#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone women's wrestling preview

By Olivia Lichti

ROME, Italy (June 20) -- After an unfortunate COVID-induced postponement from its original date in February, the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series will finally be contested in Rome this week. Women wrestlers from five different continents will be in the Italian capital and several up-and-coming will have the opportunity to prove themselves against the top wrestlers in the world.

The 68kg weight class provides a prime example of such a matchup. After winning U20 and senior world titles at 65kg last year, Irina RINGACI (MDA) made the jump to the Olympic weight of 68kg with her eyes on Paris 2024.

Her debut in February saw her win the gold medals at the Dan Kolov and U23 European Championships and later the senior European title, but her first big test will come here against Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Blessing OBORODUDU (NGR).

Oborodudu will be equally hungry for victory in Rome as a solid finish here will slot her as the number two ranked athlete at 68kg, bumping her up past Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA).

Another young star to keep an eye on is Alina AKOBIIA (UKR). Akobiia has collected gold medals at the '21 U23 World Championships and European Championships this year and will look to cement herself as one of the top women in the world at 57kg with a win in Rome.

Inarguably the most credentialed weight class at this event will be 62kg, which includes the likes of U23 world champion Ana GODINEZ (CAN), two-time Olympian Lais NUNES (BRA), and Olympic medallists Sakshi MALIK (IND) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR).

Despite a 10-month hiatus following the Tokyo Games, Koliadenko will enter this tournament as the favorite. However, Malik and Godinez are both coming off of impressive gold-winning runs at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup and Pan-Am Championships respectively. The young Canadian will certainly be hungry for wins over her more seasoned foes, but whether she has the skills to truly challenge either at this point remains to be seen.

Wrestling fans must also keep their eyes on the 53kg division. By way of her 2021 world silver medal, Iulia LEORDA (MDA) is the most heralded wrestler at this weight.

However, 2021 world bronze medallist Samantha STEWART (CAN) will indubitably be hungry for revenge after falling to the Moldovan in the quarterfinals in Oslo. Also present will be the European champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE), who is one of wrestling’s most talented rising stars. She’ll look to notch victories over the world medallists in her bracket and continue to establish herself as a real threat at the upcoming World Championships.

As always, 76kg will feature a multitude of talented women. Justina DI STASIO (CAN) headlines this weight class and will look to prove that she can contend in the toughest division and not just 72kg, where she won a world title in 2018. She’ll be challenged by fellow world medallists Epp MAE (EST) and Martina KUENZ (AUT). Matchups between these three heavyweight hammers are not to be missed.

Though the American contingent is small at this event, it is mighty. Emma BRUNTIL (USA) will look to earn her fourth international medal of 2022 at 65kg, adding to gold medals at the Dan Kolov and Ivan Yarygin and bronze at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series. She’ll face tough tests in two of Ukraine’s top athletes -- Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) and Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR).

Joining Bruntil is Skylar GROTE (USA) at 72kg. Grote is coming off a dominant Pan-Am title run in Acapulco, Mexico, and will look to advance her current world ranking of 17. Her primary challenger will be two-time world bronze medallist Anna SCHELL (GER).

At 55kg, 2021 world silver medallist Nina HEMMER (GER) will look to slide past Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), neither of whom will be present at this event, into the top ranking spot.

However, she’ll have to contend with fifth-ranked Andreea ANA (ROU) and 2019 world bronze medallist Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) to do so. Hemmer defeated the Romanian by a slim 3-2 margin at the 2021 World Championships, but was teched by Phogat in their last encounter.

The deepest non-Olympic weight class, by far, is 59kg. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will look to further her remarkable 2022 season, which already includes titles from the Yasar Dogu and the European Championships.

To continue her golden streak, she’ll have to outplace young star Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) who defeated her in an astounding upset at the 2021 U23 World Championships.

Vynnyk will have a huge opportunity to test herself against Nichita as well as other senior-level threats like world bronze medallist Sarita MOR (IND), who is just coming off of a title at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, and former U23 world champion Grace BULLEN (NOR).

Up and down the weight classes, the Matteo Pellicone will serve as a fantastic preview for the future of women’s wrestling and will display who can be primed as medal contenders at the World Championships in September. Enjoy watching accomplished veterans and the next generation alike as the world congregates in Italy for what might just be the most exciting wrestling event so far in 2022.

The Matteo Pellicone kicks off Wednesday and can be streamed live on uww.org.

#WrestleRome

U17 World Championships Day 3 WW semis set

By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (July 27) -- Women's wrestling will begin on day three at theU17 World Championships in Rome, Italy. Five weight classes will be in action and these are 43kg, 49kg, 57kg, 65kg and 73kg. All the qualification bouts and semifinals will be held Wednesday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 WRAP

14:31: The final set of semifinals is at 49kg. European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) once again beats Sevval CAYIR (TUR). She had defeated her 8-5 at the European semis but the bout was closer in Rome as Mammadova managed to win 3-2. She will now face the Asian silver medalist Aiymgul ABYLOVA (KAZ) who beat Anja EPP (SUI) 7-2.

