#WrestleBelgrade

Rotter Focken Delivers in Final Women's Match in Belgrade

By Andrew Hipps

Links:
Finals Highlights
Day 5 Photos
Interview with Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 16) -- On Wednesday night, Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) delivered in a big way in the final women's wrestling match of the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia.

The 29-year-old German secured the gold medal at 76kg with a fall over 2017 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR).

Rotter Focken, a 2014 world champion and four-time world medalist, led 1-0 at the break after a tactical opening period. Early in the second period, Adar, who defeated Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) by fall in the semifinals, fired off a double leg. Rotter Focken defended the shot and whipped the Turkish wrestler to her back to secure the fall.

Russia claimed the team title in women's wrestling, finishing with seven medals, including two gold medals. A day after Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (50kg) won gold, Svetlana LIPATOVA gave Russia its second gold in women's wrestling by edging Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) 2-1 at 59kg.

Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) gave Russia its second gold in women's wrestling at the Individual World Cup (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

After Lipatova scored the only point of the opening period off the activity clock, Cherdivara Esanu came back to take the criteria lead in the second period after scoring a point of her own off the activity clock. A short time later, the Moldovan wrestler was put on the activity clock for a second time. She was unable to score, giving Lipatova her lead back, which was enough to earn the narrow victory.

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) won the title at 57kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Three Moldovan women competed for gold on Wednesday, but only European champion Anastasia NICHITA (57kg) came out victorious. 

Nichita earned the gold medal at 57kg with a 5-1 victory over world No.7 Anshu ANSHU (IND). Nichita led 1-0 at the break. She tacked on more points in the second period, scoring a two-point exposure with a throw before adding a takedown midway through the final period.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) throws Irina RINGACI (MDA) for four points (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), a 2018 junior world bronze medalist, used a big second period to help her earn a 14-4 technical superiority over Irina RINGACI (MDA) and capture the gold medal at 65kg. Rizhko went up 4-0 early before Ringaci responded with a takedown and gut wrench to grab the criteria lead heading into the break. Rizhko came out strong in the second period, throwing Ringaci to her back and nearly securing the fall. The Ukrainian built her lead to 8-4 before tossing Ringaci again to her back for four points to go up 12-4. She closed out the match by getting a takedown with 25 seconds remaining. 

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) topped Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) to win gold at 68kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), a junior world silver medalist, overcame a slow start to defeat Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) 8-2 and claim the gold at 68kg. Hanzlickova, a 2020 Yasar Dogu champion, led 1-0 at the break after scoring off the activity clock. The 21-year-old Zhumanazarova quickly took the lead in the second period after shooting a double leg and scoring the match's first takedown. She added to her lead with another takedown before Hanzlickova scored a point off a step out to cut the deficit to 4-2. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Zhumanazarova shot a double leg and scored a four-point takedown to blow the match wide open.

Both Russia and Ukraine finished the day with one gold medal and two bronze medals.

Veronika CHUMIKOVA (57kg) and Khanum VELIEVA (68kg) won bronze medals for Russia, while Kateryna ZELENYKH (59kg) and Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (68kg) earned bronze for Ukraine. 

Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) and Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) took the bronze medals at 65kg. 

Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) won a bronze at 57kg after getting a fall over Arianna CARIERI (ITA).

Magdalena GLODEK (POL) edged Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) to win a bronze medal at 59kg.

Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) defeated the Rio Olympic champion Wiebe to win a bronze at 76kg. The other bronze at 76kg was won by Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Women's Wrestling Medal Match Results

57kg
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Anshu ANSHU (IND) by VPO1, 5-1
BRONZE: Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) by VPO1, 2-2
BRONZE: Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) df. Arianna CARIERI (ITA) by VFA, 5-0

59kg
GOLD: Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) by VPO1, 2-1
BRONZE: Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) df. Elif YANIK (TUR) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Magdalena GLODEK (POL) df. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) by VPO1, 8-7

65kg
GOLD: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) by VSU1, 14-4
BRONZE: Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) df. Asli DEMIR (TUR) by VPO, 4-0
BRONZE: Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) by VFA, 6-6

68kg
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) by VPO1, 8-2
BRONZE: Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL) by VSU1, 13-2
BRONZE: Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) by VSU, 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) by VFA, 3-0
BRONZE: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) by VPO1, 3-1
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) by VPO1, 11-8
 

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships Day 3 semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 12) -- More wrestling coming your way as the World Championships enter day three in Belgrade. Women's wrestling is also beginning with 55kg and 62kg. The final two Greco-Roman categories will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

14:09: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) has her second tough match of the session, but manages to do enough to defeat European silver medalist Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) 4-0 to make the women's 62kg semifinals. Tynybekova gains an activity clock point in the first period, then adds a stepout and a late takedown. Still, she hardly looks like the same wrestler who stormed to the gold in Oslo; perhaps she has not sufficiently recovered from the ankle injury she suffered in losing the final at the Asian Championships in April to Ozaki?

