Women's World Cup

Susaki, Mukaida Lead Japan at Women's World Cup

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 - 05:30 By Andrew Hipps

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CHEBOKSARY, Russia - Women's wrestling power Japan looks to claim its third straight title at the Women's World Cup.  The two-day event gets underway on Friday in Cheboksary, Russia.

The competition is comprised of eight of the top women's wrestling nations, divided into two pools of four. Nations will compete in dual meets against other nations within their pool, followed by placement matches paring teams from different pools.  

Group A includes Japan, host Russia, USA and Sweden. 

Eight-time Women's World Cup winner Japan is led by world champions Yui SUSAKI (48kg) and Mayu MUKAIDA (53kg). Susaki captured her first senior world title this year after winning three straight world titles at the cadet level. Mukaida was a world silver medalist this year in Paris, a year after winning world titles at both the senior and junior levels in 2016. Japan's roster also includes three-time cadet world champion Masako FURUICHI (75kg) and junior world champion Yurika ITO (63kg). 

Mayu MUKAIDA (53kg)

Russia's roster is headlined by three-time world finalist Irina OLOGONOVA (55kg). She won gold medals this year in Alexander Medved Prizes and Alrosa Cup events. Also competing for Russia is two-time world bronze medalist Elena PEREPELKINA (75kg). This year she was a bronze medalist at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. Other notable wrestlers on Russia's team include junior world champions Valeriya CHEPSARAKOVA (48kg) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (53kg), European champion Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA and Klippan Lady Open champion Yulia PRONTSEVICH (60kg). 

Irina OLOGONOVA (55kg)

USA brings a strong team to the World Cup that includes three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (75kg) and two-time world silver medalist Alli RAGAN (60kg). Gray won world titles in 2012, 2014 and 2015. She took 2017 off.  Ragan's world silver medals have come in each of the last two years.

Adeline GRAY (75kg)

Sweden's roster includes a pair of bronze medalists from last week's U23 World Championships, Elin NILSSON (58kg) and Moa NYGREN (63kg). 

Group B features China, Azerbaijan, Mongolia and Ukraine.

China has won this event six times, with five coming in a row (2007-2011). Olympic champion Jiao WANG (69kg) will lead a talented team. Wang won Olympic gold in 2008 and placed fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Another star competing for China is Yanan SUN, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2013 world champion. Qian ZHOU (75kg) is a multiple-time world medalist competing for China. Rui XU (63kg) was a 2016 Olympian. 

Yanan SUN (CHN)

Mariya STADNYK (48kg) will lead Azerbaijan at the World Cup. She is a three-time Olympic medalist, world champion and four-time world medalist. Also competing in the same weight class (48kg) for Azerbaijan is Turkan NASIROVA, who wrestled at three world championships this year.  She was a bronze medalist last week at the U23 World Championships last week. Azerbaijan's roster also includes junior and cadet world champion Leyla GURBANOVA (53kg), as well as U23 world bronze medalist Tetiana OMELCHENKO (60kg).

Mariya STADNYK (48kg)

Mongolia will look to make noise with a roster that includes multiple medalists from the recent U23 World Championships, led by junior world champion Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (58kg). Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (53kg), Gantuya ENKHBAT (60kg) were bronze medalists at the U23 World Championships. 

Ukraine brings a team that includes two-time cadet world champion Olena KREMZER (55kg), 2014 world bronze medalist Irina CHYKHRADZE (58kg) and world military champion Alla BELINSKAYA (69kg). 

Day ONE (Friday, December 1)

Round 1

Group A: Sweden vs. Japan || 10am/2am ET
Group A: USA vs. Russia || 11am/3am ET

Group B: Ukraine vs. China || 10am/2am ET
Group B: Mongolia vs. Azerbaijan || 11am/3am ET

Round 2 (Friday)

Group A: Russia vs. Japan || 12:30pm/430am ET
Group A: USA vs. Sweden || 1:30pm/530am ET

Group B: Azerbaijan vs. China || 12:30pm/430am ET
Group B: Mongolia vs. Ukraine || 1:30pm/530am ET

Round 3 (Friday)

Group A: USA vs. Japan || 5:30pm/930am ET
Group A: Sweden vs. Russia || 6:30pm/1030am ET

Group B: Mongolia vs. China || 5:30pm/930am ET
Group B: Ukraine vs. Azerbaijan || 6:30pm/1030am ET

Day TWO (Saturday, December 2)

7th Place: Group A (4) v. Group B (4) || 1pm/5am ET
5th Place: Group A (3) v. Group B (3) || 1pm/5am ET

3rd Place: Group A (2) v. Group B (2) || 2pm/6am ET

1st Place: Group A (1) v. Group B (1) ||  3pm/7am ET

Women's World Cup

Japan Edges China for World Cup Gold

Saturday, December 2, 2017 - 19:42 By Eric Olanowski

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CHEBOKSARY, Russia (December 2) - The 2017 Women’s World Cup championship session wrapped up this morning. After two days of exciting action, it was Japan winning the gold medal bout, Mongolia taking home the bonze, host nation Russia placing fifth, and Azerbaijan taking seventh.  

The gold medal bout between Japan and China was kicked off with 2017 world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) taking on Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN). Sun’s crotch lift gave her the 2-2 lead on criteria as time expired. After Japan challenged the call, two points were awarded to Susaki and she was victorious 4-2.

SUN Yanan (CHN) argues a last-second call in her match with 2017 world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN). Susaki won 4-2.

