
Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ)
Batsuren MYAGMARSUREN (MGL)
Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
Saihan AO (CHN)
Jyoti BERWAL (IND)
Zhibekzhan SABYRZHANOVA (KAZ)
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ)
Tuyamaa GONCHIGDORJ (MGL)
Asaloy AMANGELDIEVA (UZB)
Thi Ninh TO (VIE)

76kg
PRIYA (IND)
Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ)
Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ)
Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL)

Nan CAO (CHN)Gold medalist at 79kg in 2024, Nan CAO (CHN) will be wrestling at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov) 

Freestyle

57kg
Jianhao LIU (CHN)
ANKUSH (IND)
Zhakhongir AKHMAJANOV (KAZ)
Mukhammadrasul SALIEV (KGZ)
Munkh Od LKHAMBUZMAA (MGL)
Kwang Hyon KIM (PRK)
Chanuka GAJANAYAKA (SRI)
Nodirbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB)
Nhu Duy PHAM (VIE)

61kg
Shengjie HU (CHN)
NIKHIL (IND)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Iukhan DOKTURBEK UULU (KGZ)
Batnasan GANKHULEG (MGL)
Kwang Myong KIM (PRK)
Rukeshnath RELSAN (SRI)
Thirawat MAITHONG (THA)
Amir HAMAYUN (TKM)
Arslan RAKHIMOV (UZB)

65kg
SUJEET (IND)
Rustem TOLEN (KAZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Gantulga BATBAATAR (MGL)
Mcclaren MARREN (SGP)
Jelaletdin SEYIDOV (TKM)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
SAGAR (IND)
Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ)
Adis RAKHAT UULU (KGZ)
Bumbayar BAARAA (MGL)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Shirmuhammet BEKIYEV (TKM)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)
Xuan Truong DOAN (VIE)

74kg
Tao SHEN (CHN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Nurdaulet SEILBEKOV (KAZ)
Kanat KERIMBEKOV (KGZ)
Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Dilshan WEERASEKARA (SRI)
Vatan ANNAORAZOV (TKM)
Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)
Van Tu NGUYEN (VIE)

79kg
Bolati NA ERTAI (CHN)
CHANDERMOHAN (IND)
Askhab KHAJIYEV (KAZ)
Baitemir TULEBERDIEV (KGZ)
Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Ishan FERNANDO (SRI)
Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Daler CHULIBAEV (UZB)
Cong Dat TRUONG (VIE)

86kg
Nan CAO (CHN)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Yelnar SHILDEBAY (KAZ)
Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Bayarbaatar SANJAASUREN (MGL)
Kowtham SIVAKUMAR (SRI)
Dovletgeldi MYRADOV (TKM)
Boburbek RUZIMBOEV (UZB)
Van Long TRINH (VIE)

92kg
Iqbal AHMADI (AFG)
SACHIN (IND)
Arystan KARABEK (KAZ)
Ulukbek SOOROMBEKOV (KGZ)
Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Praveen KADUPITIGE (SRI)
Soltan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Sadirdin DAMINJONOV (UZB)
Viet Trung TRAN (VIE)

97kg
NARENMANDUHAI (CHN)
VICKY (IND)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Kutman TOLOBALDIEV (KGZ)
Khosbayar TUGSBAT (MGL)
Shaman SIRIWARDANA (SRI)
Orazmuhammet HOJALYYEV (TKM)
Otabek NAZIRBOEV (UZB)

125kg
Maysam SHAH QOL (AFG)
Jaspooran SINGH (IND)
Alimzhan SALIMZHAN (KAZ)
Sulde DONGAK (KGZ)
Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL)
Huoying SHI (CHN)

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) is the defending champion at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rishav CHAUDHARY (IND)
Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ)
Nurbolot BERDIKULOV (KGZ)
Chung Ryol KIM (PRK)
Abduvali RAHIMBAYEV (TKM)
Jonpulat TULKINBOEV (UZB)
Trong Nam NGUYEN (VIE)

60kg
Ziyue XI (CHN)
Samarth MHAKAVE (IND)
Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ)
Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ)
Kuk Ryong KIM (PRK)
Rasul JORAYEV (TKM)
Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

63kg
SUMIT (IND)
Ongdassyn KHAMITOV (KAZ)
Baiaman APILOV (KGZ)
Khusniddin OLIMBOEV (UZB)

67kg
UMESH (IND)
Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ)
Baiaman KARIMOV (KGZ)
Chin Wee KOH (SGP)
Ogabek MUKIMOV (UZB)

72kg
Dongfu XIE (CHN)
Ankit GULIA (IND)
Sergazy ABDIKHADYR (KAZ)
Kutman TEMIRBEKOV (KGZ)
Dhirenrajah ANANDARAJAH (MAS)
Didar ORAZBERDIYEV (TKM)
Abdullo ALIEV (UZB)
Van Chuyen NGUYEN (VIE)

77kg
Jixin YU (CHN)
AMAN (IND)
Akzhan YKYLASSOV (KAZ)
Erlan MARS UULU (KGZ)
Aryan BIN AZMAN (SGP)
Wisit THAMWIRAT (THA)
Hekim GURBANMYRADOV (TKM)
Chih Chi LU (TPE)
Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB)
Cong Manh NGUYEN (VIE)

82kg
PRINCE (IND)
Dias KALTAY (KAZ)
Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ)
Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB)
The Hoang Anh NGUYEN (VIE)

87kg
ROHIT (IND)
Maksat SAILAU (KAZ)
Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)
Peerawat AUNTHIN (THA)
Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM)
Rahimjon UZOKOV (UZB)
Van Thuy NGUYEN (VIE)

97kg
NITESH (IND)
Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)
Nurmanbet RAIMALY UULU (KGZ)
Javokhir SHODIYAROV (UZB)

130kg
Wenhao JIANG (CHN)
Uttam RANA (IND)
Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ)
Nurbolot TOKTOGONOV (KGZ)
Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB)
Van Bao NGUYEN (VIE)