#Zagreb2018

Shilson Knocks Off Nazarova, Japan Wins Four Women’s Titles on Thursday at #Zagreb2018

Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 20:30 By Taylor Miller

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ZAGREB, Croatia – The first five Cadet World champions in women’s freestyle were crowned on Thursday night in Zagreb, Croatia.

Highlighting the night was 2017 Cadet World silver medalist Emily Shilson, who knocked off last year’s 38 kg World champion Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE).

Trailing 4-0, Shilson maneuvered her way on top and picked up six gut wrenches for a tech fall and the 2018 Cadet World title at 43 kg.

The rest of the night was dominated by Japan. The nation picked up the next four gold medals with repeat World title performances coming from 2017 World champs Honoka NAKAI (JPN) at 65 kg and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) at 73 kg.

The closest bout of the night came at 65 kg, where Nakai, the 2018 Cadet Asian champion, picke up a first-period takedown, which was all that would be scored in her 2-0 win over Cadet Asian runner-up Xinru ZHOU (CHN) for a second-consecutive Cadet World title.

Asian champion Kagami wrapped up the night for Japan at 73 kg, where she scored five takedowns on two-time Cadet Asian medalist Qian JIANG (CHN) to claim an 11-0 tech fall for another World gold.

At 49 kg, Cadet Asian champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won Japan’s first gold medal of the night with a first-period fall over Polina LUKINA (RUS).

Already up 7-0, Fujinami capitalized off an attempted throw from Lukina and pinned the Russian in 1:45.

In the 57 kg final, Cadet Asian champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) scored a fast takedown and four leg laces for a 10-0 technical fall over Anna SZEL (HUN) in the first 40 seconds.

The tournament continues tomorrow with women’s freestyle repechage and Greco-Roman preliminaries at 4:30 a.m. ET on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Women’s freestyle team scores going into final day (top 10)
1. Japan - 110
2. Russia - 70
3. Ukraine - 54
4. China - 50
5. United States - 48
6. Belarus - 45
7. India - 31
8. Hungary - 30
9. Azerbaijan - 20
10. Mongolia - 20

Finals results
43 kg
GOLD - Emily SHILSON (USA)
SILVER - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
BRONZE - Viktoriia ALEKSANDROVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Amina PONOMAROVA (UKR)

1st - Emily Shilson (USA) TF Shahana Nazarova (AZE), 14-4
3rd - Viktoriia Aleksandrova (RUS) fall Simran Simran (IND), 1:05
3rd - Amina Ponomarova (UKR) dec. Anna Ueno (JPN), 6-4

49 kg
GOLD - Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Polina LUKINA (RUS)
BRONZE - Tiare IKEI (USA)
BRONZE - Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)

1st - Akari Fujinami (JPN) fall Polina Lukina (RUS), 1:45
3rd - Tiare Ikei (USA) fall Munkhgerel Munkhbat (MGL), 1:17
3rd - Natallia Varakina (BLR) dec. Lucia Yepez Guzman (ECU), 9-2

57 kg
GOLD - Nonoka OZAKI  (JPN)
SILVER - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
BRONZE - Aryna MARTYNAVA (BLR)
BRONZE - Irina RINGACI (MDA)

1st - Nonoka Ozaki (JPN) TF Anna Hella Szel (HUN), 10-0
3rd - Aryna Martynava (BLR) dec. Anastasiia Sidelnikova (RUS), 6-4
3rd - Irina Ringaci (MDA) dec. Yaping Zhu (CHN), 11-3

65 kg
GOLD - Honoka NAKAI  (JPN)
SILVER - Xinru ZHOU (CHN)
BRONZE - Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Sonam SONAM (IND)

1st - Honoka Nakai (JPN) dec. Xinru Zhou (CHN), 2-0
3rd - Ekaterina Glukhareva (RUS) dec. Noémi Szabados (HUN), 7-0
3rd - Sonam Sonam (IND) dec. Oksana Chudyk (UKR), 1-1

73 kg
GOLD - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Qian JIANG (CHN)
BRONZE - Elina PYSHKINA (UKR)
BRONZE - Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)

1st - Yuka Kagami (JPN) TF Qian Jiang (CHN), 11-0
3rd - Elina Pyshkina (UKR) dec. Marion Bye (NOR), 4-4
3rd - Kseniya Dzibuk (BLR) dec. Valeriia Trifonova (RUS), 5-0

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

Thursday, May 7, 2026 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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CORALVILLE, USA (May 7) -- The opening day of the Pan-American Championships is set to kick off this morning at 10:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. The eight weight classes that'll take the mat this morning are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 130kg. 

Start in Action: 
- Luis ORTA (CUB) – Tokyo 2020 gold, Paris 2024 bronze
- Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) - Paris 2024 silver
- Oscar PINO HINDS - Returning Pan-Am champion, World silver
- Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) - Returning Pan-Am champion
- Jeremy Renzo PERALTA (ECU) - Returning Pan-Am champion

BOUT ORDER | SCHEDULE 

1:11: We're going to take a short four-minute break before heading into the semifinal matches. We'll see you over on UWW+ for those at 1:15 (local time).

12:18: Terrible scene here in Iowa. Olympic runner-up Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) went for a throw in his semifinal match and suffered a tournament-end injury to his right knee. He was take off on a wheel chair, ending his day and tournament here at the Pan-American Championships.

12:01:  Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI) was just about to give up the tech fall when he caught Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) on his back for the fall. He moved into the 77kg semifinals with that fall, and will meet the winner of Justin BOYCE (BAR) and Oscar Antonio BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON).

11:31: U23 world bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA) earns the 8-0 win in his senior Pan-Am debut, punching his ticket to the 67kg semifinals later today.

11:10: Orta moves into the 67kg semifinals with a fall over Horta after leading 9-0. He awaits the winner of Alejandro VARELA (GUA) and Angelo CAFE DE OLIVEIRA (BRA). That match is underway on Mat B, with the Guatemalan  winning, 9-2

11:01: For a second time today, we have a meeting of Pan-Am champions. This time, it's four-time Pan-Am champ Orta Sanchez taking on Julian HORTA (COL). The Cuban has an early 2-0 lead coming from a pair of step outs.

10:51: As expected when you have two high level Greco guys like Melelashvili and Gregorich, it was a low scoring affair, but in the end it was a 1-1 criteria win for the American. He scored the first point, which gave him the criteria advantage at the end of the bout. I'll tell you what, though, it was weird seeing a Cuban Olympic champion in Borrero, cornering an American, who was beating a Cuban. Borrero certainly knew Gregorich's strengths and helped Melelashvili use them to his advantage.

10:31: We have a pair of Pan-Am champions coming up on Mat B next in Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB). The American is the reigning champ, while the Cuban won the event in 2024. 

10:23: Not wrestling related, but Cuban world and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) is cornering USA WRESTLING athletes. He is now living in Colorado Springs, USA, where he is an Assistant Greco-Roman Coach.

10:08 - Whistles are ringing through the Xtream Arena here in Iowa, which means wrestling is underway. We're only running two mats here. The first star that'll be in action will be world and Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB). He's currently 16-0 at the Pan-American Championships and is looking for his fifth continental title.