Athlete Commission, Burroughs, UWW, wrestling commission

New Athlete Commission Certified, United States’ Burroughs to Chair

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (September 11) – United World Wrestling has announced seven new members of the organization’s Athletes Commission. The wrestlers were voted onto the commission by their fellow athletes at the 2017 Senior World Wrestling championships last month in Paris.

In the commission’s first act, four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS was selected to chair the commission. Burroughs will be a voting member of the United World Wrestling bureau and replaces 2008 Olympic champion Carol HUYNH (CAN) who has served in the role since it was first established in 2013.

The Athletes' Commission was established in 2013 with the role of protecting the rights and interests of all United World Wrestling Olympic style athletes. The Athletes' Commission members reach out and communicate with active athletes as peers to collect feedback.

United World Wrestling’s Athletes Commission

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR): Adekuoroye (along with Tunisia's Marwa Amri) became the first woman from Africa to reach the gold-medal match at the World Championships in women's wrestling, doing so in Paris. She was a world bronze medalist at the World Championships in 2015.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) -- CHAIR: Burroughs recently claimed his fourth world title in freestyle at the 2017 World Championships in Paris. He was an Olympic champion at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Komeil GHASEMI (IRI): Ghasemi is a two-time Olympic medalist in freestyle, claiming bronze in 2012 and silver in 2016. He was also a world silver medalist in 2014.

Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM): Julfalakyan, a three-time Olympian in Greco-Roman, captured a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He has also been a four-time world medalist, winning a world title in 2014.

Sofia MATTSSON (SWE): Mattsson won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In addition, she has five world medals, including a world gold in 2009.

Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA): Noumonvi is a two-time world medalist in Greco-Roman, winning a world title in 2014. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012.

SUN Yanan (CHN): Sun won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in women's wrestling. She was also a world champion in 2013, and won a world bronze in 2012.

World Combat Games: Toth, Stepanova reign supreme in Grappling

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 23) -- Grappling world champion from Hungary, Alexa TOTH (HUN), lived up to the tag of being the favorite as she reigned supreme at the World Combat Games in Riyadh and added another gold medal to her name on Monday.

The teenager, who won the world title last year and is also a U17 world champion, gave away just one point as she defeated opponents much senior to her to win the gold medal in women’s 58kg Grappling.

Toth began by recording a victory by submission against Melissa BENEDINI (ITA) in the quarterfinal. She followed up with another straightforward verdict of 4-0 against Germany’s Felicie OHLHOFF (GER) in the semifinals.

In the final, Toth defeated Ukraine’s Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 3-1 to continue her dominance. Ohlhoff and Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) won the bronze medals.

Another world champion, Kateryna STEPANOVA (UKR) claimed the women’s 71kg Grappling Gi gold medal by defeating Emily GUNZLER (GER) in the final 5-0.

Like Toth, Stepanova too was largely untested en route to another title and conceded just one point, during her 3-1 win over Spain’s Meryxell GONZALEZ (ESP)in the semifinals.

Gonzalez Correa and Shynar UZBEKOVA (KAZ) clinched the bronze medals.

 

 

In the women’s 53kg Grappling Gi category, Japan’s Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) won the gold medal by defeating Spain’s Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) 3-0 in the final. Kristina RAU (GER) and Maria Aisa RATCLIFF (PHI) won the bronze medals.

Antonia KANEW (GER) defeated Delfina dos Santos FRANCISCO (ANG) 3-1 to win the 64kg Grappling Gi title while in the women’s 90kg category, Nikoletta SZMOLKA (HUN) was the champion, defeating Claudia FORNES (ESP) 3-0 in the final.

Toth's gold was Hungary's first of the World Combat Games and Szmolka made it two for the day for her country.

In the men’s competition, world silver medallist and European champion Mayis NERSESYAN won the gold medal by defeating Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR) 2-0 in a tense final of the 66kg category, with Syimyk MAKHMEDOV (KGZ) defeating Osama KANDIL (KSA) to claim the bronze medal.

 

 

In the 71kg Grappling Gi category, Kazakhstan’s Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ) emerged as the champion after he defeated Feruzbek URUKOV (UZB) 3-1 in the gold medal bout. Ivan RASIUK (UKR) and Fierre AFAN (PHI) won the bronze medals in the weight class.

Ulugbek RAKHMONOV (UZB) triumphed in the 84kg category by defeating Nurbek TABUDIN (KAZ) 3-0 in the final while Roman KIZIUK (UKR) won the gold medal in the 92kg class, beating Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU) 3-1 in the title bout.

Ivan MALIN (UKR)Ivan MALIN (UKR) won the gold medal in Grappling Gi 100kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the 100kg Grappling Gi category, former world champion Ivan MALIN (UKR), who lost his title to Poland’s Andrzej IWAT (POL) earlier this year, returned strongly to win the gold medal at Riyadh 2023, staying unbeaten throughout.

Malin defeated Reda MEBTOUCHE (FRA) 3-1 in the final, with Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) beating Guglielmo CECCA (ITA) to win the bronze medal.