Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 18:01 By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 23) -- Jonna MALMGREN’S (SWE) social media bio, glittering with gold medal emojis, will soon have a new addition.

A three-time European medallist [two gold and a silver], four-time U17 and U20 European medal winner, a U20 world champion and a Youth Olympics gold medallist, the Paris Olympic-bound wrestler added another title to her overflowing cabinet. The 23-year-old, on Thursday, won her second consecutive U23 European Championship gold medal here.

And she did it with minimal fuss, winning the final against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) 5-0.

Competing in the 55kg category instead of her usual 53kg, Malmgren conceded only two points in her four bouts and that too in her opening match against Tuba DEMIR (TUR). After that 10-2 win, she didn’t allow any of her opponents the slightest of chances to nick a point from her.

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) used a duck under to score two points over Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the gold medal bout, Vynnyk tried testing Malmgren’s patience by blocking her attacking channels but the Swede isn’t a one-trick wrestler, as she has shown in the past.

Malmgren’s wrestling style can outfox many. She is never steady on the mat. Her legs constantly shuffle back and forth, and she moves around in circles. Her hands are always trying to break the opponent’s defense and the prying eyes look for the tiniest of gaps that she could exploit with her breathtaking speed.

Her Ukrainian opponent learned it the hard way. If Vynnyk planned to keep the scoreline close, she succeeded to an extent. But it was always going to be tough to sustain that level of defense, especially with the risk of being penalized for passivity, which she was inside the first two minutes of the bout.

Malmgren upped the ante in the second period, using a duck under to add two points to her tally. Then, with a little more than a minute remaining, she got control of Vynnyk’s arm and neck before turning her over onto her back for two more points.

Malmgren ran to her corner to celebrate her second consecutive title, the kind of performance that will leave her in good stead in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) to win the 76kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It was a mixed day for Ukrainian wrestlers, who featured in three out of the five finals that were held on Thursday and lost two while winning one.

Minutes after Vynnyk lost to Malmgren, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) defeated Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) 9-2 in the final of the 68kg category. It was the biggest title so far of the 20-year-old former U20 European silver medallist’s career.

But Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) ensured her country didn’t end the opening day of women’s wrestling with zero gold medals.

The former U20 European Championship silver medallist won the first title of her career as she defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) 6-0 in a lopsided 76kg final.

Orlevych looked in sublime form and was in the attacking mode from the get-go. Within the first 60 seconds, the Ukrainian used a one-on-two and scored a takedown over Kuehn for two points.

Kuehn defended well for the rest of the period but mid-way through the second period, Orlevych was on the offensive again, using the arm-drag to push her opponent on the mat for a further two points. Desperate to make a comeback, a tired Kuehn went for a single-leg attack but missed and Orlevych caught her on the counter to add two more points and seal the bout.

Natallia VARAKINA (AIN), right, celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal after beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), left, in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier in the finals session, Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) won the gold medal in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) 8-8 on criteria in the 50kg final.

Varakina led 8-4 with only 10 seconds remaining but Demirhan cut the deficit to two points with a push-out and a caution to Varakina. As the clock ticked down, with just seven seconds remaining, Demirhan forced another takedown to level the scores at 8-8. However, as she tried to sneak in another point, the time was up and Varakina was declared the winner by the virtue of a higher-point hold.

Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 59kg final, a battle between two former U20 world champions, Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a close 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN). Hetmanava was leading 4-0 with 25 seconds left in the bout when Sidelnikova scored her first point using a stepout. Both got in a tangle and Sidelnikova tripped Hetmanava who fell on her back and in danger of a fall, surviving that position as the time ran out.

Sidelnikova challenged asking for four points but the judges upheld the original decision of two points and Hetmanava won the gold medal 5-3.

Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal on Friday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Ukraine puts three more in finals

Meanwhile, on Friday, Ukraine will have more chances to win a women’s wrestling gold medal at the U23 European Championships when their three more wrestlers take to the mat in the gold medal bouts on Friday.

Leading the way for them in Thursday’s early rounds and the semifinals was the U23 European Championship silver medallist and U23 Worlds bronze medal winner Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) at 53kg.

Malanchuk didn’t concede a single point en route to the final, beating Venera NAFIKOVA (AIN) 8-0 in the quarterfinals and Laura STANELYTE (LTU) 7-0 in the semis. She will face home favorite Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the final.

Joining her in the title bout will be U20 European champion and U23 Worlds silver medallist Iryna BONDAR (UKR). Bondar wasn’t tested in her early rounds but was challenged in the semifinals by Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), who tried to make a late comeback. Bondar, however, prevailed 7-4 to set up a final encounter with Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) at 62kg.

The third Ukrainian in the final will be Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) who, like her compatriot, was dominant in all her bouts. She will face Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) in the 72kg gold medal match.