14:05: Returning silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) shuts out Tetiana OMLECHENKO (AZE) with a 6-1 win in the quarterfinals at 62kg.

14:03: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) hangs on for a 4-1 win over Lais NUNES (BRA) after getting a takedown in the activity period and a stepout. She moves into the 62kg semifinals.

14:01: Blink and you missed it as 2021 world bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) needed just 36 seconds to put away Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), getting a takedown and locking up the ankles, then four quick rolls and that was that for a 10-0 technical fall.

13:57: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) stays on track to regain the women's 55kg title she won in 2019 as she held on for a 4-2 quarterfinal victory over Roksana ZASINA (POL). Winchester scores a first-period takedown, then adds a stepout and a shot-clock point in the second.

13:56: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) chalks up a workmanlike 6-0 victory over Mengyu XIE (CHN) to advance to the women's 55kg semifinals as she chases her third career world title. Shidochi scores a takedown in the first period and two in the second as she remains unscored upon in the tournament.

13:52: With 32 seconds remaining, Karla GODINEZ (CAN) leads 2-1 against European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) with all three points being inactivity. But Godinez will move into the semifinals at 55kg.

13:50: At women's 55kg, upcoming star Oleksandra KHOMENETES (UKR) with a four-pointer to lead 6-3 against Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) before adding another takedown and roll to make it 10-3. She gives up a takedown but will take home a 10-5 win and a spot in the semifinals.

13:44: Four-time Asian medalist Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point headlock in the second period that gives him a 5-2 victory in the Greco 130kg quarterfinals over European silver medalist Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA).

13:41: Oskar MARVIK (NOR) led 1-0 against Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) but doesn't ask for the par terre position. Knystautas takes the lead when Marvik is called for passivity in the second period. He rolls Marvik two times for a 5-1 lead. He wins the quarterfinal and will wrestle in the 130kg semifinals.

13:40: U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) up against Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) who gets the first advantage with par terre position. But Kajaia fails to get any turn from par terre. In the second period, Mirzazadeh with a 1-1 lead on criteria. With 1:20 remaining, Kajaia gets the par terre again but fails to get any turn. Mirzazadeh will wrestle in the 130kg semifinal

13:39: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) barrels into the Greco 130kg semifinals by overpowering Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) with an 8-0 technical fall in 2:17. After three stepouts, Kayaalp gets a passivity point and the top position in par terre. Two slow-motion rolls later and that's it for the Romanian.

13:33: Two-time world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) prevails in a contentious Greco 60kg quarterfinal with Kerem KAMAL (TUR) that was filled with challenges and cautions. Fumita withstands the pressure after twice being put into the bottom of par terre, and scores a last-second takedown for a 6-3 victory.

13:26: 20-year-old Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), holding the lead on criteria after each received a passivity point, gets a stepout in the second period to clinch a 2-1 victory over 2021 bronze medalist Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) and gain a place in the 60kg semifinals.

13:24: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) reverses a par terre position to score a takedown and lead 2-1 against Liguo CAO (CHN). He then gets the par terre before securing a 7-1 win

13:18: Returning silver medalist Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) with the toss against Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) and secures the fall in the 60kg quarterfinals.

13:10: 2021 world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) falls behind 6-5 against Xiaojuan LUO (CHN) in their women's 62kg match, but comes back with a cradle for 2, with a 2-point penalty tacked on. From there it is all Miracle, as she scores a 4-point tackle, then ends the match against the exhausted Luo with a takedown and roll for a 17-6 win.

12:59: In a clash between 2021 gold medalists, defending champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) barely holds on to defeat 59kg titlist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 3-2 for a spot in the 62kg quarterfinals. In the first period, Tynybekova scores a stepout with one second left on the shot clock. In the second, she goes up 3-0 with a single-leg takedown. Dudova puts the pressure on and scores a stepout with 1:01 left. In the final seconds, she gets in on a double leg, but can't finish it off and only gets another stepout.

12:57: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) puts on an impressive display of driving double-leg takedowns as she powers into the women's 55kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 technical fall in 2:44 over Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ).

12:54: Returning bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) warms up with a 54-second fall over Anna SZEL (HUN). She will face European champion Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the quarterfinals.