In the other semifinal, Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN) will face European silver medalist Fabiana RINELLA (ITA). Takeuchi leg-laced Anastasiia ZADVORNA (UKR) for an 8-0 lead before a duck under gave her the winning takedown. Rinella beat Sama MAHMOUD (EGY) 10-0. 

14:22: The 65kg semifinals are set. Zharkynai NURLAN KYZY (KGZ) pinned ANJALI (IND) and will now face Anju SATO (JPN) who defeated   Sydney PERRY (USA), 3-0. The other semifinal will feature Maria PANTIRU (ROU) who won 9-4 against Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY). She will face Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK) who came back from 7-1 down to beat Tsai YUAN (TPE) 8-7.  

14:18: The 57kg semifinals will see Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) trying to stop Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) and Gerda TEREK (HUN) facing Tuba DEMIR (TUR) which is a rematch of the European final in which Demir won.

14:14: The 43kg field is just mind-blowing. The four semifinalists include world champion Erica PASTORIZA (USA), European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR), Asian champion RITIKA (IND) and Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)

SF 1: Erica PASTORIZA (USA) vs Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
SF 2: RITIKA (IND) vs Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

14:10: If you are wondering how Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) is so good with those low singles, she trains at the JOC Elite Academy which has produced the likes of Yui SUSAKI and Nonoka OZAKI. Uchida beats Shelby MOORE ?? 10-0 to enter the 57kg semifinals

14:00: Asian silver medalist Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) beats Pan-Am champ Rupinder Kaur JOHAL (CAN) 10-0 at 73kg. She will now face defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) in the semifinals. Malik defeated Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL) 10-0. Malik vs Yertostik is a rematch from the U17 Asian final in which Malik pinned the Kazak wrestler. 
In the other semifinal, Makoto KOMADA (JPN) will face Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) vs. Lotta ENGLICH (GER) as she defeated Elmira YASIN (TUR) 4-4, thanks to her two takedowns again Yasin's stepouts. Zenkina beat Englich 5-1 in what was a battle of the European bronze medalists.

13:53: European champion at 57kg Tuba DEMIR (TUR) trailed Asian bronze Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ) 3-0 early in the quarterfinal but she gets a four-pointer just before the break to lead 4-3. She begins the second period with a double-leg for four and collects the fall to enter semifinal

13:37: Huge home win for Italy! Fabiana RINELLA (ITA) decimates Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) for a 9-2 win at 49kg. The home crowd loved every moment there.

13:30: Here are the quarterfinals for 43kg

Malak MOUSTAFA (EGY) vs. Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
Gulnura RUSLANOVA (UZB) vs. RITIKA (IND)
Dominika KONKEL (POL) vs. Erica PASTORIZA (USA)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) vs. Josephine WRENSCH (GER) 

13:13: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) led 5-0 against Shelby MOORE (USA) and was cruising to victory. Moore scored a takedown in the second period and used four leg laces to lead 10-6. Filipovych tries a four, but it's only awarded two, the referee calls for a pin but the mat chairman doesn't signal the same. A huge 11-8 win for Moore over Filipovych. 

13:00: European silver medalist Gerda TEREK (HUN) trailed 2-1 for a major part of her bout against Liza TOMAR (IND). But she scores two stepouts late in the bout to win 3-2 at 57kg

12:40: Three top bouts at 43kg. U17 Asia champion RITIKA (IND) begins with a 10-0 win over Melissa DOROFTEI (ITA). European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) is up against Maya JOHANSSON (SWE) and leads 3-0. She gets the fall after the break.

World champion at 40kg Erica PASTORIZA (USA) up against European silver medalist Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE). Pastoriza and Karimzada exchange exposures in the second period. But Pastoriza with an ankle pick and four. Karimzada gets a go behind at the end but Pastoriza wins 7-4

12:30: European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a fall over Ana ROTARU (ROU) in just over a minute of the bout. She is one of the favorites to win the 49kg gold

12:20: At 57kgShelby MOORE (USA) starts her day with a stunning 11-0 win over Michalina IGNASZAK (POL). Used the leg lace to perfection.

12:10: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) may have thought she had Gerda TEREK (HUN) in a hold but the Hungarian manages to survive a pin attempt and take the win at 57kg 5-2 

12:05: Pan-Am champion Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) begins her quest for a world title with a good win. She scored a few stepouts against European champion Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) in a 9-0 win. 

11:54: Quick results at 73kg as Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) pins European silver medalist Gabriela MAEVA (BUL) inside the first period, Euro bronze Lotta ENGLICH (GER) works hard for a 4-4 win over Heba IBRAHIM (EGY) and Elmira YASIN (TUR) controls her bout for an 8-1 win over Giorgia D'ANTIMI (ITA).

11:52: Blink and miss stuff from Japan's Makoto KOMADA (JPN) as she rolls to a 12-0 win over Gemma RUSSELL (RSA) in the opening round at 73kg.

11:50: A winning start for defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) at 73kg. She got a point for passivity and then a takedown against Kaiulani GARCIA (USA). In the second period, Malik was called passive but still won 3-1. 

11:30: Welcome to the third day of the U17 World Championships in Rome. Women's wrestling begins with three defending champions in action.