Paris-bound and former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will wrestle for the 65kg after she showed the gulf in class at the age-group level. She scored a 10-0 win in the quarterfinal and then handed another Paris-bound wrestler, Nesrin BAS (TUR), a 8-2 loss. She will take on Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) for the gold medal.

Koshkina dominated her semifinal 12-2 against Ingrid SKARD (NOR) but survived a scare in the quarterfinal against Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU). Trailing 10-5, Koshkina secured a fall over Zelenykh.

The 57kg final will be a battle between Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) df. Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-8

BRONZE: Ana Maria PIRVU (ROU) df. Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK), 6-2
BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Gabija DILYTE (LTU), 5-2

55kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 8-4
BRONZE: Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (AIN) df. Aliaksandra BULAVA (AIN), 13-3

59kg
GOLD: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN), 5-3

BRONZE: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ana Maria PUIU (ROU), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Amel REBIHA (FRA) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 10-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN) df. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Luciana BEDA (MDA), 5-3

76kg
GOLD: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 6-0

BRONZE: Zsofia VIRAG (HUN) df. Nazar BATIR (TUR), 4-2
BRONZE: Olga KOZYREVA (AIN) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall (5-4)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) vs. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)

SF 1: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Laura STANELYTE (LTU), 7-0
SF 2: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Sevval CAYIR (TUR), 11-0

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Volha HARDZEI (AIN), 8-0

62kg
GOLD: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 4-4
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 7-4

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)

SF 1: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 8-2
SF 2: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) df. Ingrid SKARD (NOR), 12-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) vs. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)

SF 1: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Olesia BEZUGLOVA (AIN), via fall (7-0)
SF 2: Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 2-1

#WrestlePontevedra

Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume

Thursday, September 5, 2024 - 23:02 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 5) -- Three minutes and 33 seconds on the mat, 40-0 in four bouts and zero points conceded.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) could not have asked for a better debut at the U20 level as she won the 59kg gold medal at the World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain on Thursday.

Ever since her heartbreaking loss in the U17 World Championships final in 2022, Onishi has not looked back and won the U17 and U20 World titles without giving up points. Her title run on Thursday saw her finish the 59kg final against Alexis JANIAK (USA) 10-0 in 43 seconds.

Not that her earlier bouts were any different.

The 18-year-old won her first bout against Elena KUROVA (AIN) 10-0 in a minute, defeated KOMAL (IND) in 34 seconds in the quarterfinals and humbled former U17 world champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) 10-0 in a minute and 16 seconds.

"This was my first win in the U20 category," Onishi said. "I am grateful to my family, friends, and coaches and I wanted to give something back. So I'm honestly really happy that I was able to win.

"I was able to show what I had been practicing, and my challenge this time was to attack aggressively. I was able to accomplish that and win without conceding a point. I'm really satisfied with that."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) used the leg lace as her go-to attack throughout the tournament. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier this year, Onishi joined the Nippon Sports Science University, whose current and former wrestlers won a combined five gold medals at the recently concluded Paris Olympics. In the short period she has been there, Onishi has trained majorly with 53kg Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

"Akari really has nothing but positives for me," she said. "It's been a really short period of time since I entered NSSU, but during that time, I've been able to do various training sessions with them, and it's been an opportunity for me to become stronger."

Before coming to Spain, Onishi made a name for herself in Japan when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (nee KAWAI) in the Meiji Cup in May. She won the gold medal and earned a playoff against Kinjo for the Non-Olympic World Championships next month.

Onishi led 5-0 at the break in the playoff but Kinjo scored two points going behind for a takedown and adding a 2-point exposure to cut the lead to 6-4. With :15 on the clock, Kinjo got in on a single and managed to lift up the leg and expose Onishi's back with eight seconds left, putting her ahead 6-6 on criteria. But Onishi squirmed back to her feet and with a mighty charge, went for a double-leg takedown that forced Kinjo out just as time expired. The referee gave her 1 for a stepout, but after an agonizing wait for the challenge review, it was nullified as Kinjo's foot was just centimeters from the edge when the clock hit all zeroes.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN) won the 59kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While Onishi was disappointed to have not made it to her first senior worlds, she made her loss to Kinjo a driving force for future competitions.

"It was my first experience to wrestle the same person [Kinjo] twice in one day," she said. "I was really disappointed that I couldn't make it at the very end, but on the other hand, it gave me confidence, and I used that energy to reach even higher heights. My desire to win overwhelmingly next time."

The process to be at the next year's senior World Championships begins in December for Onishi. She will be part of the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup next year. She will try to win both and earn a spot on the senior team for the World Championships.

As far as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics go, Onishi expressed her desire to be there. But for that, she will have to decide if she wants to cut to 57kg or jump to 62kg. In both weight classes, defending Olympic champions are waiting for her. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) at 57kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg will be her biggest challenges.

