#WrestleBaku

Paris Olympic qualification bouts in Women's Wrestling set

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 6) -- Six Women's Wrestling weight classes will be in action at the European Olympic Games Qualifier in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday. To win the 12 Paris 2024 quotas, wrestlers have to win the semifinal in their respective weight classes.

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WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 REPORT

Paris 2024 Qualification Bouts Line-Up

50kg
SF 1: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SF 2: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) vs. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)

53kg
SF 1: Annika WENDLE (GER) vs. Andreea ANA (ROU)
SF 2: Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN) vs. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)

57kg
SF 1: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) vs. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
SF 2: Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)

62kg
SF 1: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs. Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
SF 2: Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)

68kg
SF 1: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) vs. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
SF 2: Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) vs. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR)

76kg
SF 1: Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) vs. Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
SF 2: Martina KUENZ (AUT) vs. Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

13:10: In the final bout of the session, Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) denies Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) a spot in the semifinals at 50kg, beating the Bulgarian 5-4.

13:00: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is in the semifinal at 76kg. She takes out Rita TALISMANOVAAA (AIN) 11-0 and will wrestle for a Paris spot in the evening session.

12:56: Down goes Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist and European silver medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). Leading 2-1, Nikolova gave up a takedown and Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) got the 3-2 lead. Nikolova tried to score a reversal but the clock expired. Bulgaria challenged but lost, adding one more point to Paruszewski's score.

12:55: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) takes out Julie SABATIE (FRA) 5-0 in the 50kg quarterfinals and sets up the semifinal against Mariya STADNIK (AZE) for a spot for the Paris Games.

12:53: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) scores a late takedown to beat Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) 6-6 in the 53kg quarterfinals. She will face Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN) in the semifinals. Malysheva defeated Zynep YETGIL (TUR) 11-0

12:45: Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) scores a takedown with 10 seconds left on the clock to beat Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) 4-2 in the 57kg quarterfinals. Big win for Kurachkina. 

12:37: 51 seconds and we are done! Mariya STADNIK (AZE) rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority over Gabija DILYTE (LTU) in the 50kg quarterfinal. She will face the winner of Oksana LIVACH (UKR) and Julie SABATIE (FRA)

12:35: Moving into the semifinals at 57kg with another dominant victory is Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR). She rolls to a 10-0 win over Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE).

12:20: Dominance from Martina KUENZ (AUT). She beats the European Championships silver medalist Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) 10-0 in one minute and moves into the 76kg semifinals for tonight. Kuenz last competed at the Bishkek Ranking Series in June 2023.

12:15: European champion at 55kg Andreea ANA (ROU) moves into the 53kg semifinals with a technical superiority 11-0 win over Veronika RJABOVOLOVA (MKD).

12:05: Annika WENDLE (GER) takes out Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN) 2-1 at 53kg. No action points were scored but Wendle got the technical points to move into the semifinals

11:55: How did that happen? Mimi HRITSOVA (BUL) was leading 8-0 when Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) got her in a cradle and pinned Hritsova! The Bulgarian is shellshocked.

11:50: European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) with a strong gut game to beat Epp MAE (EST) 12-1 at 76kg. Mae will have to try to qualify for the Paris Olympics in Istanbul now.

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) doesn't let Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) to take any advantage this time. She avenges her European Championships loss and moves into the semifinals at 62kg with a 9-0 win.

11:35: European silver medalist Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) was trailing 8-8 on criteria against Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL) but came back to beat her 14-8 at 76kg. She moves into the quarterfinals.

11:30: Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) with a fall over Othelie HOEIE (NOR) in her first bout since the World Championships. Hrushyna was out due to an injury but looks fully recovered 

11:15: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) sees off Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) 7-1 and moves on at 53kg. She will face Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN) for a semifinal spot.

11:10: Annika WENDLE (GER), down 3-1 with 15 seconds remaining, hits a front headlock for four and gets the win over Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). Wendle avoided an attempted big throw from Wrzesien as well.  

11:00: In a battle of two Tokyo Olympians, Mimi HRITSOVA (BUL) holds off Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) 4-2 to advance at 68kg. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) beats Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) 10-3 at 68kg.

10:50: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), who is down at 68kg from her usual 72kg weight class, rolls to an 11-0 win over Ilana KRATYSH (ISR). At the same weight, Tokyo Olympian Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) beats Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT) 10-0 in a minute and 15 seconds. 

10:40: Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) gets her campaign underway with a 4-1 win over Eniko ELEKES (HUN) at 62kg. She will now face Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) in the quarterfinals. Lindborg defeated Dudova at the European Championships in February

10:30: Welcome to Women's Wrestling day at the European OG Qualifier in Baku. Can Mariya STADNIK (AZE) be the first woman wrestler to qualify for five Olympics? Will Yasemin ADAR (TUR) earn a qualifying or will we see some historic moments?

UWW Partners With Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan

By United World Wrestling Press

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 2) -- The Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from April 6-12 will bear the logo with a snow leopard. Being the national symbol of Kyrgyzstan, the animal holds significant reference in the culture of the country.

Like in wrestling, success isn't just about strength, it’s about the combination of power, precision, and an unbreakable mind. Snow leopard in the high-altitude "arenas" of 12 countries in Central and South Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, lives by these same rules.

United World Wrestling is partnering with the Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan to promote the preservation of the animal of which around 300 adult individuals remain around the country.

With the Asian Championships in Bishkek, the tournament was the ideal opportunity to raise the awareness around the national symbol of Kyrgyzstan.

Snow Leopard Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2012. It conducts research across snow leopard habitats, implements community-based conservation programs, builds awareness and education, and assists government agencies in the Kyrgyz Republic in addressing policy issues pertaining to snow leopard conservation.

SLFK is the country partner of the International Snow Leopard Trust which was established in 1981 and is based in Seattle, US with the goal to protect the endangered snow leopard and its mountain ecosystem through a combination of advanced scientific research and community-based conservation programs.