12:48: On Mat D, Sonam MALIK (IND) wrestling U23 world champion Ana GODINEZ (CAN). Malik with a stepout and Godinez was penalized for passivity. Malik leads 2-0 at the break. In the second period, an activity clock on Malik and she fails to score in the 30 seconds. Godinez shoots for the legs and gets the takedown and a leg lace to lead 5-2. A late takedown and a 7-2 win for Godinez

12:45: European champion Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) with a huge fall over Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR) at 62kg. She used a cradle to get the fall.

12:44: Superstar Riza KAYAALP (TUR), looking for his fifth world title and first since 2019,  gets started with a 5-1 victory at Greco 130kg over Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR) to advance to the quarterfinals.

12:40: In a doozy on Mat A, 2019 Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN) gives up the go-ahead takedown to 2021 world silver medalist Nina HEMMER (GER) with :32 left, only to come back with a double-leg takedown of her own with 7 seconds left for a 6-4 win at women's 55kg.

12:30: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) survived a pin attempt from Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and rallied to score points at will to win 13-6 against Dragutan 

12:21: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) uses a reverse headlock to secure a fall over Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) and advance to the Greco 60kg quarterfinals.

12:20: Oskar MARVIK (NOR), a bronze medalist a year ago in Oslo, proves too much for two-time world junior medalist Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), notching a 5-0 victory to advance to the Greco 130kg quarterfinals.

12:05: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), a 2014 world champion and silver medalist the following year, loses a wild one at women's 62kg to see Xiaojuan LUO (CHN). Sukhee trailed 7-6 in the final 20 seconds when she headlocked Luo to her back, only to have the Chinese roll her over with :04 left and gain a 9-8 win.

11:50: 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Anna SZEL (HUN) secures the fall against Hanbit LEE (KOR) at women's 62kg. That earns her a round-of-16 clash with the mighty Nonoka OZAKI (JPN).

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), the 2021 world champion at women's 59kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight of 62kg,  scores a go-behind takedown with :36 left and adds a cross-face exposure to defeat Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) 5-1.

11:45: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) is returning to international competition since her gold in Tokyo. Wrestling Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) in the 55kg qualification, Shidochi with two single leg attacks to lead 4-0 before a takedown to make it 6-0 at the break. She starts the second period with another takedown, and finishes the bout 10-0 with two minutes remaining.

11:40: European bronze medalist Dariusz VITEK (HUN) gets the fall at 130kg when 2018 world bronze medalist Minseok KIM (KOR), down 5-0, tries desperation back drop but is stopped on his won back.

11:30: Two-time U17 world champion and U20 world silver Sonam MALIK (IND) plans it extremely well with a activity in the first period and slowing it down in the second. She wins 8-0 over Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ).

11:14: Rabby KILANDI (COD) made history when he notched the first-ever Greco victory by a wrestler from the Democratic Republic of Congo at a World Championships, winning an 11-9 nail-biter over Viktor PETRYK (UKR) at 60kg. Kilandi, an African bronze medalist at 55kg (he also placed fifth in freestyle!), got the winning points with 4-point counter to a bear hug late in the second period. 

11:13: In the first featured match of the session, European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) puts away former Asian 55kg champion Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) by a 9-0 technical fall. He'll face Mohsen Nejad next.

11:09: U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) with a 5-0 win over Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ). Mirzazadeh defeated world champion Aliakbar YOUSIFI (IRI) in the trials to win the spot on the national team

11:05: Just like Mohsen Nejad on the adjacent mat, 2021 Asian champion Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) recorded a fall after he had built up enough for a technical fall against Alexandru TRANDAFIR (ROU). Sultangali was a world bronze medalist in 2018. 

11:02: Asian silver medalist Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) advances at 60kg with a fall over Hanjae CHUNG (KOR). Mohsen Nejad scored a takedown and roll to go up 8-0, which would have ended the match anyway but got the fall when his opponent stopped fighting.

10:59: 34-year-old Ildar HAFIZOV (USA), who won an Asian silver in 2011 for his native Uzbekistan, has a successful challenge wipe out eight points by his opponent as he defeats Dicther TORO (COL) 9-6 at 60kg.  That avenged a loss in the final of the 2021 Pan Am Championship.

10:56: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be in the highlight package of every wrestling video. He begins his day in Belgrade with an 11-0 win

10:55: With China returning to the international stage, Liguo CAO (CHN), a two-time fifth-place finisher, takes little time in scoring a 9-0 technical fall over Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) to advance at 60kg. 

10:39: Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) and Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) in the first qualification bout of the day at 60kg. Dahiya gets the par terre and then two turns to lead 5-1. Second-period par terre for Dahiya again but Tudezca gets takedown and a roll. He cuts down the lead to 6-4 but Dahiya hangs on for the win. 

10:29: We're ready for Day 3, with the preliminary rounds in the last two weights in Greco (60kg and 130kg) and the first two in Women's Wrestling (55kg and 62kg).