"I haven't decided on my weight class yet, but I definitely want to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics," she said. "No matter what weight class I'm in, I'm determined to beat the current champion."

Yu ZHANG (CHN) celebrates after winning the 50kg final at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Onishi was the only gold medalist of the day for Japan. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) wrestled in the 50kg final against Yu ZHANG (CHN) but lost a close final in the last 10 seconds.

After winning two age-group Asian titles, Zhang dropped the U20 Asian final against Rinka OGAWA (JPN) in June. But she left nothing to chance in Pontevedra, pulling off a suplex in the final 10 seconds to beat Morikawa 7-6 and clinch her first gold medal at any World Championships.

Morikawa was the first to get on board as Zhang spun on her back to give two points to Morikawa. It became 4-2 for Morikawa at the break as Zhang got two points for a counter lift while Morikawa was awarded two for exposure as Zhang's hand opened after she finished the lift.

Zhang for the criteria on 4-4 as she scored a two-point exposure over Morikawa, who answered with an underhook to slam Zhang on the mat and score two points. She had 26 seconds to defend her two-point lead but Zhang used a semi-duckunder to step behind Morikawa and lock her in her arms. She completed the throw for two points and a 6-6 criteria lead. Japan challenged the decision but it only added a point to Zhang's score for the lost challenge.

"I have performed well," Zhang said. "After finishing the tournament, I feel that I am still very happy."

Former U23 world champion Yumeka TANABE (JPN) has been the coach for China's U20 team and Zhang acknowledged her inputs for the match.

"I need to mention that I have a lot to learn from Tanabe," she said. "I hope that after this competition, I can improve myself, find out the problems, and solve them to reach an advanced level."

Zhang's twin sister Jin will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal against Calra JAUME SOLER (ESP), Spain's first-ever World Championships finalist in wrestling.

"I want to tell her that she can confidently and boldly perform to her level tomorrow," she said as advice to her sister Jin. "She can also win a gold medal."

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) celebrates after winning the 76kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

India and the United States also crowned champions to remain in the race to win the team title on Friday.

Jyoti BERWAL (IND) won the 76kg gold medal after beating Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0, in the 76kg final. This is the second year in a row that India has won the gold medal in the heaviest weight class.

Berwal won the first point when Orlevych was put on the activity clock and she failed to score. The Indian then added a stepout to lead 2-0. Orlevych was called for passivity in the second period as well and she failed to score giving Berwal another point. A few bad attempts from Orlevych ended in Berwal capitalizing and scoring a two-point takedown to stretch the lead to 5-0.

The gold medal is India's fifth in Women's Wrestling at the U20 World Championships, an impressive number for a country that got its first U20 world champion in Women's Wrestling in 2022.

Berwal, a former 72kg silver medalist at the U23 World Championships, now faces the tough challenge of making it to the senior team. But for that, she will have to win against 2023 U20 world champion Priya MALIK (IND), U23 world champion and Paris Olympian REETIKA (IND) and other up-and-coming youngsters.

"I am satisfied with my wrestling," Berwal said. "Now that I have decided to the Olympic weight class 76kg, there is no turning back and back myself to prove it."

For the United States, Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) took less than a minute to pin Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and win the 55kg gold medal for her country.

Byambasuren was trying to get Rodriguez uncomfortable but the American tossed her on the mat and held her back to secure a fall in the final. This was the second fall of the tournament for Rodriguez who won her four bouts without conceding a point.

At 68kg, U20 European champion Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) handed Ayse ERKAN (TUR) a 12-2 defeat in the final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN), 7-6

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ), 7-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. MUSKAN (IND), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall

BRONZE: Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) df. Karina HONDA (JPN), via fall (8-7)
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (AIN), 12-2

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

BRONZE: Anna TIELIEGINA (LTU) df. Uladzislava KUDZIN (AIN), via fall
BRONZE: KOMAL (IND) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (AIN) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), via fall (12-2)

BRONZE: Karolina DOMASZUK (POL) df. Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN), 7-0

76kg
GOLD: Jyoti BERWAL (IND) df. Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Naomi SIMON (USA) df. Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 8-2

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Jin ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. JYOTI (IND), 4-3
SF 2: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. Nethmi AHINSA (SRI), via fall

57kg
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) vs. Bertha ROJAS (MEX)

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Bertha ROJAS (MEX) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-4

62kg
GOLD: NITIKA (IND) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: NITIKA (IND) df. Nagisa ITO (JPN), 7-3
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 4-3

65kg
GOLD: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) vs. Beyza AKKUS (TUR)

SF 1: Nana IKEHATA (JPN) df. Zaixue RUI (CHN), 10-0
SF 2: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (AIN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) vs. Yuqi LIU (CHN)

SF 1: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), via fall
SF 2: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Elvira ERSSON (SWE), 10-0

Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

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Onishi adds U20 world title to growing resume