#GC2018

Olympic Champ Wiebe Eyes Back-To-Back Commonwealth Games Golds

Wednesday, April 11, 2018 - 14:01 By Eric Olanowski

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Olympic champion No. 8 Erica WIEBE (CAN)

GOLD COAST, Australia (April 11) - Over 100 wrestlers from 19 nations are set to compete in the Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event that takes place every four years between athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. Freestyle and women's wrestling action at the 21st Commonwealth Games kicks off at Carrara Sports Arena 1 on April 12-14 in Gold Coast, Australia.

In women's wrestling, Canada, Nigeria, and India dominated the field at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland winning all seven of the gold medals.This year, six of the seven champions including Olympic champion No. 8 Erica WIEBE (CAN) return to the Commonwealth Games with hopes of repeating as gold medalists. 

Returning champion and Asian silver medalist Vinesh VINESH of India is currently ranked No. 2 in the world and is expected to compete for the gold medal at 50kg. 

The trio of African champions hailing from Nigeria are among the top contenders at the next three weight classes. 

At 53kg, 2018 African champion Bose SAMUEL (NGR) is currently ranked No. 6 in the world and is the frontrunner to win the gold medal. But first, she’ll have to get through a returning champion Babita KUMARI (IND) and a pair of 2017 world team representatives in Carissa Jane HOLLAND (AUS) and Diana WEICKER (CAN). 

Photo: 2018 African champion No. 7 Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)

The duo of returning champions in No. 7 Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and No. 9 Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR) will look to pick up where they left off at the 2018 African Championships where they were crowned champions. 

Current world No. 2 Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) and No. 4 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will most likely battle in the 68kg gold-medal bout. Lappage, a 2016 Olympian is the returning champion at this weight class. This will be Oborududu’s third time wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. She's finished with a medal twice, but never one that was gold. 

Freestyle
At the 20th Commonwealth Games, Canada won four freestyle gold medals and India secured the remaining three. 

Photo: Korey JARVIS (CAN)

Korey JARVIS (CAN), the 2016 Olympian and 125kg favorite is one of two champions who return from the 2014 Games. Also returning is 74kg favorite and two-time champion, Kumar SUSHIL (IND). Although three other finalists in Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), and Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR) come back with hopes of bettering their performance from four years ago. 

At 57kg, the veteran and two-time finalist No. 10 Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR) returns to his third Commonwealth Games with hopes of avenging his loss in the African finals against No. 6 Jan Louwrens COMBRINCK (RSA). 

A potential top-five match-up could be brewing at 65kg with 2014 runner-up and this year’s Asian bronze medalist, No. 4 Bajrang and No. 5 Amas DANIEL (NGR), 2018 African champion.

Photo: Three-time Olympian Kumar SUSHIL (IND). 

If 2014 finalist Jevon Balfour expects a medal upgrade, he'll have to navigate through the 74kg favorite, two-time Olympic medalist Kumar Sushil.  

Headlining 86kg is Nigeria’s Melvin BIBO who is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. This is Bibo’s second appearance at the Commonwealth Games. In his first appearance, he finished as a bronze medalist at 74kg.  

Three top-15 wrestlers from African nations are set to clash at 97kg. No. 5 Martin ERASMUS (RSA), No. 9 Soso TAMARAU (NGR) and No.13 Cedric Yvan NYAMSI TCHOUGA (CMR) capped off the African Championships with gold, silver and bronze medal performances respectfully. Of these three, Olympian Soso Tamarau is the only wrestler with prior experience. Bibo did not medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games as he finished in fifth-place. 

FULL ROSTERS

SCHEDULE
April 12 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 57kg and 74kg 
Women's Wrestling - 53kg and 76kg 

April 13 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 65kg and 97kg 
Women's Wrestling - 57kg and 68kg 

April 14 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 86kg and 125kg 
Women's Wrestling - 50kg and 62kg

#WrestleZagreb

Motoki leads Japanese trio to Worlds finals

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 15:47 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- After a slightly subdued start to its Women's Wrestling, Japan managed to show up at the World Championships.

Japan put three wrestlers in the final out of the four weight classes that were in action on Wednesday in Zagreb. Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) remained on course for her first world title at 62kg while Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) and Ami ISHII (JPN) will look to add to their world titles at 53kg and 68kg.

Motoki was up against former world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) in the semifinals and she began with a four-pointer. Purevdorj got a reversal but that was all she managed in the match as Motoki kept coming up with different ways to score the takedowns. At 10-1, she scored another four-pointer to win 14-1 and enter her second world final.

For the elusive gold, she will face Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who pinned Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) in the other semifinal after building a 14-3 lead.

Murayama, a three-time world champion, will wrestle for her fourth world title after she won a close semifinal against Hyogyong CHOE (PRK). Both traded activity points but Murayama had a stepout which proved to the be difference as she won 2-1.

On Thursday, she will face Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) in the final after the Ecuadorian defeated world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND), 5-3, majorly with four-pointer in the first period and protecting her lead.

Yepez hit a duck under to throw Antim for four and gave up a reversal to lead 4-1 in the break. The Indian tried to find the opening but she only got one in the final 10 seconds after giving up a takedown. Yepez was happy to give up that final takedown as it did not affect her win and only changed the score to 5-3.

Ecuador, a country which did not have a world finalist till Tuesday, now has two. Yepez is the second on consecutive day after Genesis REASCO (ECU) entered the 76kg final to create history.

World 72kg champion Ishii, who dropped down to 68kg this year, took a step closer to her second world title after she bullied through two Olympic medalist in quarterfinals and semifinals.

Ishii dominated silver medalist from Paris Kennedy BLADES (USA), 12-2, and had a similar match against bronze medalist against Buse TOSUN (TUR) in the semifinals.

Ishii was straight to work in the semifinal with a four-pointer as Tosun landed on her back despite controlling Ishii's legs. Turkiye challenged that scoring but lost it, giving one more point to Ishii.

She scored three different takedowns to finish the match 11-0 inside the first period and enter her second world final.

Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) will look to stop Ishii from winning the gold medal after she upset world 65kg champion Jia LONG (CHN) in the semifinal. Yaneva fell behind 1-1 on criteria but scored a takedown with around one minute and 30 seconds on the clock to lead 3-1.

From there on, Long was on the backfoot and a win seemed further away as she was cautioned for a point for locking fingers. As she tried to trip Yaneva, the Bulgarian blocked her and got the winning takedown for a 6-1 win.

At 72kg, multiple age-group world medalist Nesrin BAS (TUR) managed to reach her first-ever senior world final after she won a thrilling semifinal against Zelu LI (CHN), 9-6.

Bas scored a four-pointer using a whizzer to lead 4-1 at the break. Li scored a takedown to begin the second period but Bas elevated her leg from the front to score two points and lead 6-3. Turkiye challenged the call and the scored for reversed to 8-4. Li tried to mount a comeback from there but she managed only two points while Bas scored a reversal to win 9-6.

For her first world title, she will face Alla BELINSKA (UKR) who used a whizzer to pin Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN)

SF 1: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) df. Hyogyong CHOE (PRK), 2-1
SF 2: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. ANTIM (IND), 5-3

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Ok Ju KIM (PRK)

SF 1: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), 14-1

68kg
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) vs. Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)

SF 1: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Jia LONG (CHN), 6-1
SF 2: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 11-0

72kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 9-6
SF 2: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), via fall