At 53kg, world champion Mayu MUKAIDA’s two takedowns in the first period were enough to hold on to the 4-0 win over PANG Qianyu (CHN).

RONG Ninging (CHN) gave China their first victory of the finals as she defeated Momoka KADOYA (JPN), 4-3.

Akie HANAI (JPN) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) picked back-to-back wins, including a fall at 60kg by Kawai which gave Japan the commanding 4-1 lead.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) looks to finish a shot before picking up a fall in the Wome's World Cup finals. 

After leading 1-0 at the end of the first period, LUO Xiaojua's (CHN) six points in the second period solidified her the 7-1 victory at 63kg. This helped cut Japan’s lead to within two with only two matches remaining. 

ZHOU Feng (CHN) broke the 1-1 with Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) halfway through the second period with a takedown and gut wrench, giving her the the 5-1 lead. After a Morikawa step out and another takedown, Zhou won the match 8-1.

At 75kg, it was ZHOU Qian (CHN) who picked up the win via injury default after Masako FURUICHI (JPN) was unable to compete due to an apparent shoulder injury.

This left the dual tied 4-4, but it was Japan’s 17 classification points to China’s 16 that gave them victory in the gold medal match.

ZHOU Qian (CHN) shows excitment after Masako FURUICHI (JPN) was no longer able to compete due to a shoulder injury.

In the bronze medal bout, after dropping the first match, Mongolia went on to win three straight and five of the final seven bouts to defeated the United States. It was S. ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) at 55kg who sparked the Mongolian’s with a fall after being down 8-0 to USA Sarah HILDEBRANDT.

In the fifth place match, Russia and Ukraine traded a pair of wins and were tied after the first four matches. It was Yulia PRONTSEVITCH ​​​​​​(RUS) who broke the tie with a 1-0 victory over Sofiia BODNAR (UKR). From there, Russia took control of the match, winning two of the final three matches. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA’S (RUS) 10-2 victory over Alla BELINSKA (UKR) gave Russia the 5-2 lead heading into 75kg, which ultimately sealed the fifth place bout for the host nation.

Yulia PRONTSEVITCH ​​​​​​(RUS) looks to finish a double leg in the fifth place bout.

Azerbaijan controlled the seventh place bout, winning six of the eight matches. Aside from the forfeit that Denise Sabina MAKOTA STROE picked up at 75kg, Sweden’s lone win came from Emma Siri Linnea BROCECK at 53kg.

RESULTS

Championship Final: Japan df. China, 4-4
48 kg Y. SUSAKI  (JPN) df. Y. SUN (CHN), 4-2
53 kg M. MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Q. PANG (CHN),4-0
55 kg N. RONG. (CHN) df. M. KADOYA  (JPN), 4-3
58 kg HANAI A. (JPN) df. Y. SUN (CHN), 6-2
60 kg Y. KAWAI  (JPN) df. X. CHEN (CHN), via FALL (2:07)
63 kg X. LUO (CHN) df. Y. ITO (JPN), 7-269 kg F. ZHOU (CHN) df. M. MORIKAWA (JPN), 8-1
75 kg Q. ZHOU Q. (CHN) df. M. FURUICHI (JPN), via INJ DEF

Third-Place: Mongolia df. United States, 5-3
48 kg V. ANTHONY  (USA) df. C. BUYANDALAI  (MGL), via FALL
53 kg O. GANBAATAR df. (MGL) H. AUGELLO (USA), 11-6
55 kg S. ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. S. HILDEBRANDT (USA), FALL
58 kg  B. ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. K. MIRACLE (USA), 6-1
60 kg A. RAGAN (USA) df. G. ENKHBAT (MGL), 4-4
63 kg O. PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. M. VELTE (USA), via FALL
69 kg B. SORONZONBOID  (MGL) df. T. MENSAH (USA), 8-7.
75 kg GRAY A. (USA) df. U. GAN OCHIR (MGL), via FALL.

Fifth-Place: Russia df. Ukraine, 5-3
48 kg I. SEMKIV (UKR) df. CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS), via FALL
53 kg S. ORSHUSH (RUS) df. O. SHNAIDER (UKR), 12-1
55 kg M. GUROVA (RUS) vs O. KREMZER (UKR), 8-2
58 kg I. CHYKHRADZE (UKR) df. K. MURTUZALIEVA (RUS), 10-0
60 kg Y. PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) df. S. BODNAR (UKR), 1-0
63 kg A. FOMENKO (RUS) df. I. KOLIADENKO (UKR), 2-2
69 kg A. BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. A. BELINSKA (UKR), 10-2
75 kg A. SHUSTOVA (UKR) df. J. MAKSIMOVA (RUS),10-2

Seventh-Place: Azerbaijan df. Sweden, 6-2
48 kg T. NASIROVA (AZE) df. M.  LJUNGSTROEM (SWE), 10-0
53 kg E. BROBECK (SWE)  df. S. QAMZOCLZADE S. (AZE), 7-4
55 kg S. HASHIMZADA (AZE) df. S. PETER (SWE) , 4-3
58 kg A. KOLESNIK (AZE) df. E. NILSSON (SWE), 6-4
60 kg T. OMELCHENKO (AZE) df. X X (SWE), via FORFEIT
63 kg E. GAMBAROVA (AZE) df. M. NYGREN (SWE), 5-4
69 kg E. MANOLOVA (AZE), A. SANDAHL (SWE), 3-2
75 kg D.  MAKOTA STROE (SWE) v. G. ZUTOVA (AZE), via FORFEIT